How Will TV Writers Work if TV is Dead?

TV writers could walk out any day now, leaving late night TV and topical shows like The Daily Show in the lurch, and one of the sticking points in their talks with entertainment producers is their demand for a larger slice of DVD and online video revenue. But as Saul Hansell of the NY Times points out, the Internet isn't done upending everything we know about showbiz moneymaking.

“If you can get any show on iTunes or on the Web, what is the value of reruns in syndication?” Hansell asks. Negotiations between producers and writers now will shape online entertainment later: Will fee based downloads beat out streaming with advertising? Will union talent price themselves out of a job? Will that lead to more experimental content, or less? (More writer stories.)