Producers, Striking Writers Agree to Resume Contract Talks Today

A federal mediator asked negotiators for striking writers and Hollywood producers to reconvene their contract talks at 2 p.m. today.

Spokesmen for the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers said they plan to attend the session.

The talks recessed Tuesday after nearly four days of marathon bargaining failed to end a 20-week-old strike by the 9,000-member Writers Guild of America.

Separately, executives of Fox Inc. and Warner Bros. conducted “informational” meetings Thursday for writers on their studio lots. Various producers have used such meetings to convey management positions on strike issues as the companies begin an effort to launch some television productions despite the strike.

At the Fox meeting, studio chairman Barry Diller offered to devote “however many hours are necessary” on the company’s KTTV television station in Los Angeles to a debate between studio officials and union leaders.

Guild President George Kirgo said he found the offer “interesting,” but added: “I hope to concentrate on the negotiations, and hope it won’t be necessary to have such a debate.”