Small Hollywood jobs recovery for 2010

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A record breaking movie box office take in 2009 was not enough to stave off Hollywood job losses last year, but 2010 is expected to bring a modest recovery of up to 3,000 jobs, in part due to an increase in TV productions, according to an economic report released on Thursday.

The report states that the Los Angeles area, the centre of film and television production in the US, lost 9,000 jobs in 2009, bringing total employment in the industry to 132,400.

The study on entertainment and the media in Los Angeles from the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation attributes those job losses to belt tightening by media companies weathering the recession.

"Most of the studios are part of media conglomerates, most of them have been exposed to the downturn in advertising," said Jack Kyser, founding economist with the group behind the study.

California has lost film and TV productions to Canada and to states like Louisiana, New York and New Mexico that offer attractive tax breaks for producers.

In 2010, Kyser said he expects a new California film and television incentive program to help boost productions in the state.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said this week that the program will generate more than USD710 million in spending by producers within the state during its current fiscal year.

In total, Kyser expects an increase of 2,000 to 3,000 jobs in film and TV for the Los Angeles area in 2010. He said NBC's recent decision to reintroduce scripted programming in the 10 p.m. time slot will help fuel the job growth.