Good news for TV fans out there, as both the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture Producers announced separately that they are to sit down and begin negotiations on Monday, November 26. This is the first among hopefully more developments regarding the writers' strike that has well affected most of television programming since then began leaving their posts a couple of weeks ago.

The Writers' Guild's major reason for the strike is the lack of payment that writers receive for "new media." By "new media" they mean the online streaming videos on the various networks' websites. A major issue is the lack of residuals and royalties that the networks fail to give to the hardworking writers of various shows.

These online streaming videos include that of ABC's Lost, which shows advertisements during and before those episodes. Apparently, writers do not earn from those ads, and producers were quick to respond that the streamed episodes were purely promotional.

Nonetheless, the fact that an announcement was made on when the negotiations will take place is a good sign that there may be a resolution in the near future. But then again, this is all dependent on what the two sides will work on, on Monday.

The strike has greatly affected our televiewing as late night television has stopped airing, including Letterman, Stewart, Leno, Colbert and Conan. The Office and Saturday Night Live has also halted production, as cast members refused to join the strike. Angels and Demons, the prequel to the film The Da Vinci Code, has also stopped filming, as Ron Howard supported the writers.

Carlton Cuse, Lost showrunner, commented that "The studios have underestimated the resolve of the guild." At least, the public sympathizes with the writers, and it may well add up pressure to the Alliance of Motion Picture Producers to quickly resolve this, so that we can all have our good programming back on track.