AFTRA Approves New Television Contract

Leaders of the American Federation for Televison and Radio Artists, the 2nd largest U.S actors' union behind the Screen Actors Guild, have ratified a prime-time TV contract with Hollywood studios, Reuters reports.

The Board of Directors for AFTRA recommended member approval, while also warning SAG not to interfere with AFTRA's membership vote. Negotiators for the union, which represents over 70,000 actors, reached an agreement last month with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television producers, while SAG still remains in talks.

The November strike by the Writers Guild of America has put pressure on Hollywood studios to reach deals with actors and avoid another strike. According to the Milken Institute, a Los Angeles think tank, the writers' strike cost the Los Angeles-area economy more than $2.5 billion.

The issues dealt with during the writers' strike are similar to the conerns of the actors' unions. They include more pay when TV shows are sold on DVD, and how much pay they will receive when their shows are distributed on the Internet.