McKeon to Head Runaway Film, TV Production Study

Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Santa Clarita) was named Thursday to head a new study on runaway production in the entertainment industry.

As part of the House Entertainment Industry Task Force, McKeon’s group will explore options like tax breaks and other subsidies to prevent productions from leaving the U.S. for cheaper markets. Canada, Mexico and other countries offer such incentives.

“A large number of my constituents in the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys depend on the film industry for their livelihood,” McKeon said in a statement. “It’s not right that other countries are stealing those jobs . . . “

Though it’s not clear exactly how many jobs have been lost, the Screen Actors Guild estimates that the total economic impact of runaway production on the U.S. economy was $10.3 billion in 1998, up more than fivefold since 1990.