Washington, DC— Rep. Watson issued the following statement upon learning that the Writers Guild strike had ended:

“I am pleased to learn that the Writers Guild strike has ended. I know that members of the Guild suffered a great deal of personal and economic hardship. However, their cause was just; it is important that the writers receive just remuneration for their work product. This agreement will pave the way as television migrates to the internet.

“My district contains many television, movie and recording studios that have been especially hard hit by this strike. Many small companies have gone out of business. Workers behind the scenes have suffered greatly. It is unfortunate that the livelihoods of this sector of the creative industry have been affected for such a long time. It is my understanding that the strike took a $3.2 billion toll in direct and indirect costs on the economy of Los Angeles County.

“I applaud the Writers Guild for finding common ground with the entertainment industry that will allow its members to get their fair share from Internet revenues.”