The increasing variety of contents, the diversification of information channels, and the digital convergence between networks and devices mean that the audiovisual sector has become more complex, with an intensive use of ICTs and a growing impact on the economy as a whole. In the EU, the audiovisual sector provides one million jobs.
Catalonia's audiovisual sector accounts for 4% of the region's GDP and 5% of the workforce with 145,000 employees. Catalonia is home to 1,365 companies in the audiovisual sector. Nationally, it accounts for 19% of all companies in the sector and accounts for 33% of total turnover.
Catalonia has a rich pool of audiovisual service companies, with innovative and top performing distribution and production companies, and a well-trained workforce. Catalan companies participate in one out of every four independent television broadcasts in Spain. Catalonia is very dynamic in the field of local (more than one hundred TV stations) and regional television (CCRTV) and has a long-standing tradition in theatre, cinema, television and the media. Catalonia produces 20 films a year, which accounts for over 20% of total Spanish productions and falls well within the European average of countries with less than 10 million inhabitants.
Two further factors favour Catalonia as a future location for the audiovisual sector. Firstly, the growing use of the Internet, PCs and information technologies, and the greater presence of the mobile phone industry¾according to the mWatch Catalunya 2005 report, the region is among the top seven mobile communications innovation centres. Secondly, the administration and businesses have acted together to promote a number of initiatives and projects, amongst which the following can be highlighted: the Barcelona Media Park, the Barcelona Film Commission, the Audiovisual Development Centre, the Catalan Institute for Cultural Industries.
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Updated 14/12/2007
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