Call Him Mr. President

John Wells was announced the new president of the WGA today, defeating treasurer Elias Davis, the candidate endorsed by exiting president Patric Verrone. Wells, the executive producer of Southland, previously held the post from 1999-2001, and is considered far more moderate than Davis, who, as a key adviser to Verrone's Writers United coalition, was instrumental in mobilizing the strike of 2007-08. Among Wells' critics are hardliners who feel he slept with the studio-friendly DGA enemy during the strike, and that he won't push hard enough for gains in new media, home video and cable when the contract is up for renegotiation in May 2011. [Variety]