The Economic Contribution of the Motion Picture & Television Industry to the United StatesThe American Motion Picture and Television Industry:Creating Jobs, Trading Around the World

The production and distribution of motion pictures and television programs is one of the nations most valuable cultural and economic resources. The industry is a major private sector employer, supporting 2.2 million jobs, and nearly $137 billion in total wages in 2009: Direct industry jobs generated $40.5 billion in wages, and an average salary 26% higher than the national average: o There were nearly 272,000 jobs in the core business of producing, marketing, manufacturing, and distributing motion pictures and television shows. These are high quality jobs, with an average salary of nearly $79,000, 73% higher than the average salary nationwide. o Additionally, there were over 430,000 jobs in related businesses that distribute motion pictures and television shows to consumers. Industry also supports indirect jobs and wages in thousands of companies with which it does business, such as caterers, dry cleaners, florists, hardware and lumber suppliers, and jobs in other companies doing business with consumers, such as video retailers, theme parks and tourist attractions. The industry is a nationwide network of small businesses: Industry is comprised of nearly 95,000 businesses in total, located in every state in the country. Industry made $38.9 billion in payments to more than 208,000 businesses around the country in 2009. The industry increases the tax base: Industry generated $15.5 billion in public revenues in 2009 from federal income taxes, including unemployment, Medicare and Social Security, state income taxes, and sales taxes on goods. The industry is one of the most highly competitive around the world one of the few that consistently generates a positive balance of trade, in virtually every country in which it does business: There were $13.8 billion in film and television exports in 2009, up 3% over 2008, and up 37% over 2005. Industry had a positive services trade surplus of $11.9 billion in 2009, or 8% of the total U.S. private-sector trade surplus in services. The motion picture and television services surplus was larger than the surpluses of the telecommunications, management and consulting, legal, medical, computer, and insurance services sectors.Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. 1600 Eye Street, NW WDC 20006 www.mpaa.org