Movement in writers talks?

The studios and networks presented what Variety is calling "a streamlined proposal" to jump-start the contract talks. "The proposal lays the groundwork and provides a framework for an agreement," said Nick Counter, president of the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers (how's that for labor negotiation-speak?). The plan apparently doesn't cover any changes in DVD residuals and it's hard to believe the guild would go along with that. WGA sources told Nikki Finke that there’s “zero movement on the key issues.” Still, they might want to at least show some interest or run the risk of being called intransigent – not just by the other side but by the other unions. Here's more from Variety:

The move to present a new proposal came after two days of huddling by execs to hammer out a strategy to avert a strike, which could start as early as next Thursday. Counter has expressed his frustration repeatedly with the WGA over its refusal to budge from its initial package of 26 proposals, first presented three months ago when negotiations launched. It's the second move by the AMPTP in the past two weeks to salvage the negotiations. Counter took the companies' controversial residuals revamp -- which would have tied payouts to the recoupment of basic costs -- off the table on Oct. 16 but the WGA leaders were unimpressed and asserted that the AMPTP should have never made the proposal in the first place.