More minority TV writers working

The number of minority writers working on television series rose in 2002, part of an overall hiring increase, the Writers Guild of America-West reports.

The total number of writers working in prime-time TV increased from 1,334 in 2001 to 1,576, while the number of minority writers rose from 135 to 205 in the same period, the guild said.

Minority writers have started to break into non-ethnic sitcoms and dramas but remain concentrated in comedies, especially ethnic ones, the guild said.

Guild President Victoria Riskin credited industrywide meetings initiated by the union and involving production and labor-relations heads at the major networks and studios.