November 29, 2007 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Creative arts employment in New York and Los Angeles

During the first quarter of 2006, 1 out of every 4 of the nation’s jobs in the creative arts industries was in either New York or Los Angeles.

[Chart data—TXT]

In 2006, almost 1 out of 5 (19.6 percent) of the nation’s jobs in periodical publishing was located in New York. Approximately 6 of every 10 (58.7 percent) jobs in motion picture and video production were located in Los Angeles. An additional 4.0 percent of all jobs in periodical publishing were located in Los Angeles, while an additional 9.6 percent of all national jobs in motion picture and video production were located in New York.

Associated with the movie and video industries are agents and managers, so it is no surprise that Los Angeles was also the base for 27.7 percent of agents and managers for public figures in 2006. Also, 24.4 percent of jobs in motion picture and video distribution and 46.1 percent of jobs in teleproduction and other postproduction services were in Los Angeles.

In the integrated record production and distribution industry, 27.3 percent of the nation’s jobs were located in New York, while 30.2 percent were in Los Angeles. In music publishing, 14.7 percent of jobs were in New York and 11.8 percent were in Los Angeles.

New York was home to 26.0 percent of the nation’s jobs in news syndicates and 26.8 percent of jobs in dance companies in 2006.

These data are from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program. To learn more, see "The economic impact of the creative arts industries: New York and Los Angeles," by Michael L. Dolfman, Richard J. Holden, and Solidelle Fortier Wasser, Monthly Labor Review, October 2007. The creative arts industries are defined as "activities which have their origin in individual creativity, skill and talent and which have the potential for wealth and job creation through generation and exploitation of intellectual property." Also, in this article, "New York" refers to New York County (that is, Manhattan), and "Los Angeles" refers to Los Angeles County (that is, the city and surrounding suburbs).