How the dream entry-level job in Hollywood became a never-ending, low-pay nightmare

Every industry has its "pay your dues" entry-level jobs, though none are as iconic as Hollywood's, from the mailroom to the writers assistant, which was once a sure path to the dream gig of writing for television. But with the changes wrought by streaming services—notably, shorter and fewer seasons—the writers assistant position has become a perpetual internship, beset by low pay and precarity, and without that once-promised elevation into a writing job. These workers are now fighting back, negotiating to secure better working conditions, health care, and a living wage. Nicole LaPorte tells the story of the Hollywood fairy tale they had hoped for, the reality it's become, and their hope for a more equitable tomorrow.

—David Lidsky

tech

Hollywood writers’ assistants and script coordinators have banded together in the social media movement #IALivingWage to demand better pay. Read more.

tech

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co.design

How this grassroots organization got 385 Black-owned brands on the shelves at companies like Macy's, Gap, and Sephora

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tech

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co.design

Disturbing letter details culture of harassment and abuse in the ad industry

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co.design

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impact

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recommender

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NEWS

The Pentagon’s JEDI mind trick: What you need to know

The Pentagon has snatched a $10 billion carrot away from Amazon and Microsoft, which were competing for a lucrative cloud-computing contract with the U.S. Department of Defense.

The project, called JEDI, was hatched years ago to modernize the Pentagon’s patchwork of computer systems.

It was awarded to Microsoft, but then Amazon sued, claiming that it lost out on the deal because of then-President Trump’s personal dislike for then-Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.

Now, the DoD says it’s scrapping the deal entirely “due to evolving requirements.” It will launch a new multi-vendor project in its place and it will solicit proposals from major firms to battle it out again.

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How the dream entry-level job in Hollywood became a never-ending, low-pay nightmare

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