The last time a significant writer’s strike hit (in 2007/8), we saw an industry-wide swing towards unscripted and reality content to feed the gap. With another protracted Writer’s Guild of America strike on the table, and US networks leaning heavily on unscripted fare once again, we could see significant changes to the Reality TV buying landscape throughout North America. Blake & Wang P.A entertainment lawyer and industry insider, Brandon Blake, unpacks some of the potential shifts for us.
Canadian Buying Changes Echo US Trends
Currently Canadian broadcasters attempt to mirror their primetime grids to their US counterparts as a method to boost both viewership and advertising revenues. And as we already know, the matter of advertising revenue has become a critical one across the board, with more and more streaming platforms turning to AVOD models to retain and increase subscription numbers. With their upcoming fall-winter TV schedules due for finalization, this means the WGA strike is likely to cause an uptick in Reality TV for the market as scripted production lapses into a hiatus. The longer this period of labor unrest continues, the fewer scripted US shows likely to hit the market this year. This has already caused an uptick in bidding on unscripted content at the recent Los Angeles Screenings.
Industry Uncertainty
It is, of course, not that simple. We have no guarantee currently that the WGA strike will be as protracted as its 2007 counterpart. So most networks are currently planning two programming strategies for the remainder of 2023, and even into the 2024 schedule. No one wants to miss out on the buzz-generating Hollywood scripted fare, especially comedic and dramatic, should the strike find its way to a quicker resolution. Should the strike continue, however, it is essential to have a Plan B in hand, with production stoppages for scripted shows without scripts inevitable. This would mean a heavy reliance on unscripted and reality fare, especially game show and competition formats, to try and produce a ‘strike-proof’ lineup.
We could also see a further uptick in buying for international shows, especially those made in English in locales like the UK and Australia, and even Canadian-produced content and a greater interest in local indie producers.
Does this mean we will see a repetition of the 2007 strike climate, where reality rules overall? It’s a careful line to walk. No one wants to miss out on the most appealing shows of the calendar year- but if they aren’t in production, no one wants the disruption to their critical ad sales that will follow. And there’s been something of a mega-boom in the popularity of glitzy, high-end scripted content as anchors for maintaining interest and subscription growth, so we’re unlikely to see a full swing away from scripted series. Fresh, new, and exclusive content will remain a major drawcard.
Until there’s a clearer path forward through the strike, however, or a hint of a resolution on the horizon, there’s clear potential for both the unscripted industry and even indie producers to offer fresh, evergreen local content that will fill the airwaves and give ad buyers the schedule stability they’re looking for. That could be magic in the right hands.
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