Directors start talks, writers watching

The union representing Hollywood directors began contract talks Saturday, with striking TV and film writers calculating how a deal might affect them.Associated Press in the Daily News.

A quick resolution with directors could undercut the bargaining power of writers by serving as an industry template for the central issue of new media compensation, observers said.

The Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild issued a joint statement Friday saying they hoped directors reach a fair deal that "incorporates principles that will benefit all creative artists."