Western WGA Leaders to Discuss Executive Director’s Future

Directors of the western faction of the Writers Guild of America will meet tonight to discuss the future of its controversial executive director, Brian Walton.

The meeting was triggered by a recent vote in which members narrowly rejected a proposal to extend an early-termination date in Walton’s contract. That rejection was viewed as a slap in the face for Walton and guild leaders, leading to widespread speculation within the guild that Walton’s days in the job are numbered.

The early-termination date is the point at which either Walton or WGA directors can notify each other on whether they want to renew the contract.

Walton’s contract doesn’t expire until 2002, but guild officials wanted to move the date back so it would not fall in the middle of sticky negotiations with producers over the issue of residuals writers get when their work airs on cable TV or in foreign markets.

The London-born Walton has often been a lightning rod for controversy during his 13 years on the job heading the group, which represents TV and film screenwriters. Walton was especially in the public eye during the 1988 strike and last year, when writers had trouble negotiating a new contract with producers and internal bickering came to a head.

Some writers have complained that Walton and others in the guild are too interested in preserving their power and are too cozy in negotiations with producers.

Walton has said he is only out to get the best deal for writers, and that his work as the guild’s top administrator involves fighting for such issues for writers as copyright and credit.