Los Angeles appears to be losing its draw for television dramas, with only two out of the 23 new fall and midseason broadcast dramas slated to be shot in L.A., reports the Los Angeles Times’ Richard Verrier.
The reason? Bottom-line-minded producers are shifting to "tax-friendly production havens in New York, North Carolina, Georgia and other states," Verrier writes.
Television dramas such as "Desperate Housewives" have helped anchor the L.A. entertainment economy as moviemaking has undergone a decade-long decline, the story notes.
The only two series of the 23 new dramas that will be shot in Los Angeles are "Vegas," on CBS, and "Mistresses," a midseason entry due on ABC.
One 22-episode-a-year network series has a budget of $60 million and generates 840 direct and indirect jobs, according to the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.," the article points out.
"The loss of hourlong dramas is very significant," said Kevin Klowden, director of the California Center at the Milken Institute. "This is the heart of television production. If this continues, you’re going to see a direct impact on the employment base of Los Angeles."
Los Angeles still remains home to most half-hour comedies and reality shows. But dramas have bigger budgets and employ larger crews, which in return has a larger impact on the Los Angeles economy, the article notes.
No one should be surprised. The taxes in California are more and more anti-business. Many companies have moved and others are looking at their alternatives.
Why isn’t the entertainment industry lobbying and putting pressure on the California legislature to enact legislation that encourages production in the state?
It’s time the industry puts some of its profits where their mouth is, or is it that they prefer to retain their profits by filming outside of California? Hmmmm … it’s all about money and ain’t a damn thing funny as the song goes.
Why should they put pressure on Calif. They are too busy getting offers by other states more than willing to get all the jobs for a few tax breaks.
Calif is being destroyed, just as the country is by the left liberals. End of story. Either vote for Romney or don’t vote at all.
They are leaving because the other states provide tax incentives, something your ugly last Governor was reluctant to do. In addition wages are lower in other states, producers do not have to pay into the health and pension system of the L.A. unions. The other states are actually partners in the production, and prohibit L.A. people from working on the film, unless they are a Director or some other key person. Thank Arnold and lack of concern for the runaway film.
Yup, that’s right – everything is “the liberal’s” fault. The problem doesn’t rest with any one political party as both have had their shots in California (and the rest of the country) and it’s still a clusterf**k. And you think Romney is going to whip out his conservative magic wand (formed from the bones of Reagan & Eisenhower) and fix everything. Not that Obama has done a helluva lot but at least he hasn’t directly send US jobs overseas, which Romney and most of the people around him have done for years. Personally, I’ll vote Obama and hope he wins just to piss off people like you.
@ 8644. The state of the California film industry has nothing to do with the current presidential elections nor “the left liberals.” The state needs to proactively take a stand and committment to once again making the jurisdiction “production friendly” with tax breaks, incentives, etc.
I’m voting for Obama / Biden!