TV shows to continue after writers reach early morning deal

LOS ANGELES (WTXF/AP) - There's a tentative deal between the Writers Guild of America, and film and television producers, which should avert a costly strike that could've stopped popular television shows from airing.

The guild says the tentative deal reached early Tuesday will cover its television and film writers for three years, if ratified by its members.

The guild released a one-sentence statement confirming the deal and its length. There were no details on the terms of the agreement, or how it addressed compensation and health care issues that had been the major sticking points of this contract's negotiations.

The deal's announcement came more than 90 minutes after the previous contract expired, and the guild had authorization from its members to immediately call for a walkout.

Pickets could've started Tuesday morning, immediately sending late night talk shows into reruns and eventually impacting scripted series and feature films in development.

The previous writers' strike occurred nearly 10 years ago and gradually took a wider toll on Hollywood TV and movie production and the California economy.