If you think these shows aren't written, you are foolish. Where do you think Tyra, Jay, and all the other assorted buffoons get their pithy little comments? Additionally, the writers produce treatments, craft story arcs and so on. They just want health insurance and residuals. It's funny to see comments posted by people whose only exposure to the industry is sitting in front of the tube.

Story editors and post producers sit around the office cutting and pasting logs together to shape a story out of the footage. They are not writers. they might write the occassional ADR/loop line for the the show hosts but anybody could do that.

I work with story editors all the time and they are mostly surfing the internet and milking their job - hoping no one will can them. Picture editors do all the real work and they could do it themselves, schedule allowing.

I am really curious as to what "writing" these folks do. I have watched ANTM, and I can't believe anyone would admit to writing it. (I enjoy the show, but high drama it ain't)

If they are responsible for setting up the shoots and the contests, then they would be more of a producer than writer - wouldn't they?

I can understand their desire to get into the guild with all the benefits but I don't really see where they qualify as a screen writer for this type of work.

Anyone out there know if other writers for reality/unscripted tv have gotten into the union?

So without writers the next season will be just like all the other ones.