Researches Symbola

2023 audiovisual activities: data on businesses and employment

Symbola Foundation | October 2024

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Notes on the method

This work presents updated data relating to the structure and the Business Register entry and exit rates of companies in the audiovisual supply chain retrieved by processing the main archives of official statistic registers (Istat, Chamber of Commerce registers sourced from Infocamere).
The companies in the supply chain are identified by a four-digit ATECO 2007 code, which identifies their description:

  • 59.11 Theatrical, video & TV production activities;
  • 59.12 Theatrical, video & TV post-production activities;
  • 59.13 Theatrical, video & TV distribution activities;
  • 59.14 Exhibition activities;
  • 60.20 TV programming & broadcasting activities.

The structural data sourced from Istat reveals a post-pandemic dynamism in the supply chain, with a +8.6% growth of businesses compared to 2020 (a figure more than three times higher than that of all businesses) and a +10.3% growth in terms of employment.

The theatrical, video & TV production sector stands out, having grown in terms of businesses, employees and operators in the medium and large business segments. Post-production and distribution activities (the latter, mainly in terms of employment) are also positive. The negative trend in the exhibition sector persists.

The 2023 data obtained from the Chamber of Commerce Registers maintain a steady flow compared to the post-pandemic period, with a higher in-and-out turnover for Film&TV production activities. In other sectors, the data remains relatively stable.
With reference to employment, in 2023, the entire sector exceeded the threshold of 120,000 units with an increase of +3.5% compared to 2022, the positive signals coming from “direct” counts (Istat employed workers within the national accounting) that have grown by +0.9%, and, even more, from a landscape of workers that highlights the noteworthy role of the self-employment component (+4.7%).

Regarding women, the analyzed data depicts a picture where female presence in the audiovisual industry is lower than that of the entire economy’s average. However, it is still significant, representing 28.6% of the total (a slightly increased figure compared to 2022), with diversified ratios within the supply chain.
The percentage of Businesswomen is in fact higher in exhibition, followed by TV programming & broadcasting activities, and theatrical, video & TV distribution.

The presence of businesswomen is lower than average in production and even lower in post-production.
The number of women in management is slightly higher than in 2022 (+0.9%). Yet again, the 22.9% share (slightly below 2022) is lower than the overall business rate (24.9%). The share of women managers under 35 is confirmed to be higher than the male average.
The share of women Employees within the supply chain is stable at 42.8% (improved by a tenth of a percentage point), however above the overall average (40.1%).