AfterDawn: News

Artists are doing better than ever according to the US Labor Department

The principle reason used by entertainment industry executives for new anti-piracy laws like SOPA and PIPA is the harm illegal copying supposedly does to the economy. Specifically, they say it destroys jobs for "artists."

In numerous debates in Washington figures provided by the MPAA, RIAA, and other trade groups are trotted out to show how jobs are being lost every day. If only there were a more objective source of information on the subject...



In fact there is such a source. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics, part of the Department of Labor, publishes all the data you need to come up with real world estimates, and contrary to all those job-loss claims they paint a pretty rosy picture.

In fact, according to the official US government numbers, the number of jobs in "arts, entertainment, and recreation" increased nearly 20% between 1998 and 2008. Even better, total compensation for those jobs (adjusted for inflation) increased almost 30% over the same period.

If you narrow the numbers down to just "independent artists, writers, and performers," the increases were even bigger. In fact those jobs inceased at nearly twice the rate as the industry category overall.

Click the image below to see more details about both categories, or view the figures directly on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.



Written by: Rich Fiscus @ 12 Jan 2012 18:45

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• 20 comments

• Mysttic

  And yet we need to further protect the artists through SOPA. BAH. When will the American people get fed up with your gov't lies.

  12.1.2012 20:33 #1

• llongtheD

  "The principle reason used by entertainment industry executives for new anti-piracy laws like SOPA and PIPA is the harm illegal copying supposedly does to the economy. Specifically, they say it destroys jobs for "artists."
  
  The fact that these entertainment execs and their puppets in Washington actually try and make it sound like they care about the artists would be comical if it wasn't such a serious matter.

  12.1.2012 21:17 #2

• ZippyDSM

  No you think?
  

  Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
  Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
  http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

  13.1.2012 00:50 #3

• llongtheD

  Originally posted by ZippyDSM: No you think? Well what do you think about it Zippy? I don't think they're going to outlaw lobbying anytime soon.

  13.1.2012 02:02 #4

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by llongtheD: Originally posted by ZippyDSM: No you think? Well what do you think about it Zippy? I don't think they're going to outlaw lobbying anytime soon. What do I think? THe situation is clear those that have the money and power are seeking to further their bottom line on the masses via insane and ridiculous laws and rules. And it dose not help they are ignoring the real issue one of monetary flow and not information control.
  

  Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
  Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
  http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

  13.1.2012 02:05 #5

• llongtheD

  Originally posted by ZippyDSM: . And it dose not help they are ignoring the real issue one of monetary flow and not information control. This bill would give them control of both.

  13.1.2012 02:25 #6

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by llongtheD: Originally posted by ZippyDSM: . And it dose not help they are ignoring the real issue one of monetary flow and not information control. This bill would give them control of both.
  
  At the cost of more of our rights and freedoms..its bad enough National Dictatorship of Authoritarian America got passed all we need is to halt the flow of "unapproved" information.... who needs the Taliban we've become them....
  

  Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
  Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
  http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

  13.1.2012 02:29 #7

• llongtheD

  Agreed.
  The fact that this bill is even being considered shows how complacent the people have become, and how bold the government and its corporate sponsors have become.

  13.1.2012 02:57 #8

• nbfreak2

  If only I had endless amounts of money to fight my U.S. government.
  

  13.1.2012 08:19 #9

• Scaldari

  Originally posted by Mysttic: And yet we need to further protect the artists through SOPA. BAH. When will the American people get fed up with your gov't lies. We are, our government is rouge. haven't you yet noticed that no matter how many times we change the bath water it never gets cleaner? We vote the buggers out and someone just as crooked and stupid takes their place. We will never get our Government back until we get the money out of politics. Unfortunately the only people that can make that happen are the ones receiving the money....
  

  13.1.2012 08:50 #10

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by Scaldari: Originally posted by Mysttic: And yet we need to further protect the artists through SOPA. BAH. When will the American people get fed up with your gov't lies. We are, our government is rouge. haven't you yet noticed that no matter how many times we change the bath water it never gets cleaner? We vote the buggers out and someone just as crooked and stupid takes their place. We will never get our Government back until we get the money out of politics. Unfortunately the only people that can make that happen are the ones receiving the money.... Meh the political system is like dating you can play the game or en-mass vote for a 3rd option, the real lesser of evils as opposed to the 2 options you are given.
  

  Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
  Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
  http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

  13.1.2012 10:38 #11

• Newbious

  Originally posted by Scaldari: Originally posted by Mysttic: And yet we need to further protect the artists through SOPA. BAH. When will the American people get fed up with your gov't lies. We are, our government is rouge. haven't you yet noticed that no matter how many times we change the bath water it never gets cleaner? We vote the buggers out and someone just as crooked and stupid takes their place. We will never get our Government back until we get the money out of politics. Unfortunately the only people that can make that happen are the ones receiving the money.... So true.
  
  What's needed in America today is a real Constitutional conservative with a proven track record.
  That opportunity is available to us now.
  Time for a real change.

  13.1.2012 10:39 #12

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by Newbious: Originally posted by Scaldari: Originally posted by Mysttic: And yet we need to further protect the artists through SOPA. BAH. When will the American people get fed up with your gov't lies. We are, our government is rouge. haven't you yet noticed that no matter how many times we change the bath water it never gets cleaner? We vote the buggers out and someone just as crooked and stupid takes their place. We will never get our Government back until we get the money out of politics. Unfortunately the only people that can make that happen are the ones receiving the money.... So true.
  
  What's needed in America today is a real Constitutional conservative with a proven track record.
  That opportunity is available to us now.
  Time for a real change. Like Ron Paul ^_~
  

  Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
  Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
  http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

  13.1.2012 10:45 #13

• Scaldari

  Originally posted by ZippyDSM: Originally posted by Scaldari: Originally posted by Mysttic: And yet we need to further protect the artists through SOPA. BAH. When will the American people get fed up with your gov't lies. We are, our government is rouge. haven't you yet noticed that no matter how many times we change the bath water it never gets cleaner? We vote the buggers out and someone just as crooked and stupid takes their place. We will never get our Government back until we get the money out of politics. Unfortunately the only people that can make that happen are the ones receiving the money.... Meh the political system is like dating you can play the game or en-mass vote for a 3rd option, the real lesser of evils as opposed to the 2 options you are given. That is the problem, as a whole we will never vote for a 3rd option in mass due to the fact that a vote for the 3rd option is billed to us as a vote for the guy you don't like due to a vote split. In fact their have been several instances in our history where a 3rd party candidate HAS handed the victory to the guy who would have lost otherwise.
  
  We were never meant to have a party system of government. It was not taken into account when our constitution was framed. Heck,the Vice president was supposed to be the guy who came in 2nd place in the election. The two party system has broken our election process. Corporate financing has broken it further. Citizens United ripped it to shreds.
  
  Our entire election system needs a SEROUS overhaul but that will never happen as long as it benefits those in power. Unfortunately our options to make it no longer benefit them are quite limited...
  

  Account Created Saturday 12 January 2008. After 4 years I consider myself a Sr. Member no matter WHAT my post count says.

  13.1.2012 10:52 #14

• Scaldari

  Originally posted by ZippyDSM: Originally posted by Newbious: Originally posted by Scaldari: Originally posted by Mysttic: And yet we need to further protect the artists through SOPA. BAH. When will the American people get fed up with your gov't lies. We are, our government is rouge. haven't you yet noticed that no matter how many times we change the bath water it never gets cleaner? We vote the buggers out and someone just as crooked and stupid takes their place. We will never get our Government back until we get the money out of politics. Unfortunately the only people that can make that happen are the ones receiving the money.... So true.
  
  What's needed in America today is a real Constitutional conservative with a proven track record.
  That opportunity is available to us now.
  Time for a real change. Like Ron Paul ^_~ HEAR HEAR
  

  Account Created Saturday 12 January 2008. After 4 years I consider myself a Sr. Member no matter WHAT my post count says.

  13.1.2012 10:53 #15

• ZippyDSM

  Originally posted by Scaldari: Originally posted by ZippyDSM: Originally posted by Scaldari: Originally posted by Mysttic: And yet we need to further protect the artists through SOPA. BAH. When will the American people get fed up with your gov't lies. We are, our government is rouge. haven't you yet noticed that no matter how many times we change the bath water it never gets cleaner? We vote the buggers out and someone just as crooked and stupid takes their place. We will never get our Government back until we get the money out of politics. Unfortunately the only people that can make that happen are the ones receiving the money.... Meh the political system is like dating you can play the game or en-mass vote for a 3rd option, the real lesser of evils as opposed to the 2 options you are given. That is the problem, as a whole we will never vote for a 3rd option in mass due to the fact that a vote for the 3rd option is billed to us as a vote for the guy you don't like due to a vote split. In fact their have been several instances in our history where a 3rd party candidate HAS handed the victory to the guy who would have lost otherwise.
  
  We were never meant to have a party system of government. It was not taken into account when our constitution was framed. Heck,the Vice president was supposed to be the guy who came in 2nd place in the election. The two party system has broken our election process. Corporate financing has broken it further. Citizens United ripped it to shreds.
  
  Our entire election system needs a SEROUS overhaul but that will never happen as long as it benefits those in power. Unfortunately our options to make it no longer benefit them are quite limited... Agreed
  

  Until lobbying is a hanging offense I choose anarchy!
  Ah modern gaming its like modern film only the watering down of fiction and characters is replaced with shallow and watered down mechanics, gimmicks and shiny-er "people".
  http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com/

  13.1.2012 10:53 #16

• Newbious

  Originally posted by ZippyDSM: Originally posted by Newbious: Originally posted by Scaldari: Originally posted by Mysttic: And yet we need to further protect the artists through SOPA. BAH. When will the American people get fed up with your gov't lies. We are, our government is rouge. haven't you yet noticed that no matter how many times we change the bath water it never gets cleaner? We vote the buggers out and someone just as crooked and stupid takes their place. We will never get our Government back until we get the money out of politics. Unfortunately the only people that can make that happen are the ones receiving the money.... So true.
  
  What's needed in America today is a real Constitutional conservative with a proven track record.
  That opportunity is available to us now.
  Time for a real change. Like Ron Paul ^_~ End the Fed.

  13.1.2012 11:01 #17

• LordRuss

  This has no immediate bearing on this thread, but before it dies completely out you folks may be interested in hearing that the colon diver that actually set/wrote SOPA is himself a violator of copyright infringement?
  
  The link supposedly proving this is located here and was found off of a 'geek' portion off of the Cheezburger portion of their site (gotta have my Demotivational poster fix). Don't know that it's all that news worthy & in fact probably borders on conspiracy crap (which I deplore), but if it is, it's nice to know once again just how hypocritical our idiots in politics & the judicial system are 7 that they need to be tarred & feathered as quickly as possible.
  
  So in keeping with artists making more, in this particular discovery, this artist didn't even make honorable mention.
  

  http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

  13.1.2012 15:26 #18

• Newbious

  Originally posted by LordRuss: This has no immediate bearing on this thread, but before it dies completely out you folks may be interested in hearing that the colon diver that actually set/wrote SOPA is himself a violator of copyright infringement?
  
  The link supposedly proving this is located here and was found off of a 'geek' portion off of the Cheezburger portion of their site (gotta have my Demotivational poster fix). Don't know that it's all that news worthy & in fact probably borders on conspiracy crap (which I deplore), but if it is, it's nice to know once again just how hypocritical our idiots in politics & the judicial system are 7 that they need to be tarred & feathered as quickly as possible.
  
  So in keeping with artists making more, in this particular discovery, this artist didn't even make honorable mention. The epitome of irony.
  And very funny.
  
  I hope they learn from this just how troublesome SOPA can be.
  But I doubt they even care because it's just an excuse to censor the web at their whim.

  14.1.2012 00:50 #19

• LordRuss

  Originally posted by Newbious: ... I doubt they even care because it's just an excuse to censor the web at their whim. So true, so true...
  

  http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

  14.1.2012 13:46 #20