Striking writers close to settlement

Hollywood studios and striking writers were today inching closer to an agreement in contract talks which could now reach a successful conclusion early next week.

The two sides have breached the gap on the thorniest issues, those concerning compensation for projects distributed via the internet.

That paves the way for a resolution to the dispute although any agreement would have to be approved by a majority of guild members.

The Writers Guild of America, whose three-month-old strike has brought the entertainment industry to a standstill, began informal talks with top media company executives on January 23 in an attempt to reach a new deal covering work for film, TV and digital media.