AMPTP Hires Crisis PR Agency the Levinson Group Amid Ongoing Writers’, Actors’ Strikes

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers has hired the Levinson Group, a well-known crisis management firm based in Washington, to support its communication strategy as the dual strike by actors and writers continues, according to an insider with knowledge of the situation.

Ever since the Writers Guild of America initiated a walkout in early May as its labor contract expired, the studios and streamers represented by the AMPTP have grown concerned that they’ve come across in the media as antagonistic.

The Levinson Group helps corporate clients dealing with reputation and risk-related issues. The company will work alongside the PR consultants already in place for the AMPTP.

The PR firm is run by Molly Levinson, an Emmy-award winning producer, who previously served as political director at CNN and CBS.

The Levinson Group’s website highlighted accolades she’s received from trade publication PR News, including its naming her a “Top Women in PR” in 2021 and referring to her as a “known problem solver” when it awarded her “Crisis Manager of the Year” in 2017.

The hiring of the Levinson Group comes on the heels of this past Tuesday’s meeting between the negotiating committee and several studio CEOs, including Disney chief Bob Iger and Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav, to discuss the studios’ counteroffer, which the WGA roundly rejected.

“The companies’ counteroffer is neither nothing, nor nearly enough. We will continue to advocate for proposals that fully address our issues rather than accept half measures like those mentioned above and other proposals not listed here,” a WGA memo to members read.

The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news of the PR agency’s hiring.

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