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Kathy McGee will be the recipient of the WGA East’s Richard B. Jablow Award for Devoted Service to the Guild at the 77th annual Writers Guild Awards ceremony in March.

McGee, a member of the WGA East since 1997, is an award-winning news writer and producer for Wcbs-tv. She has served as the shop leader at Wcbs-tv since 2006 and is a member of the bargaining committee for CBS contracts.

She is currently as a member of the guild’s Committee for Inclusion and Equity. Additionally, Wgae Activities Committee, the Wgae Black Writers Salon and is a longtime member of the National Association of Black Journalists.

Previously, McGee was the WGA East’s vice president from 2019 to 2021 and the vice president of the broadcast/cable/streaming news sector between 2022 and 2024. She also served as a Council member from 2014 to 2019.

“I am filled with gratitude and joy and thank the committee for this honor.

Penelope Koechl will be this year’s recipient of the WGA East’s Richard B. Jablow Award for Devoted Service to the Guild. The honorary award will be presented at the 75th annual Writers Guild Awards ceremony at New York’s Edison Ballroom on March 5.

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Koechl, who served five terms on the guild’s Council, is currently a member of the Trustee Review and Appointment Committee and chairperson of the Election Committee. After joining the guild in 1986, she served as a member of the 1988 Strike Committee, the 2001 Negotiating Committee and an alternate on the 2007 Negotiating Committee. A longtime writer for the...

As hard as it may be to believe sometimes, someone (or someones) actually sits down and writes a movie or TV show before you end up seeing it at your local multiplex or on your favorite TV network. The people who do the sitting and the writing are, surprisingly, called writers and, like the Directors, the Golden Globes and the Oscars, they have their own awards show.

This week, the Writers Guild of America, which is the trade group and advocate for writers, announced its nominations for outstanding achievement in feature film and television, radio, news, promotional writing, and graphic animation during the 2009 season to be honored at the upcoming 2010 Writers Guild Awards on February 20, 2010, in Los Angeles and New York.

We realize that these nominations may not be as glamorous as the Golden Globes or the Oscars, but we kinda like writers around here and think they do a pretty important job.

It’s mid-December and that can only mean one thing: awards season. Today, the WGA announced their TV nominations (feature nominations will be announced Jan. 11th) and it’s the usual suspects for the most part with a couple of surprises. Mad Men, 30 Rock, The Office, and newcomer Modern Family earned 3 nominations each. Meanwhile, popular fan favorite Glee received two. There are a lot of categories and nominees so I’m just going to mention the two big awards before the jump.

The nominees for Best Drama Series are: Breaking Bad, Dexter, Friday Night Lights, Lost, and Mad Men. The nominees for Best Comedy Series are: 30 Rock, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Glee, Modern Family, and The Office.

The WGA will announce the winners on Feb. 20th. Hit the jump to see the full list of nominees.

Drama Series

“Breaking Bad” - Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, George Mastras,...

Awards heavyweights "Mad Men," "30 Rock" and "The Office" and buzzed-about newcomer "Modern Family" led the TV field for the 2010 Writers Guild Awards with three nominations each.

AMC's "Mad Men" and NBC's "30 Rock" and "The Office" are in the running for best drama/comedy series, and each received two nominations for episodic writing. "Family" made the cut for best comedy series, best new series and best episodic writing for a comedy series.

ABC's "Family" was one of two new shows to break into the best series categories along with Fox's quirky high-school dramedy "Glee," which faces "Family" in the best comedy series and best new series fields.

While the WGA Awards are still in its nomination phase, Fox's "The Simpsons" can already uncork the champagne. The veteran series is assured to win the animation category after landing all five nomination slots.

The biggest surprise among the series nominees was HBO's low-key baseball comedy "Eastbound & Down,...

So the 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards took place last night... did you tune in? I hear it was a good show even though a lot of the winners were pretty much a given. 30 Rock and Mad Men both took home the big awards, but the hardware was spread out a bit more among other shows than in previous years. At any rate, just in case you missed it, we've got the full list of major award winners right here for you to review. Do you agree with the majority of the choices? For those who did watch the show, what were some of your favourite moments? What did you think of Neil Patrick Harris as the host? Check out the list of winners after the jump. Comedy Series "Entourage" "Family Guy "Flight of the Conchords" "How I Met Your Mother" "The Office" Winner: "30 Rock" "Weeds" Drama Series "Big Love" "Breaking Bad...

So another year has passed and its time for another round of awards for the people who make the television shows we like to watch.

Television is interesting these days. Never before have we seen such great, creative output. Never before have we been subjected to such drivel. It all gets paraded before us tonight, as we watch the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards (handed out, it should be noted, by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences) on CBS, CTV in Canada.

8:00

Interesting that the Emmys chose to introduce the 2009 edition of the Primetime awards by harkening back to the early days of television. Especially as the business of television has never been closer to a complete collapse. Oh, announcer who is trying so hard to sound like a TV host from the '50s. You don't sound at all like you're a three pack-a-day smoker.

8:01

Okay, here comes Neil Patrick Harris,...

Slumdog Millionaire continued its winning streak this awards season, with Simon Beaufoy winning the 2009 Writers Guild of America award this evening for adapted screenplay. Dustin Lance Black won the award for best original screenplay for Milk. Slumdog has already won DGA, SAG, PGA and Golden Globe awards, and is a multi-award favorite for the Oscars. Milk has won SAG and PGA awards and is also a strong Oscar contender in multiple categories.

On the television side, awards went to the writers of Mad Men (drama), 30 Rock (comedy), Recount and John Adams in long-form categories, and In Treatment, Breaking Bad, and The Simpsons in various other fields. Controversially, among other awards was one for videogame writing (to Star Wars: The Force Unleashed). Some publishers declined to submit their titles for consideration, viewing the award as primarily an organizing tool for a guild seeking to gain a foothold in a non-unionized sector.

Fox Searchlight's Indian drama "Slumdog Millionaire" put another notch in the kudos-season win column Saturday, copping a WGA Award for best adapted screenplay for Simon Beaufoy.

Focus Features' Harvey Milk biopic "Milk," penned by Dustin Lance Black, won best original screenplay.

"This wasn't the easiest movie to produce, you know -- it's pretty gay!" said a grinning Black, who also was honored with the guild's Paul Selvin Award for championing constitutional rights and civil liberties.

Black added that he prayed a lot during the writing of the "Milk" screenplay.

"Mostly, I'll admit, I prayed for a green light," he said. "So I have to thank God, and I want to thank God for making my dreams come true."

In addition to "Milk," nominees in the original screenplay category included "Burn After Reading, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," The Visitor" and "The Wrestler."

In winning the best-adapted laurels, "Slumdog" overcame competition from...

"The Dark Knight," "Slumdog Millionaire," "Doubt," "Frost/Nixon," and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" are among the nominees in the Adapted Screenplay category for the WGA's (Writers Guild Awards) 61st Anniversary awards show.

Winners will be announced February 7th, and will be held simultaneously between two ceremonies -- West Coast at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles, and the East Coast at the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel in New York City.

What about "Milk" or "The Wrestler?" Click Read More to see full list of nominees!

Original Screenplay

Burn After Reading, Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, Focus Features

Milk, Written by Dustin Lance Black, Focus Features

Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Written by Woody Allen, The Weinstein Company

The Visitor, Written by Tom McCarthy, Overture Films

The Wrestler, Written by Robert Siegel, Fox Searchlight Pictures

Adapted Screenplay

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Screenplay...

Former WGA East leaders Chris Albers and Tom Fontana have been chosen to receive the Richard B. Jablow Award for devoted service to the guild. Albers served as president and Fontana as vp of the Wgae from 2005-07.

They will receive their honors at the 61st annual awards ceremony Feb. 7 at New York's Hudson Theatre.

"Chris Albers and Tom Fontana personify what the Jablow Award is about: service and dedication to the Writers Guild East and its membership," Wgae president Michael Winship said. "The two helped bring the guild into the 21st century with a bold initiative to restore harmony and unity with our colleagues in the Writers Guild of America West. This effort reaped enormous benefits during our 100-day strike when Chris and Tom, although officially out of office, continued to serve their union as strike captains, intermediaries, communicators and invaluable advisers."

Albers has written for "Late Night With Conan O'Brien,...

TV writer and producer Michael Winship was elected president of the WGA East Friday, receiving 67.7% of the votes.

"I'm taking office at a critical time in the guild's history and will work on behalf of all of our members," Winship said. "Together, we will fight to get the too long denied respectful, fair and decent contracts for our members at ABC News and CBS News and work diligently and closely with our esteemed colleagues at the WGA West as we continue our MBA contract negotiations."

The previous elected head of the 4,000-member guild was WGAE Chris Albers who did not seek reelection. Albers is a writer for the TV show "Late Night With Conan O'Brien".

The guild is also set for a change in its top staff post. Long-serving executive director Mona Mangan recently announced her intention to leave her post as soon as a successor can be identified, with a candidates search under way.

Winship has credits including a stint with PBS' "Now With Bill Moyers".

His rival candidate for WGAE president, TV newswriter Tom Phillips, has held positions at CBS News and elsewhere.

TV writer and WGA East presidential candidate Michael Winship said that he would work to extend the "rapprochement" with the WGA West that has been a hallmark of current guild leadership.

Winship, a writer on musical variety shows, kids TV, documentaries and telefilms, said outgoing WGAE president Chris Albers is to be applauded for turning around a long-standing difficult relationship with the WGAW.

"One of the great accomplishments of our current president ... has been an effective rapprochement with our esteemed colleagues in the Writers Guild West," Winship wrote in a candidate statement distributed Thursday. "It is an evolving, working relationship and much remains to be done, but to one who in the past has witnessed too many threats of shivs at dawn, the progress has been breathtaking."

Winship also credited Albers' predecessor, Warren Leight, for helping to smooth those relations.

Current WGAE officials, who include exec director Mona Mangan, should not be blamed for a long negotiations stalemate on a new contract for ABC and CBS newswriters, Winship said.

The WGA has secured collective-bargaining agreements with four more shows on Viacom's Comedy Central cable network.

On May 10, the WGA said 35 writers on "The Sarah Silverman Program" and five other Comedy Central shows were seeking WGA representation. Guild representatives passed out fliers detailing their demands at the Viacom shareholders meeting last month in New York last month.

On Tuesday, the WGA West and East said that deals had been secured covering the "Silverman" show and three others: "Mind of Mencia", "The Showbiz Show With David Spade" and "American Body Shop". The guilds still seek agreements to cover two other Comedy Central programs, "Lil' Bush" and "Reno 911!"

"This is an important and historic achievement coming only weeks before our industrywide negotiations begin," WGAW president Patric Verrone said.

The WGA begins talks July 16 on a new contract for movie writers and most primetime TV scribes.

"These contracts show what's possible when the companies come to the table and are willing to negotiate," WGAE president Chris Albers said.

The pacts address compensation, pension and health benefits and residuals -- including a formula for reuse of content on DVD, basic cable and the Internet.

A month before the start of contract negotiations for movie and primetime writers, WGA East president Chris Albers revealed Monday that he won't seek re-election.

A pair of TV newswriter/producers will compete to succeed Albers, who is a writer for "Late Night With Conan O'Brien". They are Michael Winship, whose TV credits include a stint with PBS' "Now With Bill Moyers", and Tom Phillips, who has held positions at CBS News and elsewhere.

Both are members of the WGAE Council.

"It has been a huge honor for me to serve as president of WGAE the last two years, but the commitment is simply too great to run for another term," Albers said in a letter distributed to membership Monday. "I wanted you to hear the news directly from me. Fortunately, I feel the guild will be left in extremely competent hands."

Elected almost two years ago, Albers' term at the 4,000-member guild expires Sept. 20. He was unavailable for comment on his decision because of a show taping, WGAE spokeswoman Sherry Goldman said.

On July 16, a negotiating committee representing the WGA East and WGA West will begin talks with reps of the studios and networks on a minimum basic agreement for film and TV scribes.

A month before the start of contract negotiations for movie and primetime writers, WGA East president Chris Albers revealed Monday that he won't seek re-election.

A pair of TV newswriter/producers will compete to succeed Albers, who is a writer for Late Night With Conan O'Brien. They are Michael Winship, whose TV credits include a stint with PBS' Now With Bill Moyers, and Tom Phillips, who has held positions at CBS News and elsewhere.

Both are members of the WGAE Council.

"It has been a huge honor for me to serve as president of WGAE the last two years, but the commitment is simply too great to run for another term," Albers said in a letter distributed to membership Monday. "I wanted you to hear the news directly from me. Fortunately, I feel the guild will be left in extremely competent hands."

Elected almost two years ago, Albers' term at the 4,000-member guild expires Sept. 20. He was unavailable for comment on his decision because of a show taping, WGAE spokeswoman Sherry Goldman said.

On July 16, a negotiating committee representing the WGA East and WGA West will begin talks with reps of the studios and networks on a minimum basic agreement for film and TV scribes.

Stockpiling schmockpiling.

That's the effective sentiment of a communique from WGA leadership circulated to guild membership Monday.

In a "Message From the President" e-mail signed by WGA West president Patric Verrone and WGA East president Chris Albers, the guild leaders argue that historical evidence shows that studio stockpiling of film and TV materials does little to forestall the prospect of a labor strike. And besides, there's no real stockpiling going on yet, they added.

"Our research department has carefully analyzed employment and production data from 2001," the letter said, referring to the last time studios claimed to stockpile material to undermine the WGA in the run-up to contract negotiations. "It shows that production was ramped up in the months before the contract expiration date and that there was a slight slowdown in the months after the contract was settled," the presidents added. "However, in spite of the different timing of production, the overall economic impact was negligible. In fact, 2001 showed an increase in writer earnings from the year before."

This time, talks are expected to commence in July about a new film and TV contract for movie and primetime scribes, whose pact contract expires in October.

Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry, Dreamgirls hyphenate Bill Condon and 15 others were named Tuesday to a WGA negotiating committee charged with an all-important mandate: hammering out a new film and TV contract for movie writers and primetime scribes.

The committee, chaired by TV writer John Bowman (Saturday Night Live, In Living Color), is expected to hold its first talks with representatives of the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers in July. The WGA's current minimum basic agreement, covering 12,000 WGA members, expires in October.

Trumpeting the appointments in a news release topped with a new Contract 2007 logo, guild officials touted the committee lineup as underscoring the seriousness of its intentions and soberness of its approach.

"The depth and breadth of this committee should show our membership, our sister unions and the industry at large our widespread commitment to making a fair and forward-thinking deal for writers," WGA West president Patric Verrone said.

"These writers and writers like them are responsible for many of our most respected and profitable films and television shows," WGA East president Chris Albers said. "Now they are banding together to fight for a fair and comprehensive contract for all writers."

One well-placed industry insider said the committee includes an encouraging number of "working writers (who) have a lot of stake." A committee packed with less accomplished scribes could have tilted it in a less productive direction, the source said.

Writers on Comedy Central's The Daily Show With Jon Stewart will reap raises, secondary and foreign residuals and a union pension plan following the first-ever agreement between the WGA East and producers of the basic-cable program. The 14 affected show employees will see salaries rise to levels comparable with other late-night variety shows, WGAE execs said. "We negotiated in good faith with Comedy Central for 10 months, and I am proud to say that both sides acted fairly and professionally," WGAE president Chris Albers said. "I am thrilled that the writers of 'The Daily Show' have finally achieved a union contract. They have received critical acclaim for years, and now they finally have the same protections and advantages their colleagues have on similar shows."...

Members of WGA East and West overwhelmingly approved a series of constitutional amendments that were proposed in the fall as a means of settling decades of animosity between the two, the unions said Wednesday. The unions, which have shared an affiliation agreement since 1954, said resolving the dispute allows them to focus on more pressing matters such as organizing and upcoming negotiations. "Now that these amendments have passed, the two (guilds) can focus on our many shared goals instead of a few conflicts that divided us for far too long," WGAE president Chris Albers said. "This renewed partnership has been delivering positive results for months, and it's already clear that we're stronger when we work together."...

Members of WGA East and West overwhelmingly approved a series of constitutional amendments that were proposed in the fall as a means of settling decades of animosity between the two, the unions said Wednesday. The unions, which have shared an affiliation agreement since 1954, said resolving the dispute allows them to focus on more pressing matters such as organizing and upcoming negotiations. "Now that these amendments have passed, the two (guilds) can focus on our many shared goals instead of a few conflicts that divided us for far too long," WGAE president Chris Albers said. "This renewed partnership has been delivering positive results for months, and it's already clear that we're stronger when we work together."...

Members of WGA East and West overwhelmingly approved a series of constitutional amendments that were proposed in the fall as a means of settling decades of animosity between the two, the unions said Wednesday. The unions, which have shared an affiliation agreement since 1954, said resolving the dispute allows them to focus on more pressing matters such as organizing and upcoming negotiations. "Now that these amendments have passed, the two (guilds) can focus on our many shared goals instead of a few conflicts that divided us for far too long," WGAE president Chris Albers said. "This renewed partnership has been delivering positive results for months, and it's already clear that we're stronger when we work together."...

WGA East and WGA West have resolved decades of rifts and jurisdictional squabbles, including a recent dues dispute, as their new presidents make good on promises to focus on more pressing matters like organizing, it was announced Monday. The tentative agreement, reached during a high-level meeting in San Francisco on Oct. 22-23, covers roughly two dozen constitutional and other matters, including the dues dispute that drove the unions to sue each other. The agreement was unanimously accepted by the WGAW Board and WGAE's Council during the past week. Portions of the agreement will amend the constitutions of each union as well as their affiliation agreement, requiring member approval. "We really do feel it's a new day and a new relationship, and we're excited about working together in the future," WGAE president Chris Albers said.

WGA East and WGA West have resolved decades of rifts and jurisdictional squabbles, including a recent dues dispute, as their new presidents make good on promises to focus on more pressing matters like organizing, it was announced Monday. The tentative agreement, reached during a high-level meeting in San Francisco on Oct. 22-23, covers roughly two dozen constitutional and other matters, including the dues dispute that drove the unions to sue each other. The agreement was unanimously accepted by the WGAW Board and WGAE's Council during the past week. Portions of the agreement will amend the constitutions of each union as well as their affiliation agreement, requiring member approval. "We really do feel it's a new day and a new relationship, and we're excited about working together in the future," WGAE president Chris Albers said.

Following through on campaign promises made a month ago to end decades of guild feuding, the new presidents of the WGA East and WGA West have swiftly come to terms on an agreement regarding joint constitutional issues and other matters. The news comes a week after talks took place in San Francisco on Oct. 22-23 in the hopes of resolving a bitter dues dispute and addressing what the guilds' members perceived as a fruitless jurisdictional battle. In a letter sent to their memberships Monday, WGAW president Patric Verrone and WGAE president Chris Albers said the talks were "incredibly productive." "We are pleased and proud to report that WGAW and WGAE have reached a tentative settlement that will end the ongoing dispute between our two unions," the letter reads. "During our election campaigns, we both promised the members of our unions that we would work tirelessly to find a fair resolution to this matter. With the dedication of our respective board and council, we have managed to do just that."...

Following through on campaign promises made a month ago to end decades of guild feuding, the new presidents of the WGA East and WGA West have swiftly come to terms on an agreement regarding joint constitutional issues and other matters. The news comes a week after talks took place in San Francisco on Oct. 22-23 in the hopes of resolving a bitter dues dispute and addressing what the guilds' members perceived as a fruitless jurisdictional battle. In a letter sent to their memberships Monday, WGAW president Patric Verrone and WGAE president Chris Albers said the talks were "incredibly productive." "We are pleased and proud to report that WGAW and WGAE have reached a tentative settlement that will end the ongoing dispute between our two unions," the letter reads. "During our election campaigns, we both promised the members of our unions that we would work tirelessly to find a fair resolution to this matter. With the dedication of our respective board and council, we have managed to do just that."...

The WGA East and West are working to resolve a bitter dues dispute and have scheduled a meeting this month to address what their members see as a fruitless jurisdictional battle, the guilds said Thursday. WGA East president Chris Albers and WAG West president Patric Verrone, both of whom recently were elected on a platform of organizing instead of infighting, said that they have been in constant communication on this and other issues in a bid to build ties between the guilds. "During our respective campaigns, members on both coasts made it patently clear that they expect the dispute between our guilds to end," Albers and Verrone said in a letter to members. "We listened; we understood; and we are taking action."...

A slate led by comedy writer Chris Albers has largely swept the WGA East's annual election, with Albers becoming the union's new president and running mate Tom Fontana the new vp. The results, released Friday, also saw seven other members of Albers' WGAEmpowered party secure seats on the council, the union's governing body. Fontana, a writer and producer on such series as Homicide: Life on the Street and "Oz," ran unopposed, as did Gail Lee, who was re-elected secretary-treasurer. Albers, a writer on Late Night With Conan O'Brien, campaigned on the need to increase organizing efforts and mend the rift with WGA West.

The WGA East announced Monday the candidates for its fall election, which will include a presidential race between Richard Wesley and Chris Albers. Tom Fontana is running unopposed for vp, and Gail Lee is running unopposed for secretary-treasurer. In addition, 15 people have been nominated to run for six open freelance seats on the council, the governing body. They include incumbents Stephen Schiff, Donald Westlake, Penelope Koechl, Jerome Coppersmith and Suzanne O'Malley as well as challengers Cynthia Benjamin, Wesley, Susan Rice, Karen Goodman, James Hart, Warren Leight, Richard Vetere, Susan Kim, Maria Maggenti and Adam Brooks.

WGA East announced Monday the nominees for its council election. Eleven writers will compete for six open freelance seats on the council, including Chris Albers, Cynthia Benjamin, Judy Crichton, Budd Schulberg, Michael Winship, Kirk Simon, Richard Wesley, Bob Schneider, Walter Bernstein, Michael Weller and Karen Goodman. Six other members have been nominated in the contest for four open staff seats, including Hank Weinbloom, Peter Bianco, Andy Meppen, Marianne Pryor, Burl Britt and Ernest Davy. WGA East members can vote by mail or in person at the Sept. 20 annual membership meeting.