Movie studios tout job creation

Hollywood's major film and television studios on Tuesday began a new push to educate lawmakers about the entertainment industry by touting job creation in the recession and media's global trade surplus. The lobbying effort by the Motion Picture Association of America, which represents the key film and TV studios in governmental affairs, comes after the Senate in February stripped $246 million in tax breaks for entertainment companies from President Barack Obama's $787 billion stimulus package. In a study released on Tuesday, the MPAA said the entertainment industry employs 2.5 million U.S. workers and production is increasingly moving to states outside California and New York. The movement away from the epicenters of film and TV is due in many cases to tax incentives that lure producers. The MPAA said the industry contributes $41.1 billion in wages to US workers, with an average salary of $74,700 for employees with projects in production, which is higher than the national average.