The suggestion is that if the WGA strike lasts as long as the one in 1988 - which lasted five months - broadcasters and viewers will be turning to reality TV. Maureen Parker, executive director of the Writers Guild of Canada, says that given American programs are typically produced very close to their air dates, original programming will run out soon if the strike continues. "American broadcasters are quickly experiencing scheduling holes, and the challenge will be how they choose to fill those slots. A number of these (reality) shows do go non-union. Their primary attraction to broadcasters is that they're a fraction of the cost of dramatic production."