Plaintiffs v Major Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Writers' Age-Discrimination Case Settled
A decade-old legal battle comes to an end as 17 major networks and production studios, along with seven talent agencies, agree to pay $70 million to thousands of writers.
Under the settlement, 17 major networks and production studios, along with seven talent agencies, agreed to pay $70 million to thousands of writers to resolve 19 claims.
A group of 165 writers alleged that the networks, studios and talent agencies unfairly squeezed out writers older than 40 in their efforts to capture younger audiences, denying them employment on dramas and situation comedies.
About $2.5 million of the settlement will be used to establish a "Fund for the Future" that will issue grants and loans to older writers to aid their careers and study ways to supplement their pensions.
Defendants included most of the major Hollywood studios and broadcast networks ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, as well as big talent agencies including William Morris, Endeavor and UTA. A related claim against talent agency International Creative Management was previously settled.
A claim against Creative Artists Agency remains pending. A spokesman for the talent agency declined to comment.
The case captured widespread attention because it highlighted what has long been a delicate subject in Hollywood, where complaints about ageism have dogged the industry for years, even inspiring a documentary called "Power and Fear: The Hollywood Graylist." The also case won a crucial boost from the Writers Guild of America. Although the union was not a party to the case, it provided some of the key demographic research that helped buttress the age-discrimination claims.
The settlement, subject to approval by the state court in Los Angeles, establishes a process for class members to apply for a cash distribution from a settlement fund.
For more information contact:
Paul Sprenger
psprenger@sprengerandlang.com
Phone (202) 518-2021
