Study puts $2.1B price tag on writers strike

A new report has determined the Hollywood writers strike could end up costing California’s economy $2.1 billion.

The study, released Thursday by the Milken Institute, also projected a net loss this year of 37,700 jobs directly and indirectly tied to the entertainment industry.

The three-month strike shut down production of dozens of TV shows before a contract deal was reached in February.

Effects of the walkout are still rippling across California’s $1.6 trillion economy.

Many of those who lost their jobs were not hired back, and the strike’s effect was magnified because those who lost their jobs cut back on spending, the study said.

The effects of the strike were expected to diminish throughout the rest of this year and be barely noticeable by early next year, the study said.

The Milken Institute is an independent economic think tank.