‘TV’s Top 5’: The Latest on Hollywood’s Labor Unrest as Actors, Directors Join the Fray

Lesley Goldberg
·2 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Welcome to the 217th episode of TV’s Top 5, The Hollywood Reporter’s TV podcast.

Every week, hosts Lesley Goldberg (West Coast TV editor) and Daniel Fienberg (chief TV critic) break down the latest TV news with context from the business and critical sides, welcome showrunners, executives and other guests, and provide a critical guide of what to watch (or skip, as the case may be).

More from The Hollywood Reporter

During this week’s episode, we’re joined by THR media and business reporter Alex Weprin to discuss the challenges ahead for CNN. Other topics include the latest in Hollywood’s labor strife as the DGA reaches a tentative deal and the actors union votes to authorize a strike should negotiations with the studios fail.

Here’s how this week’s episode plays out:

1. Headlines

I Love That For You, Perry Mason, the NFL, LIV Golf and Extreme Makeover highlight the week’s (non-strike related) headlines.

2. CNN’s bombshell

The Chris Licht era at CNN is officially over as Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav informed staff June 7 that Licht, the former exec producer of Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show, was out after an eventful 13-month run. THR’s Alex Weprin has been all over the story and joins us to discuss how CNN got here, what’s next in the interim, how the leadership challenges might affect the network’s election coverage and who could wind up in the hot seat next.

3. The DGA has a tentative deal

The Director’s Guild is now asking members to ratify or reject a new three-year contract with the AMPTP, the group that represents Hollywood’s studios and streamers. This topic explores the timing of the deal, what’s covered and why it may or may not send its negotiating committee back to the table.

4. SAG-AFTRA preps a strike of its own

The SAG-AFTRA, Hollywood’s biggest union that represents 160,000 members, has voted to authorize its negotiating committee to call for a strike should its talks with the AMPTP break down. The guild has three weeks before its contract expires to negotiate a new deal as actors have already been vocal in supporting the Writer’s Guild in its ongoing strike.

5. Critic’s Corner

As usual, every episode ends with Dan’s thoughts on what to watch (or skip) this weekend. In this episode, he weighs in on Peacock’s Based on a True Story, Apple’s The Crowded Room, HBO’s The Idol and Netflix’s Arnold and Never Have I Ever.

Hear it all now on TV’s Top 5. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to never miss an episode. (Reviews welcome!) You can also email us with any topics or Mailbag questions you’d like addressed in future episodes at TVsTop5@THR.com.

Best of The Hollywood Reporter

Click here to read the full article.