Four major studios have canceled dozens of writer contracts, effectively conceding that the current television season cannot be salvaged, The Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday.

20th Century Fox Television, CBS Paramount Network Television, NBC Universal and Warner Bros. Television each confirmed they terminated development and production agreements, according to the paper.

Overall, more than 65 deals with writers have been eliminated since Friday, according to The Times. ABC Studios late last week cut about 25 deals, and on Monday CBS Paramount cut 15, Fox jettisoned about 14, NBC Universal rid nearly 10, and Warner Bros. trimmed three, the paper quoted sources familiar with the situation as saying.

Such arrangements typically cost the studios 500,000 to 2 million dollars a year per writer in order to pay them and their staff and overhead while they develop ideas for new TV shows, according to The Times.

The move signals that development of next season's crop of new shows also could be in jeopardy because of the 2 month-old writers strike, said the paper.

Typically, January marks the start of pilot season when networks order new comedies and dramas, but with writers not working, networks do not have a pool of scripts from which to choose, according to the paper.

It is unclear how many people will be affected by the so-called force majeure actions, which allow a studio unilaterally to cancel a writer's contract in the event of a crisis such as a strike, said the paper. A production deal can involve a solo writer or a team of several people.

The film and television writers strike began in November, and negotiations broke down Dec. 7 over the Writers Guild of America's demand to extend union jurisdiction over so-called unscripted series and animated programs and to permit work stoppages when other unions go on strike. No new talks have been scheduled.

(Xinhua News Agency January 16, 2008)