Paradigm reaches deal with writers

Paradigm Talent Agency on Monday became the first major agency to sign a franchise agreement with the Writers Guild of America, a significant step in the union’s push to get talent agencies to change long-standing industry practices.

Paradigm said it agreed to end its practice of collecting packaging fees, money it receives from studios for pulling together talent for projects, by Dec. 31, 2021. It also agreed to limit any investment in affiliated production — a major concern for the guild — to no more than 10%.

The WGA instructed its members last year to “fire” their agents in protest over such practices as packaging and the aggressive entry by agencies into the production business, which the union contends creates conflicts of interest that put writers at a disadvantage.

Paradigm Chief Executive Sam Gores said his Beverly Hills-based agency had started talks with the WGA in mid-December.

“The issues we had with the existing franchise agreement have been resolved in a way that allows us to shift our business model and to continue providing the highlevel comprehensive representation service Paradigm is known for,” Gores said in a statement.

Unlike WGA’s previous agreements with other individual agencies, Paradigm said its agreement extends the sunset period for television packaging by six months, and doubles the amount of ownership allowed in affiliated productions. Other agencies were limited to own no more than 5% in affiliated productions.

Paradigm has more than 30 series that are packaged, including the Fox singing reality competition “The Masked Singer” and the CBS crime drama “NCIS: Los Angeles.”

“Our goal remains to move the negotiation process forward with the remaining unsigned agencies,” the WGA agency negotiating committee said in a letter to union members.

Paradigm’s agreement follows the agency’s announcement last week that it would temporarily lay off more than 100 employees in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.