• by Wayne Friedman , December 31, 2007

Worldwide Pants, the production company of "Late Show with David Letterman," has made an agreement with the Writers Guild of America, according to reports that broke late on Friday.

The deal would also include the company's other late-night show, hosted by Craig Ferguson. The news was first reported by The New York Times Web site.

Other late-night shows hosted by Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Kimmel are owned by their respective networks, which are in the process of on- and off-again negotiations with the union.

The deal would give Letterman a leg up on the competition, according to analysts; he would be able to draw on prepared written comedy material. Plus, Letterman would gain the benefit of better performers, who say they were reluctant to cross picket lines of other late-night shows.

All broadcast late-night talk shows are scheduled to return to the airwaves after the first of the year.

The WGA confirmed the deal, noting that Worldwide Pants accepted the "same proposals that the Guild" made to producers when negotiations broke down Dec. 7--in particular, with regard to new digital media platforms.