NEW YORK — Beth Godvik has been elected as Vice President of the Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News sector for the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE).
Godvik will sit on the 2024 Council along with 19 other members: twelve Film/TV/Streaming members, five Online Media members and three Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News members, plus five officers — President, Secretary-Treasurer and three Vice Presidents, one from each work sector.
Godvik as worked as a newswriter/producer at WBBM-2, the CBS News & Stations proeprty in Chicago, for 20 years. She has served on three negotiating committees and been the co-steward for the newsroom. “I helped organize our streaming producers at CBS News Chicago and pushed to unionize other shops (cable, digital & broadcast),” she said. “I believe it’s essential as the lines between digital and broadcast become even more blurred. It’s already happening. And I know we are stronger together as we face companies that undervalue our work and try to divide us. By coming together, we create solutions which make situations better for all involved.”
Film/TV/Streaming members work in film, television, podcasts and SVOD; Online Media members work in digital news shops; Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News members work in traditional broadcast, cable and streaming news shops, all in positions under the Guild’s jurisdiction.
The 2024 WGAE Council election included the following open positions:
- Online Media Vice President
- Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News Vice President
- Six Film/TV/Streaming seats
- Two Online Media seats
- Three Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News seats
Monica Lee Bellais, Larry J Cohen, Don P. Hooper, Victoria Pollack, Celine Robinson and Suzanne Weber were elected to serve on the Council representing Film/TV/Streaming members.
Susan Rinkunas and Jessica Schulberg were elected to serve on the Council representing Online Media members.
Justin DiLauro, Gail Lee and Phil Pilato were elected to serve on the Council representing Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News members.
Members currently serving on the WGAE Council with one year left in their term include President Lisa Takeuchi Cullen and Secretary-Treasurer Christopher Kyle; the Film/Television/Streaming sector includes Vice President Erica Saleh, council members Sofia Alvarez, Josh Gondelman, Liz Hynes, Greg Iwinski, Sarah Montana and Sasha Stewart; the Online Media sector includes Caitlin Cruz, Sie Morley and Samantha Smylie.
In Film/TV/Streaming, votes were cast by 14.23% of eligible voters (4,251). In Online Media, votes were cast by 6.3% of eligible voters (2,176). In Broadcast/Cable/Streaming News, votes were cast by 11.07% of eligible voters (1,228). The ballot count was supervised by eBallot.
