U.K. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy Outlines Prospects for $218 Billion Creative, Sports and Media Sector

variety.com:

Naman Ramachandran U.K. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy gathered leaders from over 150 organizations in Manchester on Wednesday to discuss the government’s plans for economic growth in the creative industries, sports, and media sectors.

The event, attended by representatives from Warner Bros. Discovery, Amazon Prime Video, BBC, ITV, Sky, News U.K., and numerous cultural institutions, including the Royal Shakespeare Company, marks the first in a series of nationwide engagements planned by ministers in the government’s department of culture, media and sport.

In her first major speech, Nandy emphasized the social and economic potential of these industries, which collectively contribute more than £170 billion ($218 billion) to the U.K.

economy and support over four million jobs. The creative industries alone account for £125 billion ($160.5 billion), surpassing sectors like life sciences and automotive manufacturing.