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Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune are some of the only shows that will continue airing as dozens of other TV shows are being delayed.
The ongoing Writers' Guild of America (WGA) writers' strike and the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) actors' strike has meant that TV shows and Hollywood movies have had to pause production. The knock-on effect is that TV shows expected to start this fall will likely not air, meaning there will be less new content for audiences to enjoy.
There are only a few shows confirmed to stay on the air with new episodes incoming, and that short list includes Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy!
WGA members have been on strike since early May, which immediately put late-night shows on hold. The likes of Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers and Stephen Colbert have offered their support to writers in their dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
On July 14, SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher announced that their members would be going on strike too after negotiations over a new contract with the AMPTP broke down. Both groups are striking over disagreements of terms when it comes to streaming services and fears over the rise of artificial intelligence and its use in the entertainment industry.
While many shows have gone on a forced hiatus, some are able to stay on the air because they fall under a separate contract—one where the strike rules allow the SAG-AFTRA members to work on certain productions.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, some popular daytime shows and game shows operate under one such contract, known as the Network Code agreement.
The following shows are contracted to run until June 2024 under this Network Code: America's Got Talent, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, Jeopardy!, Celebrity Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune and Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.
While the SAG-AFTRA strike won't affect the two Jeopardy! shows, The Hollywood Reporter notes that they're both written by WGA members, who are also on strike. Sources suggested that writing on Season 2 of Celebrity Jeopardy! was completed before the WGA strike, and that Jeopardy! will draw on material from the past four decades to begin the 2023-24 season.
Newsweek has contacted NBC and ABC for further clarification over the current contractual situation for the other shows mentioned.
While the writers have been striking for over two months, and the actors for over a week, there has been no public indication that a resolution will be found anytime soon.
The last major writers' strike, which ended in 2008, lasted for 100 days. The current WGA strike has been going on for 80 days. The last major actors' strike affecting television and movie productions occurred in 1980 and lasted over three months.
The Guild of Music Supervisors has offered its support to both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA. In a statement sent to Newsweek, the group said: "We support them in their fight to get a fair contract with working conditions and compensation that reflects their value in our industry. We are all working together for the betterment of this industry and we hope this leads to positive change for all."
Newsweek has reached out to WGA President Meredith Stiehm and SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher for further comment.
About the writer
Jamie Burton is a Newsweek Senior TV and Film Reporter (Interviews) based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on ... Read more