AFTRA board approves deal

Leaders of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists approved a new contract with Hollywood studios that grants actors more money for Internet work - an issue that sparked a crippling writers' strike earlier this year.

AFTRA's board approved the three-year deal late Friday and it will go to the union's 70,000 members for ratification later this month, the union announced Saturday. The current contract was set to end June 30.AP in the Daily News.

The agreement "makes sense for all performers," AFTRA's national president, Roberta Reardon, said in the written statement. "AFTRA members now have the opportunity to vote `yes' for higher pay, improved working conditions and continued right of consent for use of excerpts in New Media."

The deal covers only a handful of prime-time TV shows, including HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm," the CBS drama "Rules of Engagement" and ABC's "Cashmere Mafia."