Los Angeles - The American Federation of Television & Radio Artists (AFTRA), one of Hollywood's large performers' unions, on Wednesday announced that it has reached a tentative new three-year labor agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The deal, which must still be approved by AFTRA members, will increase pay to performers and guarantee compensation for appearances in video content that consumers pay to stream and download online -- an issue that had been a sticking point in negotiations.

DMW’s CEO & Publisher provides a wrap-up of the top stories of the week. Who’s hot, who’s not and what’s the industry buzz?

The week started with a bang on news that Yahoo Inc’s (NSDQ: YHOO) board rejected Microsoft Corp.’s (NSDQ: MSFT) unsolicited $44.6 billion offer for the company.

Los Angeles - Members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) voted overwhelmingly Tuesday evening to end their over three-month-long strike, meaning that most were back at work writing television show and movie scripts on Wednesday. The WGA said that 92.5% of votes cast were in favor of ending the strike; members will next vote on Feb. 25 to ratify the tentative three-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). "The strike is over. Our membership has voted, and writers can go back to work," said Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America, West.

DMW’s CEO & Publisher provides a wrap-up of the top stories of the week. Who’s hot, who’s not and what’s the industry buzz?

In the days following Microsoft’s (NASD: MSFT) announcement of its unsolicited $44.6 billion takeover bid for Yahoo (NASD: YHOO), much of the news focused on the battle between Google and Microsoft to color the other’s motives as anti-competitive. As reports surfaced that Yahoo may try to avoid being acquired by Microsoft by giving control of its search advertising to Google in exchange for a large revenue share (although nothing has made public by either Google or Yahoo on this), Microsoft reportedly began lobbying government officials to block any such deal between the two on antitrust grounds setting the stage for what is likely to be a long and public battle between Google and Microsoft over control of the Internet.

Los Angeles - Members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) will meet on Saturday to decide on whether to accept a prospective deal hammered out in closed door discussions with studio executives and TV producers, which could potentially end the strike that began on Nov. 5 and put writers back to work on Monday, according to various reports. The striking writers are seeking a larger share of profits from their works when distributed on the Internet, among other areas.

You got to give it to David Letterman and the writers for this one - last night when CBS' (NYSE: CBS) "Late Night with David Letterman" returned on the air for the first time after being shut down by the WGA strike, Letterman had striking writers write their top ten demands for his popular "Top Ten" list. By the way, David Letterman'scored a 4.3 rating and 10 share for "Late Show" on Wednesday, which translates to 39 percent better than his pre-strike average. It is also worth noting that while the writers for Jay Leno's "Tonight" show on NBC (NYSE: GE) are still on strike, Letterman's production company (Worldwide Pants) struck a deal last week to bring his writers back to work. Here is the top ten list from last night:

When David Letterman’s The Late Show returns to regular programming tonight with its writers in tow, the first guest in the post-strike era will be Robin Williams. Industry observers had questioned the caliber of guests that talk shows would receive, and it was believed that Donald Trump would be Letterman’s first guest. But the Screen Actors Guild said it supported the appearance of its members on shows like Letterman’s after the Writers Guild of America approved of the strike stoppage for Worldwide Pants writers, the production company for The Late Show and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

Beginning next Wednesday, January 2nd, writers for CBS’s Late Show with David Letterman and Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson will return to work after 8 weeks on strike, the AP writes. The Writers Guild of America came to an interim agreement with Worldwide Pants, the production company for both shows owned by Letterman. "I am grateful to the WGA for granting us this agreement," the AP quoted Letterman as saying.

Following the leads of Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel, David Letterman, and Craig Ferguson, Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show and Stephen Colbert, host of The Colbert Report, will resume their shows on January 7th, according to NoFactZone. The shows had been on hold since the WGA strike began on November 5th, and will return without their writers, who are expected to still be striking at that time. Comedy Central released the following statement:

New York - The ongoing strike being waged by the Writers Guild of America, over DVD and Internet payments for their works from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), has not yet had an impact on the viewing habits of 74% of Americans, according to a new survey from market research firm TNS. The survey found that only 22% of Americans are watching significantly less TV than they were before the strike commenced in November.

Los Angeles - Dozens of members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), which is currently on strike over DVD and online payments, have formed a number of groups that are seeking venture capital investment for new businesses that will publish original content on the Web, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Called the “New Economic Partnership,” Hollywood producers made an offer to the Writers Guild of America yesterday that includes “millions of dollars extra” for content created for the internet, the AP reports. In a statement, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said, "The entire value of the New Economic Partnership will deliver more than $130 million in additional compensation above and beyond the more than $1.3 billion writers already receive each year."

Working without a contract for over two years, writers for CBS News are reportedly “strongly considering” to strike on December 10th, CBS said this morning. The timing would affect both CBS and a presidential debate, scheduled for that day. According to the report, candidates Barack Obama, John Edwards, and Hillary Clinton have all said they would not cross a picket line if a strike was held on the date of a debate.