The decision came after union negotiations with studios and streaming service providers over pay and working conditions ended without an agreement.
The strike could have potentially catastrophic consequences for the US entertainment industry.
The last time such a strike took place in 2007, it lasted 100 days, costing the Los Angeles economy about $2 billion.
A strike by Hollywood TV and film scriptwriters means late-night shows will be suspended, while TV series and movies scheduled to hit screens this year or later could be delayed.
The Writers Guild of America, which represents writers, and the Motion Picture and Television Producers Alliance, which represents Netflix and Disney, have been unable to agree on higher wages, minimum guarantees of stable employment and a bigger share of profits from the boom in streaming services.
Highlight the text and press Ctrl+Enterto send the text fragment to be corrected to the editor!
Highlight the text and press on Report a bug buttons to send the text fragment to be corrected to the editor!