He's a writer first

New York City

Joining the picket line in front of Rockefeller Center were Jon Robin Baitz, the showrunner of "Brothers & Sisters," and Ron Rifkin, one of its stars. 

Rifkin said he came out on the line "for my colleagues." "There's nothing for actors to do if we don't have writers," he said.

Baitz said he believes the entertainment industry is undergoing a "realignment" as it confronts the reality of new media. "For the studios and the networks, it's a very, very frightening challenge," he said. "It is going to change the industry."

Baitz said he was confident that the studios would be forced to compromise. "I think we will face some very bad days and pernicious scheming, but at the end of the day, there's no getting around it," he said.

For now, production is continuing on "Brothers & Sisters," which is shooting its 10th episode and has a finished script for its 11th episode. But Baitz said he doesn't feel conflicted about the various roles he plays as showrunner. "The moniker of producer-writer is a little bit of a badge," he said. "To me, I'm a writer first."

More news on the strike

-- Matea Gold