The Writers Guild of America is saying no deal to Golden Globe Awards organizers, who had hoped to negotiate a ceremony without a picket line.

The union representing striking Hollywood film and TV writers says it will advise celebrity nominees and presenters to boycott the show.

Striking writers picket outside NBC Studios in Burbank, Calif., on Wednesday. The union says it will picket the Golden Globe ceremony, which is to air on NBC Jan. 13.
(Nick Ut/Associated Press)

That could mean a very subdued and glitter-free ceremony for the Golden Globes, scheduled for Jan. 13.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which sponsors the show, and Dick Clark Productions, which produces it, began talks with the WGA earlier this week in hopes of averting pickets.

They had argued the show could sign a side deal, similar to one announced by David Letterman's late-night show, that allows writers to produce material for the ceremony and would put an end to pickets.

But the WGA was not willing to negotiate.

"The WGA has great respect and admiration for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, but we are engaged in a crucial struggle that will protect our income and intellectual property rights for generations to come," it said in a statement.

"We will continue to do everything in our power to bring industry negotiations to a fair conclusion."

The writers have been on strike since Nov. 5 in a battle with Hollywood studios over compensation for shows reproduced over the internet and on cellphones.

"As previously announced, the Writers Guild will be picketing the Golden Globe Awards," the WGA said.

The Screen Actors Guild, which is closely monitoring the WGA negotiations for its own contract talks later in the year, will recommend celebrities stay away from the awards, SAG president Alan Rosenberg said in a statement Wednesday.

"Unless and until there is an agreement between the WGA and HFPA, we will advise our members of their rights with respect to not crossing WGA picket lines and/or not appearing on programs using non-union writers," he said

Without writers and presenters, the awards show might have to cancel its broadcast plans and return to the relatively private affair it used to be, some Hollywood observers said.

However, broadcast rights raise tens of millions of dollars to support the organizations behind the awards.

Broadcaster NBC had no comment on the talks, but said earlier this week that the broadcast would go ahead.

With files from the Associated Press