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November 1, 2022 | Press Statements

Digital Creators Coalition Details Trillions In U.S. Economic Contributions From Creative Communities

Explore Full Report & Holistic Impact of Piracy Here

#SupportDigitalCreativity

WASHINGTON, DC (November 1, 2022) – The crux of the Digital Creators Coalition (DCC) report: Creativity is an engine for economic growth in the United States, and copyright protection is its fuel, particularly in the digital age. Out today, the Digital Discovery Report offers insights on how music, film, television, books and periodicals, photography, news media, sports and more not only drive culture, but also, a thriving society with millions of American creators and trillions of dollars into the U.S. economy.

Read the full 2022 DIGITAL DISCOVERY REPORT

Key Highlights:

  • Copyright industries employ nearly 11.7 million workers and contribute over $2.5 trillion to annual U.S. GDP
  • Core copyright industries paid workers a 43% compensation premium over the average U.S. annual wage
  • Union creative professionals benefit from copyright, either through direct payments as compensation or as contributions toward health and pension funds, valued at over $2 billion
  • Nationally, the nonprofit arts industry generated $166.3 billion of economic activity, supporting 4.6 million jobs and generating $27.5 billion in revenue to local, state and federal governments

The report also describes the ways piracy continues to be a real threat to creative jobs and the overall U.S. economy. Undermining growth and undercutting legitimate forms of distribution like streaming services and retail sales, piracy imposes devastating costs on American workers and employers, both large and small. The Digital Discovery Report details how “digital theft has a direct impact on creative industries and the professionals who work in them, with a cost of at least 290,000 jobs and $29 billion in lost revenue in the film and television industry alone” (DPE, Intellectual Property Theft: A Threat to Working People and The Economy). In addition to Digital Discovery Report, 50 States of Music highlights the music’s economic impact across geographical segments of the country and how communities are sustained through jobs at landmark venues to passionate fans supporting their favorite bands. Explore your hometown here.


ABOUT DIGITAL CREATORS COALITION (DCC): The Digital Creators Coalition (DCC) is composed of associations, companies and organizations that represent individual creators, independent producers, small-and-medium-size enterprises (SMEs), large businesses, and labor organizations all across the American creative community, including music, movies, television, authors, publishers, photographers, news media and sports. The DCC is the voice for creativity in the digital age and works to champion the U.S. creative community in the online environment. Our members are united in our resolve that strong copyright protection for American creators should be a top priority for U.S. engagement globally.