On March 7, members of The Writers Guild of America (WGA) voted just short of 99% in favor of a list of new demands from The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) – which represents Amazon/MGM, Apple, Disney/ABC/Fox, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount/CBS, Sony, Warner Bros., Discovery (HBO) and more. The demands are in pursuit of higher pay, adjusted residuals, new staffing requirements and protections from artificial intelligence (A.I.), amongst other concerns. 

Six months later, no agreement has been reached and the WGA is currently on strike, joined now by The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), marking the first joint strike between actors and writers in 63 years and the first joint walkout since 1980. With seemingly no end in sight, many actors, writers, unions, laborers and fans alike are left wondering what this strike could mean for the future of the entertainment industry.

The WGA is looking to address concerns within three main categories: compensation and residuals; pension plans and health funds; and professional standards and protection in the employment of writers. Their list of demands within these three categories is as follows:

Compensation and Residuals

• “Increase minimum compensation significantly to address the devaluation of writing in all areas of television, new media and feature”
• “Standardize compensation and residual terms for features whether released theatrically or on streaming”
• “Address the abuses of mini-rooms”
• “Ensure appropriate television series writing compensation throughout entire process of pre-production, production and post-production”
• “Expand span protections to cover all television writers”
• “Apply MBA minimums to comedy-variety programs made for new media”
• “Increase residuals for under-compensated reuse markets”
• “Restrict uncompensated use of excerpts”

Pension Plan and Health Fund

• “Increase contributions to Pension Plan and Health Fund”

Professional Standards and Protection in the Employment of Writers

• “For feature contracts in which compensation falls below a specified threshold, require weekly payment of compensation and a minimum of two steps”
• “Strengthen regulation of options and exclusivity in television writer employment contracts”
• “Regulate use of material produced using artificial intelligence or similar technologies”
• “Enact measures to combat discrimination and harassment and to promote pay equity”
• “Revise and expand all arbitrator lists”

On March 20, negotiations between the WGA and AMPTP began but eventually stalled. Demands were not properly addressed before the set deadline of May 1, which provoked the WGA members to withhold labor starting May 2 after a nearly-98% vote in favor of a strike. As a direct result, many prominent late-night shows such as “The Late Night Show with Stephen Colbert,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” were shut down, along with “Saturday Night Live,” “Real Time with Bill Maher” and “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.” 

As the strike continues, the list of projects that have halted production includes “Stranger Things” (Season Five), “Euphoria” (Season Three), “The Last of Us” (Season Two), “Abbott Elementary” (Season Three), “The Handmaid’s Tale” (Season Six and Finale), “Severance” (Season Two), “Big Mouth” (Season Eight and Finale), “Cobra Kai” (Season Six), “The Penguin (Season One Debut), “Dune Part 2”, Sony Pictures’ “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse,” Marvel Studios’ fourth and untitled Spider-Man film, “Kraven the Hunter,” “Daredevil: Born Again” and “Deadpool 3,” among many others.

On June 5, SAG-AFTRA voted with nearly a 98% majority to strike if a deal could not be reached with the AMPTP by the end of the month, which would place them on the picket line alongside the WGA. SAG-AFTRA published a document detailing their positions, in which they explained they had already compromised during negotiations. However, according to this document, the AMPTP was not willing to meet the following demands:

• “Performers need minimum earnings to simply keep up with inflation”
• “Performers need the protection of our images and performances to prevent replacement of human performances by artificial intelligence technology”
• “Performers need qualified hair and makeup professionals as well as equipment to safely and effectively style a variety of hair textures/styles and skin tones”
• “Performers need compensation to reflect the value we bring to the streamers who profit from our labor”
• “All performers need support from our employers to keep our health and retirement funds sustainable”
• “Principal performers need to be able to work during hiatus and not be held captive by employers”
• “Principal performers need to be reimbursed for relocation expenses when they’re employed away from home”

According to the document, the AMPTP was only willing to agree to what SAG-AFTRA refers to as “simple basic issues of fairness and respect,” such as:

• “Access to reproductive healthcare and gender affirming care for performers working away from home in states that restrict medical access”
• “A consultation process to guard against racist and sexist “wiggings” and “paintdowns” of stunt performers”
• “Safety for performers working with animals on set”

In turn, SAG-AFTRA officially began their strike on July 13, which severely impacted the promotion of director Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” and director Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie.” Actors were unable to make media appearances pertaining to the release of either film, and the cast of “Oppenheimer” walked out of the premier of their own movie when the strike was announced. In spite of the clear negative impact on the two films, both Christopher Nolan and Greta Gerwg expressed their support for the WGA and SAG-AFTRA.

On Aug. 4, representatives of the WGA met with studios but to no avail, reporting that the AMPTP was not open to engaging in screenwriters’ issues. Now, over three months into the strike, a growing list of delays and cancellations is the least of the problems. The result of 171,500 actors and writers on strike in Hollywood is a hit to local economies all across the U.S. including a $3 billion blow to California. Consequently, 1.7 million out-of-state industry workers have been negatively impacted.

Though neither the WGA nor SAG-AFTRA could reach an agreement, The Directors Guild of America (DGA) agreed to a new contract with the AMPTP on June 23, shortly before SAG-AFTRA went on strike. The agreement between the AMPTP and DGA secured wage increases, better residuals and some protections from AI for directors. DGA released a statement on their website the following month, affirming their support for the WGA and SAG-AFTRA during their respective strikes.

For the strike to end, an agreement must be reached by the AMPTP with both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA. It is difficult to predict when this will happen, but, for now, an agreement seems unlikely in the near future. 

I still remember the day a mutual friend introduced us and I let YikYak into my life. We met only briefly, and yet I knew we would be inseparable from that moment on. The following couple weeks of my life were spent alongside YikYak. We did almost everything together, apart from sleeping and attending lectures (well, most of the time).

My phone broke a week before YikYak departed. That week, we had almost no contact aside from the rare occasions when I used my friend’s devices. When I got my new phone, I raced to set it up, open Google Play, and download the app. Within minutes, I was reconnected with my dear friend. That is when I saw the news: YikYak would no longer be available for Android devices. 

As of the most recent update on March 30, YikYak, Inc., deleted their app from the Google Play Store, leaving Android users mourning.

Since that fateful day, all I can do is watch my friends on their iPhones have fun with the new and improved YikYak. These improvements include features like memes and pictures. Most of all, I miss the uncertainty of whether the next post will be funny, infuriating or disgusting. 

That said, I have no motivation to download YikYak on my iPad. This new YikYak that is meant to please only Apple users just simply does not hold the same place in my heart. Barring  a miracle that makes the app available again on Android devices, I have Yikked my last Yak.

Apple released the iOS 14 software Sept. 16. iOS 14 marks a new shift in Apple’s interface and has been anticipated by users since its announcement in June. The software update includes improvements to iPhone features and added security protections.

When you update your iPhone, most users will immediately notice that their home screen looks very different. iOS 14 introduces users to widgets which can be small, medium or large, along with display information from different apps such as weather and news. There are also smart stacks, which rotate different widgets to give additional customization.  

Many users have complained that it is difficult to resize and edit widgets on their home screen. Several users have gotten creative with the new update by customizing widgets and app icons with third-party apps. Users also now have access to an app library which creates categories for apps on the last page of their home screen. However, there is no way to edit the categories.

Apple Messenger has also been updated to include new features that give users more options to communicate. You can now pin conversations with contacts so that you can see their actions more clearly such as when they are typing or send a message. Within group chats you can now respond to a specific message so your response doesn’t get lost in the group. This is a convenient feature in big group chats and makes communication easier. iOS 14 also now includes an emoji search bar so you can find the perfect emoji without having to scroll through all the options. 

iOS 14 includes a new notification bar for phone and FaceTime calls. Instead of an incoming call taking up the entire screen of your phone, it now only appears as a banner at the top of the phone so you can continue to use your phone while ignoring calls. Many users have expressed gratitude for this feature and it’s a favorite from iOS 14. Siri also now only takes up a small portion of the screen when activated, compared to previously taking up the entire screen. There is also a new picture-in-picture mode so users can multitask while simultaneously watching videos or taking FaceTime calls.

Apple Maps has new features in iOS 14, such as including cycling instructions in big cities – a convenience for bikers and commuters. Maps also now includes routes for electric cars, showing charging stations. Users can now be alerted for speed and red-light cameras, which is a helpful feature to many drivers.

iPhone users will find the new privacy updates comforting as it allows more autonomy than previous updates. Users now can see a green dot when their camera is activated and a yellow dot when their microphone is activated. There are new app permissions, such as the new approximate location feature in which an app will ask for access to an approximate location rather than a specific pinpoint. This allows users more control when allowing apps to access their location. iOS 14 also now allows you to grant an app access to only specific photos or albums rather than your entire photo album. 

The new iOS 14 update offers Apple users new and exciting features that improve user experience by providing more opportunities for personalization and ease of access. The new notification banners, Message features and multitasking allow for a more seamless and efficient experience. Additional privacy protections give Apple users peace of mind that their data is protected. Overall, the iOS 14 upgrades user experience and provides a breath of change. 

Many corporations across the United States have recently decided to use their platform to either support or regulate the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. For example, a few airlines have decided to take a stand and allow BLM pins to be worn by all employees if they so desire. Delta Airlines was the first to design their own rendition of the Black Lives Matter pin for their flight attendants to wear, and American Airlines soon followed, issuing a statement of support. 

“American Airlines believes in equity and inclusion for all. In light of the appropriate attention to lives of Black Americans, we will allow team members who wish to wear a Black Lives Matter pin to do so if they choose,” read a statement from American Airlines provided to USA TODAY by representative Sarah Jantz. 

While some employees frowned upon this decision from American Airlines, saying it goes against their own belief that “all lives matter,” American Airlines made it clear that it is an option and not a requirement for their flight attendants. 

“One symbolic way to show our support is through a uniform pin,” said one American Airline employee. “We are working with our Black Professional Network on designing a specific pin that may be worn with the uniform. In the interim until this pin is produced, to recognize the significance of this moment in history, we are allowing people to wear a Black Lives Matter Pin.”

Outside of the sky, this debate continues. Companies such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Taco Bell and Starbucks decided to regulate the Black Lives Matter attire and restrict employees from taking a stand with their clothing and masks, to avoid controversy. 

Starbucks issued a statement to their employees explaining that Black Lives Matter buttons were verboten because they violated dress code policies forbidding attire that advocates for “political, religious or personal issues” and could be used to “amplify divisiveness,” but the company quickly retracted it after Buzzfeed brought the memo to the public. 

Taco Bell also issued a retraction statement after sending an employee home in Ohio for wearing BLM masks, but Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s have stood by their managers and have yet to issue a statement in support of their employee’s attire. 

When asked by the North Star, Trader Joe’s said “We understand this is a time for us to use our voice, and we appreciate the desire to hear how we plan to take action, sooner rather than later. It’s also critical that we take the time and steps that bring about the most meaningful change. When we say we’re committed to listening, caring, acting and continuously improving, we mean it.”

While this is a tough topic to speak about because of the tension going on in the United States, many companies have found it imperative to do so, in spite of fear of backlash or losing business. The NFL, NBA and MLB have all spoken in support toward Black Lives Matter, and they are huge corporations with big support and continue to have support. Many big corporations agree with this statement and have even given millions of dollars to the cause to show full support, such as Apple, Amazon and Microsoft.