Threat Averted: Fox Renews 'The Simpsons' For 2 Years

NEW YORK (AP) - Fans of "The Simpsons" can breathe a "D'oh!" Relief: The animated series was renewed for two more seasons on Friday.

A contract dispute with the voice cast show had threatened to end the series, but Fox has announced that it will broadcast through the seasons 24 and 25

The animated series of the Simpson family, including dad Homer and his famous "D'oh!" TV scripted series longest night.

Negotiations on the future of "The Simpsons", which began its 23rd season last month, the public outreach. Twentieth Century Fox Television, which makes the program, said he could not continue without the need to cut costs and focused on the salaries of the voice actors Harry Shearer, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Nancy Cartwright, Yeardley Smith, Hank Azaria.

Each actress makes a reported $ 8 million a year for their work on "The Simpsons" and Fox said that the show could not go without paying. Earlier Friday, said Shearer manufacturers demanded a reduction of 45 percent.

New Deal melting conditions has not been announced. The Hollywood Reporter, citing unnamed sources, said the players agreed to a salary cut by 30 percent in the $ 440,000 they received for each of 22 episodes per season.

Shearer said he had told producers he would accept a pay cut of 70 percent, but in return, the players wanted "a fraction" of billions of dollars in the program's benefits have been gained through distribution and marketing . Series creator Matt Groening and James L. Brooks, had a share in the profits, but the players have been pushed in efforts to reach them.

Shearer said his representatives said that there was "simply no circumstances in which the network is considering allowing me or one of the actors to take part in the success of the show."

Twentieth Century Fox Television spokesman Chris Alexander said that Friday's statement did not comment Shearer.

"We had a great career and no one should feel sorry for us all," said Shearer, who admitted that his salary was "ridiculous from any point of normality."''But, given the joy of the show has given many people in recent years - and taking into account the amount of billions of dollars in profits and News Corp. will benefit from it - I find it hard to believe that this is the last word on Fox theme. "

News Corp. owns both the television studio and the Fox network.

Questions were raised about whether the Fox studio and wanted to continue the series. The Daily Beast, which first reported the impasse wage, noted that the study is locked in its current syndication deal, while new episodes continue to be made. If the show is canceled, the study could potentially much more lucrative offers for the use of replays.

AP Television Writer Lynn Elber in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

Posted in: Animated series