News Brief

STRIKE WATCH
Sydney Morning Herald: More than a dozen feature films, as well as drama series and soap operas such as "Law & Order", "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "As The World Turns" might be affected by the writer's strike, which began with several hundred writers picketing near the NBC offices at the Rockefeller Centre. A large inflatable rat at one end of the picket offered mute testimony to writers' views of their employers.

World Socialist News: The first picket lines appeared in New York City Monday morning. Hundreds of members of the Writers Guild of America, East set up a picket line outside NBC’s headquarters at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan. On the picket line, chanting “No contract, no shows,” were writers for nightly talk shows like “The Late Show With David Letterman” and “The Daily Show,” soap operas like “As the World Turns” and several dramatic series.

NY1: Courtney Simon, script editor for the soap opera “As the World Turns,” says it is only fair that writers profit from their work. She says her show stockpiled as many scripts as it could in anticipation of the strike. "[But,] the pace of soaps is relentless,” said Simon. “They are going to have to scramble soon to get material to tape."

WTOC: "With TV, no writing is happening at all as of midnight last night," Christopher Auer said. Auer is a SCAD professor and former writer for "As The World Turns" and "The Cosby Show." He's a member of the Screen Writers Guild and says production companies and TV shows have stockpiled scripts, but sooner or later, those will run out. "Once we hit the end of that road, whenever that is, nothing else will get written. I don't care about long term story projection, it won't happen," Auer said.

OTHER NEWS
OurSports Central: Reflections Tannery presents John Black (Drake Hogestyn) from NBC's "Days of Our Lives" in association with American Airlines and WEEK and News 25 at Noon on Saturday, November 17 as the Peoria Rivermen take on the San Antonio Rampage at 7 pm. Twenty-five (25) lucky winners will receive a pair of tickets to see Peoria take on the Rampage and be invited to a private VIP Meet and Greet prior to that night's game with Hogestyn at 5:30 pm. As part of his appearance, Hogestyn will also sign autographs for the general public from 6:30 - 8:30 pm. Fans may sign up to win exclusively through the Rivermen web site at www.rivermen.net/fanzone/win, or through the FANS tab and the John Black - Register to Win link on the site.

Northwest Arkansas Times: Nix New York. Leave out Los Angeles. Although Raymond Burks is a triedand-true fan of the daytime soap operas that air on major networks, the 23-year-old senior at the University of Arkansas senior has proven that when it comes to producing a soap opera, one only needs a trusty camera, a healthy dose of determination and a couple of friends who are willing to get in front of said camera. The simplistic formula has, so far, worked out well for Burks and company after producing the first season of “ Bring Down the Moon, ” a local soap opera that will have its fifth episode premiere at 6: 30 p. m. Nov. 12 on CAT-TV, Fayetteville’s community access television station on Cox cable channel 18. For those who live outside of Fayetteville, episodes can be seen on www. youtube. com.

Corrieblog: With a new single, Coming Down, out on 19 November and his debut album Neon set to be released a week later, ex-"Coronation Street" star Richard Fleeshman (Craig Harris) is finally where he wants to be with his career. He told the Sunday Mail, "I'd rather be a pop star than a soap actor."

Metro UK: "EastEnders'" Sean Slater will reportedly beg Tanya Branning to run away with him after discovering that her husband Max has been having an affair with Stacey. However, Tanya (Jo Joyner) is eight months pregnant and tells him she cannot leave her family, reports the Daily Star. Sean almost reveals the truth about Max (Jake Wood) and Stacey (Lacey Turner) but he stops himself at the last minute.