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After a 148-day writers strike, late night shows are back on the air

A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:

After 148 days of the writers strike, late-night shows are back.

(SOUNDBITE OF MONTAGE)

SETH MEYERS: We're up and running.

JIMMY KIMMEL: In case you've forgotten, my name is Jimmy. I've been off the air for five months. We've been gone so long, the bachelor is now a grandfather.

(LAUGHTER)

STEPHEN COLBERT: Thanks to the picket lines, my writers got fresh air and sunshine, and they do not care for that.

(LAUGHTER)

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Hosts Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers all announced their return on social media.

MARTÍNEZ: That move comes after the Writers Guild of America reached a tentative deal with major studios, set to be ratified later this month. The deal, valued at 233 million bucks, will bring staff pay increases, improve benefits for workers, protections against AI-generated content and streaming compensation.

FADEL: With a yes vote by members all but assured, the WGA let writers return to the writing room.

MARTÍNEZ: John Oliver returned on "Last Week Tonight" this past Sunday.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER")

JOHN OLIVER: While I'm happy that they eventually got a fair deal and immensely proud of what our union accomplished, I'm also furious that it took the studios 148 days to achieve a deal that they could have offered on Day [expletive] 1.

FADEL: While the writers get back to work, the actors union, SAG-AFTRA, remains on strike until a deal is reached with studios. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

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