AFTRA ratifies ABC, CBS contracts

Roughly 200 members ink digital deals

Members of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists have
ratified two-year contracts with ABC and CBS for their respective
network news staffers.

The
agreements take effect May 16 and cover about 200 on-air journalists at
the network divisions of ABC and CBS, including news anchors,
correspondents and reporters.

“These agreements are a big step
forward for broadcast journalists as they improve wages and benefits,”
said AFTRA president Roberta Reardon in a statement. “Given the state
of the broadcast industry and emerging new media platforms in
particular, the new agreements with ABC and CBS protect AFTRA members
as they work in the digital landscape, and secure current contract
protections.”

AFTRA said the agreements include pay increases for
network staffers, fee increases for freelance correspondents,
improvements in pension coverage, and coverage for work by members in
new digital platforms.

The agreements were approved by AFTRA's
national board administrative committee last week after the terms had
been ratified by the affected members.

Earlier this year, AFTRA
reached a tentative agreement with the recording industry on its sound
recordings code and with the four major TV networks and producers on
the network television code, which covers non-primetime work.