The writers "shot themselves in the foot." By allowing personality driven shows to go back on with hosts, but without the aid of the writers, the writers essentially gave up their most powerful "bargaining chip." Movies, and the scripted show have less to worry about, more lead time in terms that production requires. America doesn't care who says what, as long as someone says something. And corporations in America will continue to turn profits, on both the "demon-box" and the "abomination that causes desolation." Now, I'm no neo-conservative doomsday propheteer, however Europe isn't having this problem and Asia's networks don't seem to be having this problem; in the least we're not hearing anything about it from our television news broadcasts (busy with the primaries, I would venture to guess, and the first cloned embryo?)
No, what we have here is the slow-bleed, and what I mean by that is by the time both parties come back to this "table" to negotiate, the writers will have been severely hindered by worsening economic conditions in the vein of not being able to pay their mortgages, not being able to feed their kids, and maybe the flu...
What I'm saying is the advantage, at least from my perspective, has gone to the AMPTP. What I'm also saying is that the writers will have to come back to the table, their "tail's between their legs, because they can't afford not to, that's all. Then again, I hope I'm wrong.