Oh Look, The Number Of People Employed In The Movie And Music Recording Business Just Hit An All Time High

from the but-jobs-jobs-jobs! dept

Thu, Apr 11th 2013 12:47pm — Mike Masnick

The common refrain coming out of the MPAA and RIAA over the past few years has really focused on "jobs, jobs, jobs!" This is a message that often works with Congress. If you can convince Congress that "jobs" are at risk, they go scrambling to protect those jobs, even if the economy would be much better off with obsolete jobs going away, and better jobs taking their place. That said, the MPAA and RIAA have a long history of making up ridiculous claims about the number of people employed in their industries, as well as the number of supposed "lost jobs." So it's rather noteworthy to see that the good folks over at ZeroHedge have pointed out that, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), jobs in the motion picture and sound recording industries hit an all time high in December.

Funny that. I thought that they were losing jobs like crazy, and that without SOPA those jobs would just keep disappearing. Hmm...

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: bls, employment, jobs, motion pictures, movies, music, sound recordings

54 Comments

If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...

Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread

Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:04pm

So if the number of employees have hit an all time high then why are the MPAA etc. screaming of job losses that is caused by piracy.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- crade (profile), 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:16pm
  
  Re:
  Just because we have lots of jobs now doesn't mean there aren't also massive losses caused by piracy!
  
  Just think, if it weren't for piracy, everyone would probably be employed in the music industry.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Andrew F (profile), 11 Apr 2013 @ 6:35pm
    
    Re: Re:
    Reminds me of that study that drastically inflated the size of the media industries.
    
    "Do you listen to music at work? Yes? Then you have a job in the music industry!"
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Monkey (profile), 12 Apr 2013 @ 9:04am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Complementary Linkage:
      http://blog.ted.com/2012/03/20/the-numbers-behind-the-copyright-math/
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Mike Brown (profile), 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:20pm
  
  Re:
  Isn't it obvious? Sure, the number of people EMPLOYED is up, but the number of people with JOBS is rapidly disappearing. You see, just because someone is employed, it doesn't necessarily mean that they have an actual job to do.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Niall (profile), 12 Apr 2013 @ 5:07am
    
    Re: Re:
    True - what with part-time and zero-hour contracts abounding these days...
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 7:11pm
  
  Re:
  The stats also match the timeline of increasing government and private sector efforts in regard to piracy enforcement.
  
  I would have expected job increases, and that's exactly what happened.
  
  Is Mike Masnick complaining about these jobs because his theories have been proven incorrect?
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - That One Guy (profile), 11 Apr 2013 @ 10:58pm
    
    Re: Re:
    Uhuh, and I'm sure that whole 'global depression' and the fact that it's starting to ease up has nothing at all to do with the increase in employment... /s
    
    Also, might wanna be a little careful with the 'increase in jobs is due to increase in piracy crackdowns', given that pretty much each peak in that chart is almost immediately followed by a massive drop, often ending up lower then when it started.
    
    Much more likely, is that the peaks are when a big movie is being filmed, with a lot of jobs needed, increasing in needed manpower as things get closer to being done, and the following drop is when suddenly those people aren't needed anymore, and are let go.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Wendy Cockcroft, 12 Apr 2013 @ 5:39am
    
    Re: Piracy Enforcement
    The stats also match the timeline of increasing government and private sector efforts in regard to piracy enforcement.
    
    That comment would be less risible if piracy rates had actually dropped as a result of the "enforcement." It hasn't.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Cowards Anonymous, 12 Apr 2013 @ 4:52pm
    
    Re: Re:
    Wait, so you are saying that piracy has created jobs? And that you expected piracy to create jobs?
    
    So doesn't that mean piracy is good then because it creates jobs just as you predicted?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- RyanNerd (profile), 12 Apr 2013 @ 10:42am
  
  Re:
  Because their efforts at combating the evil pirates is working. Attacking and theatening people with excessive fines, court costs and jail time for infringement has led to the creation of all these jobs.
  
  /s
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Big Greedy Media LLC, 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:06pm

You don't get it
You don't get it. This is obviously the result of the Six Strikes scheme, it doesn't matter that it's only just been implemented and not until after December 2012, we keep telling you that the more restrictive regulations regarding copyright there are, the more jobs there will be.

Kind regards,
Big Greedy Media LLC.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:48pm
  
  Re: You don't get it
  I wonder when they will sponsor a report showing exactly that, so it is possible to give the pet politicians something to point their sceptics to!
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
PRMan, 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:17pm

According to OOTB
...It's because they shut down that filthy evil pirate Kim Dotcom without a trial...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
  
  out_of_the_blue, 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:23pm
  
  Re: According to OOTB -- you're close enough.
  "...It's because they shut down that filthy evil pirate Kim Dotcom without a trial..." -- Heh, heh. So OBVIOUSLY TRUE that even you fanboy-trolls know it!
  
  THANKS for the advance notice and for joining my clone army by putting up a post close enough to what I was going to. You fanboys WILL eventually share my views, even if you don't wish to, because I'm aligned with common law, common sense, current legalities, and practical facts.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:27pm
    
    Re: Re: According to OOTB -- you're close enough.
    OH wait. Dotcom has opened MEGA and guess what jobs have INCREASED. If Dotcom was operating a piracy site then there will be reports of job losses but the number of jobs are increasing.
    
    Flawed logic by OOTB again!
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
      
      out_of_the_blue, 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:35pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: According to OOTB -- you're close enough.
      @ AC: "OH wait. Dotcom has opened MEGA and guess what jobs have INCREASED. If Dotcom was operating a piracy site then there will be reports of job losses but the number of jobs are increasing.
      
      Flawed logic by OOTB again!"
      ----------
      
      How can that be when Mega strongly disavows piracy? :
      
      http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/01/20/mega_launch_fail//
      
      'Clause 19 makes it plain Mega is a no-dodgy-files zone, stating "You are strictly prohibited from using our services to infringe copyright. You may not upload, download, store, share, display, stream, distribute, e-mail, link to, transmit or otherwise make available any files, data, or content that infringes any copyright or other proprietary rights of any person or entity."'
      
      Looks like piratey AC is mistaken about the new Mega.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - RadialSkid (profile), 11 Apr 2013 @ 4:45pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: According to OOTB -- you're close enough.
        Megaupload had similar terms of service.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - silverscarcat (profile), 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:30pm
    
    Re: Re: According to OOTB -- you're close enough.
    So, you're Bizzaro and see the world stupidly?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Gwiz (profile), 11 Apr 2013 @ 2:27pm
    
    Re: Re: According to OOTB -- you're close enough.
    You fanboys WILL eventually share my views, even if you don't wish to, because I'm aligned with common law, common sense, current legalities, and practical facts.
    
    That has to be a record for the most amount of fail in a single sentence.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - That One Guy (profile), 11 Apr 2013 @ 2:37pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: According to OOTB -- you're close enough.
      I figured it was meant as a joke, because really, what else could it be, and taken in that way it was a smashing success, as I couldn't help but laugh reading it.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - RyanNerd (profile), 12 Apr 2013 @ 10:52am
    
    Re: Re: According to OOTB -- you're close enough.
    I'm not sure if I want to have whatever OOTB is smoking, or if it should be treated like Agent Orange.
    
    It may be nice to be so blissfully ignorant of reality, but whatever he is smoking also seems to have the side effect of bringing one to an arrogance that you know that everyone should believe in your logic no matter how flawed it may be.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:20pm

As the entertainment industry and government collide and merge together the number of jobs will naturally increase.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
jupiterkansas (profile), 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:22pm

Good thing we put an end to piracy in August 2009.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it

out_of_the_blue, 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:29pm

Where's an economist to analyze whether these are full-time?
Oh, if only there were someone here who didn't just re-write according to his bias from a one-paragraph blog post, but who actually dug into the numbers.

For example, as a cost-saving measure, many of these are likely to be part-time jobs -- not least because of Obamacare not covering part-time employees -- so while raw NUMBER may be increased, payroll and amount of total work hours may not have.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- That One Guy (profile), 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:34pm
  
  Re: Where's an economist to analyze whether these are full-time?
  *WHOOOSH!* *BOOM!*
  
  Person 1: 'What was that?!'
  
  Person 2: 'That was the sound of the goalposts being moved quick enough to cause a sonic boom.'
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    
    out_of_the_blue, 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:43pm
    
    Re: Re: Where's an economist to analyze whether these are full-time?
    @ "That One Guy
    
    *WHOOOSH!* *BOOM!*
    
    Person 1: 'What was that?!'
    
    Person 2: 'That was the sound of the goalposts being moved quick enough to cause a sonic boom.'
    
    --------------
    
    You write so stoopidly that it's unclear whether you agree with me or not, but at a hazard I'll guess that you don't. -- Ever look beyond end of your nose? Are you such a dolt as can't grasp that one number doesn't tell the whole story? Have you noticed that the weight of product in potato chip bags has gone down while price per bag stays the same? So long as you get a bag, it's all the same, right?
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:45pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: Where's an economist to analyze whether these are full-time?
      ""You write so stoopidly that it's unclear whether you agree with me or not, but at a hazard I'll guess that you don't. -- Ever look beyond end of your nose? Are you such a dolt as can't grasp that one number doesn't tell the whole story? Have you noticed that the weight of product in potato chip bags has gone down while price per bag stays the same? So long as you get a bag, it's all the same, right?""
      
      Said comment being written by someone who does exactly the same in what he writes, now that is priceless!
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
      - This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
        
        out_of_the_blue, 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:47pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Where's an economist to analyze whether these are full-time?
        @ AC: "Said comment being written by someone who does exactly the same in what he writes, now that is priceless!"
        
        Said CLICHE being written by an AC, now that is VALUELESS.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
        
        Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:56pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Where's an economist to analyze whether these are full-time?
        ""Said CLICHE being written by an AC, now that is VALUELESS.""
        
        Which makes said comment by OOTB even VALUELSS.
        [ link to this | view in chronology ]
    - Gwiz (profile), 11 Apr 2013 @ 2:31pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: Where's an economist to analyze whether these are full-time?
      You write so stoopidly...
      
      And you spell stupidly.
      [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 3:10pm
  
  Re: Where's an economist to analyze whether these are full-time?
  Oh, if only there were someone here who didn't just re-write according to his bias from a one-paragraph blog post, but who actually dug into the numbers.
  
  For example, as a cost-saving measure, many of these are likely to be part-time jobs -- not least because of Obamacare not covering part-time employees -- so while raw NUMBER may be increased, payroll and amount of total work hours may not have.
  
  Almost every job in the film industry is part-time. Workers move from project to project. Virtually none are employed by the same company year round.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 3:34pm
  
  Re: Where's an economist to analyze whether these are full-time?
  "For example, as a cost-saving measure, many of these are likely to be part-time jobs -- not least because of Obamacare not covering part-time employees"
  
  Actually, no, boy.
  Most jobs in the entertainment industry are short-term, running from a day to a week to a complete season of production.
  Once an assignment is done, the workers move on.
  That includes actors, writers, artists, construction workers, etc.
  Only executives and senior studio personnel have full-time jobs.
  It has nothing to do with Obamacare.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 6:12pm
    
    Re: Re: Where's an economist to analyze whether these are full-time?
    "It has nothing to do with Obamacare."
    
    and it was like that since ... forever
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Just Like You, 12 Apr 2013 @ 12:00am
  
  Re: Where's an economist to analyze whether these are full-time?
  Glad to see you're not blaming pirates for that and putting the blame where it's truly due (the government and corporate decision making).
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
  - Anonymous Coward, 12 Apr 2013 @ 7:14am
    
    Re: Re: Where's an economist to analyze whether these are full-time?
    Shhh. Don't tell out_of_the_asscrack that. out_of_the_asscrack HATES it when you criticise corporate decision making, ESPECIALLY when said corporate decision making was made by Hollywood.
    [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:32pm

The bigger question, what's causing all those gigantic jumps and drops in the chart?

A bunch of short term jobs as people go from one movie to the next, and some seasons are busier for movie and music making then others?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:32pm

If the industry had half a brain it could be even higher.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Andreas (profile), 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:34pm

Can we get the percentage of lawyers to clear things up?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 1:43pm

Yet again OOTB accuses someone of being a pirate when they are not.

Flawed logic by OOTB yet again!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Zem, 11 Apr 2013 @ 2:04pm

But all the new jobs are for lawyers and lobbyists.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 2:10pm

That's literally TRILLIONS of jobs lost in the movie industry, people! Literally trillions of people are now out of work thanks to Mike Masnick. We've got the statistics to prove it.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous, 11 Apr 2013 @ 3:33pm

Speaking of the music business and highs...
Here's an article about the goings-on at Universal Music.
http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2013/04/adam-levine-drugs-video/
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 3:51pm

I am trying to figure out what the above chart is based upon. The linked site does not provide any information about what BLS document contains the chart and where a copy of that document can be found.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 4:47pm

Must include zero
Any graph that doesn't include zero on it's quantitive axis is misleading at best.

The rule is - if the graph doesn't seem to show anything interesting when the axis includes zero, then the data is not that interesting to begin with.

Cropping the graph and therefore exaggerating it, just makes it seem like a lie.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Chronno S. Trigger (profile), 11 Apr 2013 @ 6:13pm
  
  Re: Must include zero
  Wait, you think that the graph needs to be 99% white space? That 405 at the top left of the graph isn't 405 people, it's 405,000. Extending the graph from 345,000 to 0 would make the change look like nothing at all.
  
  Or is that what you're saying? Comparing it from 405,000 to 0 would make it seem like piracy has done diddly squat to harm jobs.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 8:33pm
  
  Re: Must include zero
  I have a different rule that says people that make up incorrect rules can be safely ignored.
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
Anonymous Coward, 11 Apr 2013 @ 5:19pm

Why would you doubt that the job count has went up? After all they now have a copyright czar, ICE is working for them closing sites, the DOJ is activity working for them, Biden worked for them temporarily setting up 6 duds, Congress works for them passing bills, USTR is busy on their agenda with trade treaties, and the countless lobbyist and lawyers have made the entertainment field a gold mine for work. Even Prenda and Righthaven were having a go at it... only the last parties turned out to be highly temporary in job duration.

Geeze no wonder the job count is at a record high.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
That Anonymous Coward (profile), 11 Apr 2013 @ 9:44pm

One is left to wonder how many of these positions are with the outfits sending out flawed DMCA notices and hunting piracy in every dark corner.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Ninja (profile), 12 Apr 2013 @ 3:22am

I think that when they say things they secretly add a ^-1 in the end of their sentences. So they are actually right when they say they lost billions of dollars because it actually means, mathematically, that they earned all that. Same with jobs. Now those clever bastards...

Ahem. No surprises, right?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Engineer Z, 12 Apr 2013 @ 6:16am

More jobs in the Movie and Music recording business? Did they hire more caterers and security guards?
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
- Niall (profile), 12 Apr 2013 @ 8:12am
  
  Re:
  And shelf-stackers loading up popcorn and soda...
  [ link to this | view in chronology ]
jupiterkansas (profile), 12 Apr 2013 @ 9:29am

What this chart tells me is the country is making a big whooptidoo by drafting legislation and criminalizing people over the fluctuations of a mere 50,000 entertainment jobs. We've got our priorities straight!
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Pyon-Pyon, 29 Apr 2013 @ 9:13pm

Misreading
This is something I learned in Junior High-school. Misreading the graph. Look at the numbers on the y axis (the line that is vertical), there is actually not a huge difference in numbers. Therefore, there was not a HUGE change as it appears to be.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]