The Region : Pact Reached on Commercial Payments

Actors and announcers have reached a tentative contract with the advertising agencies and clients who pay for radio and television commercials, a union official said. The proposed settlement was reached by the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the Screen Actors Guild, the American Assn. of Advertising Agencies and the Assn. of National Advertisers. The four parties did not release terms of the agreement. Advertisers had been seeking several givebacks including 10% wage cuts on several types of commercials, 50% to 80% reductions in payments for regional radio use and elimination of residual payments for 15-second commercials. The agreement is subject to approval by the AFTRA and SAG boards of directors, which will meet in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.