AFTRA People Approve Network TV Code

La (February. 22, 2012)– The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, AFL-CIO a national union in excess of 70,000 entertainers, recording artists and broadcast professionals today introduced that AFTRA people have approved a contract using the four major television broadcast systems (ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox) along with other producers on terms for any successor agreement towards the AFTRA National Code of Fair Practice for Network Television Broadcasting, also known as, the leading from the Book. AFTRA People passed the agreement 96% for, achieving their primary objective within this settlement: singlePercent rise in employer contributions towards the AFTRA Health & Retirement Funds upon ratification, that will bring the entire H&R contribution rate to 16.5%. The 3-year agreement will run retroactivelyfrom November. 16, 2011 through November. 15, 2014. Other highlights include: Increase wages by 6% within the term from the agreement (2% every year) for many groups Increase minimum hazard purchase ballroom dancers from $80 to $100 daily, and from $100 to $125 per program The $37.50 overtime rate for performers is going to be compensated beginning in the seventh rather than the ninth hour Boost the minimum workday for stand-inches who focus on primetime variety and award shows, which will raise the minimum daily rate by 20% to 67% Enhanced contract language to improve equal employment possibilities for union entertainers, including a contract to stop discrimination with different member’s gender identity. I'm proud our people extremely chosen in support of this difficult-fought against contract. Our settling committee of testing and background stars, promo announcers, freelance newspersons, stunt entertainers, performers, ballroom dancers and, obviously, stars, labored relentlessly to secure elevated wages, enhanced working conditions, and more powerful protections for AFTRA people in most groups and across all program formats who work under our biggest contract, stated AFTRA National Leader Roberta Reardon. Discussions beganon November. 7, and were held in the offices from the Alliance of movement Picture and tv Producers in Sherman Trees, Calif. A tentative agreement was arrived at on 12 ,. 9, 2011. The AFTRA National Board all approved the agreement on Jan. 28, 2012 and sent it to the membership for ratification. Ballots were mailed to people on Jan. 30 and were came back February. 22. AFTRA National Executive Director Kim Roberts Hedgpeth offered as Chief Negotiator for that Union, and was aided by co-arbitrators Joan Halpern Weise, AFTRA Assistant National Executive Director of Entertainment Programming, and Stephen Burrow, AFTRA NY Local Executive Director. The Network Code Front from the Book may be the Unions biggest national collective negotiating agreement and creates a lot more than $250 million annually in member earnings. The Code covers programming in most television day parts (aside from scripted primetime programs around the systems and also the CW that are covered underneath the AFTRA Exhibit An agreement) and programming created for digital media. Covered programs include dramas in first-run distribution, morning news shows, talk shows, serials (cleaning soap operas), variety, reality, sports, contest programs, award shows and marketing bulletins. Current programs included in this contract include: Hello America, The Vista, The Cost is appropriate, The Youthful and also the Restless, Saturday Evening Live, Risk, Dwts, Late Show with David Letterman, The Voice, Amazing Race, Deal or No Deal, The Tonight Show and The American Idol Show, among many more.

Heroes Alum Milo Ventimiglia To Star In Frank Darabonts TNT Pilot L.A. Noir

EXCLUSIVE: In his first cable series gig, former Heroes star Milo Ventimiglia is set to star in Frank Darabont’s TNT drama pilot L.A. Noir, a fast-paced crime drama set in Los Angeles during the 1940s and 50s. He is expected to join The Walking Dead alum Jon Bernthal, who has been in negotiations for another lead. Based on John Buntins book L.A. Noir: The Struggle For The Soul Of Americas Most Seductive City, the show tells the true story of a decades-long conflict between the LAPD, under the determined leadership of Police Chief William Parker, and ruthless criminal elements led by mobster Mickey Cohen, a one-time boxer who rose to the top of LAs criminal world. Ventimiglia will play Ned Stax, a former marine who served with Joe Teague (Bernthal) during WWII, now a budding lawyer groomed to be a master “fixer” for the mob. In addition to writing, former Walking Dead showrunner Darabont is directing the pilot and will executive produce with Michael De Luca and Elliot Webb for TNT Original Prods. Ventimiglia, repped by CAA and Management 360, fielded interest from broadcast pilots this season before opting to go with L.A. Noir. His series credits also include a stint on Gilmore Girls.

Matthew Perry Joins the Cast of The Good Wife

The Warblers vs. New Directions: Who will win Glee's next Regionals competition? The two glee clubs go head-to-head at Regionals in Tuesday's episode (8/7c, Fox), in which the Warblers sing The Wanted's "Glad You Came," while New Directions takes on Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger." Check out their performances below, along with a sneak peek at Sebastian's scheming ways and a behind-the-scenes look at the big Regionals episode, which made Chris Colfer cry: Read More > Other Links From TVGuide.com GleeChris Colfer

Press

Preem evening around the Smart Tucker Tooley, Scott Waugh, Mike "Mouse" McCoy and Happy Walters open "Valor." Navy Closes Sonny, Dork, Michael, Duncan, Van O, Ray, Ajay and Rorke topline Relativity Media's new actioner. Things to put on for your initial film premiere? The eight active-duty Navy Closes that topline Relativity's "Act of Valor" elected for heavily decorated uniforms around the red-colored carpet at Thursday's Gotham preem, held onboard the floating Smart museum. Actually, there's little chance the soldiers are intending to parlay their starring roles within the terrorism-designed actioner into Hollywood careers. The males bristled thinking of talent agents or SAG membership, insisting these were basically playing themselves and therefore are not stars (even though they shipped scripted dialogue in moments with professional thesps)."Virtually everything that's within the movie is real," described Scott Waugh, who directed what he known as a hybrid documentary/narrative feature with Mike "Mouse" McCoy. "We did attempt to cast real terrorists, however the fuckers wouldn't come have fun with us."Still, there's one factor the Closes tell red-colored-carpet fittings like Madonna and Cher: single-word monikers. Because of safety, the super-secret special operations used first names only, in the film's credits with press. Nonetheless, their cover might happen to be blown with a Super Bowl ad that featured multiple close-ups from the males.

VIDEO: Gisele Bundchen Defends Husband Tom Brady After Super Bowl Loss

Gisele Bundchen No one felt worse than the NFL's leading receiver, Wes Welker, after he failed to catch a key pass late in Super Bowl XLVI. And no one sounded more irked about it than Gisele Bundchen, particularly after taunting Giants fans yelled at her: "Eli rules. Eli owns your husband." "You [have] to catch the ball when you're supposed to catch the ball," she says in the video below. "My husband cannot f------ throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time. I can't believe they dropped the ball so many times." Super Bowl Commercials: X Factor winner demands respect! Plus: Howard Stern, Clint Eastwood Tom Brady made a couple mistakes himself, however, as some fans argued that the ball was thrown behind Welker. Bundchen was making her way to an elevator after watching the New England Patriots lose the Super Bowl when she encountered the exuberant if not classy NY Giants fans. What do you think of the supermodel sticking up for her husband? Was she wrong blaming his teammates?

Oscar oddities

Silver Eiffel Tower model, against white background, close-up The Invention Of Hugo CabretEvery year, Oscar nominations feature some oddities and notable achievements. In some ways, it's a quiet acting race: Berenice Bejo, Jean Dujardin and Max von Sydow utter only two words among their three performances. Michelle Williams was nominated for playing an actress (Marilyn Monroe) who never earned an Oscar nom. Alexander Payne is a triple nominee for "The Descendants." Lead actor contenders George Clooney and Brad Pitt also were given an adapted screenplay nom for "Ides of March," and a producer bid for "Moneyball," respectively. Cited in two races were Woody Allen, Michel Hazanavicius and Martin Scorsese. Allen's noms for "Midnight in Paris" broke Billy Wilder's record by making him a seven-time double nominee on the same film in the directing and writing categories. For their sound work, Gary Rydstrom scored two noms, after 14 previous bids; Greg P. Russell earned his 15th career nomination; Ren Klyce earned his fourth and fifth noms this year. "A Separation," written and directed by Asghar Farhadi, is the first Farsi-language screenplay to earn a writing nom. John Williams' twin noms bring his total to 47, making him second in Oscar history to Walt Disney, who earned 59 during his lifetime. Meryl Streep continues her record-breaking run, with a 17th overall nom for "The Iron Lady." Supporting actor nominee Kenneth Branagh has now been nominated five times in five different categories; others are for lead actor and directing in 1989 for "Henry V," live-action short in 1992 for "Swan Song" and adapted screenplay in 1996 for "Hamlet." All five films in the animated feature category earned first-time noms for their directors. Since the animation category started in 2001, the only times Pixar has missed out on a nom were in 2002, 2005 and this year. Wim Wenders' "Pina" is the first 3-D film to be nominated in the documentary category. Scott Rudin ("Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close") and Michael DeLuca ("Moneyball") received best picture noms last year for "The Social Network." There is a French accent this year: Paris serves as the backdrop for "Hugo," "Midnight in Paris" and the animated "A Cat in Paris," while Parisians produced, directed and starred in L.A.-set "The Artist." Contact Christy Grosz at christy.grosz@variety.com

Sundance Today: Swag Beats (Boots?) Snow

The Sundance Film Festival is about, as the name implies, films. But there's another secret agenda at the heart of the Park City weeks-long event: swaaaag, man! If you've been keeping up with the MTV Movies team's escapades in our Sundance Today blogs, then you know that yours truly has been having some difficult time walking bootless through the snowy slush of Utah. That is no longer the case. I've got my Sorel-branded boots tied tight, some sunglasses from the lovely folks at Solstice Sunglass Boutique shielding my eyes, and a big dopey grin on my face. You see movies at Sundance, and that is awesome. But when you get free high-end swag at Sundance, you know you've arrived. And folks, let me tell you: I have arrived. Anyway, enough bragging about swag, at least. There's more movies, more actors, more filmmakers in our immediate future. Today, we're going one-on-one with "John Dies at the End" actors Clancy Brown and Paul Giamatti, "Luv" actors Common, Charles S. Dutton and Michael K. Williams, "Parks & Rec" favorite (and "Safety Not Guaranteed" actress) Aubrey Plaza, "Red Hook Summer" director Spike Lee, and many more. If you've got questions for any of those guys, we want to hear 'em. Tweet them our way at @mtvmoviesblog and we'll do our best to get you the scoops you crave. In the mean time, if you need me, you can find me stomping all over Park City in my new Sorels. No. Big. Deal. The 2012 Sundance Film Festival is officially under way, and the MTV Movies team is on the ground reporting on the hottest stars and the movies everyone will be talking about in the year to come. Keep it locked with MTV Movies for everything there is to know about Sundance.