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Media Industries

Sector Structure

Size: The industries’ combined annual revenues are approximately $842 million, with estimated total employment of 7,900 persons.

Dominant Activities:

• Commercial printing & publishing

• Film & audio recording production

• Web development

• New media productions

• Computer animation & special effects

Structure & Concentration

• Printing and publishing — There are approximately 250 companies in the sector, employing an estimated 6,500 persons. Annual sales/revenue is estimated at $700 million, with exports of $183.8 million.
  
  The commercial printing sector is comprised primarily of small firms, with over 90% of firms employing fewer than 50 people.

• Film & Sound — The film and sound sub-sectors have combined annual revenues of about $107 million, and employ an estimated 800 persons.
  
  The industry consists of: Manitoba based independent production, private broadcaster in-house production, co-productions between Manitoba producers and Canadian or international producers, and foreign production in Manitoba.

• New Media — There are an estimated 125 new media companies in Manitoba, employing approximately 600 persons. Annual revenue is estimated at $35 million.
  
  In addition to independent private companies, numerous firms in the traditional media areas (advertising, public relations, radio and television) have developed in-house new media services by adopting new technologies for the benefit of their clients and/or themselves.

Highlights

• Manitoba's film industry (including indigenous and off-shore production) has grown from $9.6 million in 1992/93 to $107 million in 2003/2004.

• Manitoba’s printing and publishing sector has undergone substantial export growth in the last decade: from $33.0 million in 1994 to $183.8 million in 2004 -- an increase of over 400%.

• Winnipeg’s Frantic Films, was named a Canadian Innovation Leader due in large part to its development of a unique, patent pending fluid simulation technology for the creation of photorealistic computer generated visual effects simulating fluid movement. The technology was used to create the Tar Monster character seen in Warner Brothers’ movie, Scooby Doo 2.

Sector Capabilities

Some areas of print specialization include: business forms, lottery tickets, security printing, airline tickets, digital colourization of comic books, automated bindery systems.

Competitive Strengths

• Education & Training —Manitoba has a number of educational institutions that provide programs supporting the media industries. Programs in film are available at Film Training Manitoba, the Winnipeg Film Group, Video Pool, the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg. Additionally, the National Screen Institute – headquartered in Winnipeg – provides applied professional training for film and television writers, directors and producers. Red River College and other private training institutions offer programs related to new media. Skills development for the printing and publishing companies is provided by Red River College, Winnipeg Technical College and a number of high schools with technical programs.

• Factor strengths — The Manitoba industry has a number of economic factor advantages, including: a highly skilled and creative workforce (both technical and artistic), competitive wages/salaries, a generous tax credit program for film, video and new media, low occupancy costs, the lowest electricity costs in North America, unimpeded access to North American markets, and an advanced telecommunications infrastructure, with high-speed broadband access becoming the norm throughout the province.

Trends

• Technology-driven convergence — Digitization of data is reshaping all the communication industries, blurring the distinctions between film, sound recording, publishing and new media formats. Digital technology makes it possible to look at all of these elements together. As a result there are new opportunities for partnerships between various cultural industries players, to create entirely new kinds of product. Broadcast capability is also expanded by technology, from the traditional (TV, radio) to high speed Internet and High Definition Television (HDTV).
   

• Interactive Digital Media Fund – In April 2003, the Manitoba government launched the Manitoba Interactive Media Fund to enhance local new media producers' capacity to undertake a proprietary interest in their products and increase the volume of Manitoba-owned new media projects. The fund will provide $300,000 per year over three years.

Key Players

Printing and Publishing

• Pollard Banknote

• Duha Color Services

• Friesens Corp.

• Frantic Films

• IC Group

• One World Media

• Buffalo Gals Pictures

• Canwest Global Communications Corp.

• Manitoba Motion Picture Industry Association

• Manitoba Audio Recording industry Association

• Manitoba Interactive Digital Media Association

• Association of Manitoba Book Publishers

• Winnipeg Film Group

• Video Pool Inc.

• Manitoba Periodical Association

Related Links

• Manitoba Companies Directory

• Fine Print: Manitoba's innovative printing sector

• Knowledge Enterprises Branch

Contact

Mr. Ellis Shippam
Manitoba Science, Technology, Energy and Mines

Tel: (204) 945-2441
Fax: (204) 945-3977
eshippam@gov.mb.ca
www.gov.mb.ca/est

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