• Associated Press, Wednesday, December 19, 2007 11:15 AM

Due to the ongoing strike over new media revenue and other issues of compensation, the Writers Guild of America, West, has forbidden its members from writing for either the Golden Globes on Jan. 13 or the Academy Awards on Feb. 24, an unnamed source told the Associated Press. The board's decision came in spite of a request from the academy to make a dispensation for both events.

The strike is now in its seventh week and doesn't look any closer to being resolved. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers is accusing the guild of trying to increase its power at the expense of its members. Union leaders have fired back by accusing the Alliance of trying to incite mutiny within the powerful organization. The Writers Guild has been slowly growing in power as both the Screen Actor's Guild and the Director's Guild, which are also face contract negotiations with the studios, have given the organization their backing. As a result, SAG could pull its members from both events, too.

The last time the guild boycotted the Oscars was in 1988, during a five-month strike. The Academy Awards and Golden Globes represent Hollywood's most important promotional events of the year. Comedian Jon Stewart, a writer's guild member, is scheduled to host this year's awards. Thus far, Stewart has honored the strike.

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