China Film & TV Business Generated $15.5 Billion for National Economy

BEIJING/SINGAPORE: A study by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and the China Film Distributors and Exhibitors Association (CFDEA) reports that the Chinese film and television business directly contributed $15.5 billion to the country’s economy in 2011, supporting more than 900,000 jobs and generating tax revenues of $3.4 billion.

The lion’s share was generated by the free-TV business (46 percent), followed by satellite TV (24 percent) and cable TV (22 percent). Film exhibition contributed just 5 percent and film production and distribution 3 percent. Home video contributed only 0.3 percent. Discussing China’s still small home-entertainment market, the report notes that as of 2011 there were 156 million broadband subs in the country. The report indicates that China will likely "’leapfrog’ the physical home-entertainment media stage experienced in many Western countries." The focus, the report continues, will be on delivery systems.

"The film and television industry in China has witnessed considerable growth over the past five years," said Yang Buting, chairman of CFDEA. "This has been driven by the Chinese audiences’ desire to experience new films and television shows on multiple platforms, matched with incredible business innovation and development on the part of the industry. More people are enjoying films and television shows at brand new digital cinemas and on the latest hand-held devices than could ever have been imagined five years ago. The size and scope of that growth is illustrated perfectly by this important report."

The Economic Contribution of the Film and Television Industries in China report was prepared by Oxford Economics and launched at the 3rd Beijing International Film Festival.