Strike's toll on Calif.: $2.5 bil

February 20, 2008 The figure includes lost wages from TV shows that were canceled and films that were put on hold as well as a plethora of support services, ranging from limo drivers to florists. The 71-page report, set to be unveiled today, focuses on other issues affecting the region, including the housing crisis and tourism, but it contains several pages devoted to problems facing the entertainment business. While Kyser and his team of researchers point out the strong gains in domestic and international boxoffice receipts in 2007, the buoyant season for cable shows and a savvier use of the Internet for marketing content, there are worrying signs to contend with.

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