(December 11, 2007) — “Basically my dad has been out of work for weeks,” says sophomore Danny Armstrong. On Nov. 5, the Writers’ Guild of America went on strike due to conflicts with DVD residuals, union jurisdiction and new media against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The strike seemed indefinite at first, but talks between writers and producers are now underway. The Writers’ Strike is causing mixed emotions at Clark. Some students fear for their beloved television shows while others fear for their family’s source of income. Armstrong’s father is out of work due to the strike. His dad is a camera operator for two of CBS network’s shows: The Big Bang Theory and Two And A Half Men . If the strike continues the Armstrong family of five could be in financial trouble. Virtually all television viewers are affected by the strike. “The strike scares me because I don’t know if I can watch all the shows I want to see,” junior Sarin Pakhdikian said. The strike is slowly showing results with the delaying of new episodes of sitcoms and dramas, but results were seen immediately through late night shows and talk shows like the Late Show with David Letterman and the Daily Show with Jon Stewart . However, some shows like The View still continue taping new shows because, according to a statement by the ABC network, “Contingency plans have been made in the event of a strike.” This is not the first time the Writers’ Guild of America has gone on strike. In 1988 they went on strike for 22 weeks over a conflict about VHS tapes. An estimated $500 million was lost by the American entertainment industry due to the strike. If the strike continues, television programs will turn into a slur of reality shows, because writers are not needed to produce reality television. However, a slur of reality T.V. might be what some want. Junior Meg Gulion says she loves reality television. “If television only had reality shows that would be awesome because it’s more interesting and real!” Gulion exclaimed. The current strike affects over 12,000 writers and countless others who are jobless as a result. The strike comes after a deadlock was reached over the basic contract between the AMPTP and the Writers’ Guild. This contract is renewed every three years and is called the Minimum Basic Agreement. Writers are demanding a bigger paycheck because producers and directors are receiving a bigger income due to the expansion of the market through the internet, while writers’ income remains the same. Current proposals seem grim. The two sides cannot reach an agreement that satisfies them both. As a gesture of support, many actors have refused to work and have joined the picket lines. These celebrities include Patrick Dempsey and Katherine Heigl of Gray’s Anatomy , America Ferrera of Ugly Betty , Robin Williams and Ray Romano. Most scripted shows have come to a production halt, but a few others continue production. ABC’s popular dramas like Gray’s Anatomy and Lost have only completed part of their new season episodes, while the CW’s sitcoms, Girlfriends and The Game , continue production.