Overview

• Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav admits that the demands of the Writers Guild of America during their strike were largely justified, stating that they were 'right about almost everything'.
• Key gains made by the WGA in their new contract include significant raises for writers, a 26% increase in residuals, minimum staffing requirements on TV shows, and protections on artificial intelligence.
• The WGA also secured a residual structure for successful streaming shows, a significant win as many writers have struggled with decreased residuals due to the shift to streaming.
• Zaslav took part directly in negotiations with the WGA, alongside other studio heads including Bob Iger (Disney), Ted Sarandos (Netflix) and Donna Langley (Universal).
• Despite the financial gains made by the WGA, Warner Bros. Discovery still faces significant financial challenges, including a $56 billion debt.