Grammys Likely to Be Televised Sans Writers

Jan 16, 11:35 AM

By SOLVEJ SCHOU

By Solvej Schou

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES

The striking Hollywood writers guild likely will bar its members from working on next month's Grammys telecast, a union spokesman said Tuesday.

Grammy organizers have yet to ask for a waiver allowing writers to work on the show - and, if requested, "it is unlikely to be granted," Writers Guild of America spokesman Gregg Mitchell said.

The Recording Academy said it did not have an immediate comment.

Meanwhile, the guild said it would allow its members to work on the NAACP Image Awards and would not picket the Feb. 14 show at the Shrine Auditorium.

The Image Awards honor those who promote diversity in the arts. Awards will be presented in the ceremony broadcast live on Fox.

"Because of the historic role the NAACP has played in struggles like ours, we think this decision is appropriate to jointly achieve our goals," guild leader Patric Verrone said at a news conference.

The writers guild did not grant a waiver for Sunday's Golden Globe awards and threatened to picket that event. Next month's Academy Awards could face the same fate.

The writers guild said it had not yet decided whether to picket the Feb. 10 Grammys ceremony, set to air live on CBS.