Writers Strike Accord With Grammys

The Grammys broadcast will go on—with union scribes cleared to pen intros, segues, and one-liners that glue awards shows together—thanks to a waiver deal hammered out between the Writers Guild of America and the Recording Academy. The next battlefield is the Academy Awards. The guild has warned that there will be no waiver for the Oscars.

The writers union president said the deal was made on behalf of "our brother and sister musicians," who face "many of the same issues that we do concerning fair compensation for the use of their work in new media." The union could have denied the waiver and used its clout with the Screen Actors Guild to stop performers who also act, like Justin Timberlake and Beyonce, from attending the Grammys. The show will mark the 50th anniversary of the Grammys. (More Writers Guild of America stories.)