Here are the morning’s top stories on Monday, March 3, 2025…
- On Sunday night, Hollywood had its biggest night of the year with the Academy Awards ceremony. But here’s a plot twist. None of the ten films that were up for the best picture Oscar were shot in Hollywood or the greater L.A. area. It’s just the latest example of how much film and television production now occurs outside of Los Angeles, costing local jobs and raising questions about the very future of Hollywood.
- On Saturday, people gathered at national parks across the country to protest the firing of 1,000 National Park employees. Some 90 miles east of Los Angeles at Joshua Tree National Park, hundreds joined the movement.
- Declaring a state of emergency, Gavin Governor Newsom has suspended two landmark state laws – the California Environmental Quality Act and the California Coastal Act.
Can Tax Credits Help Keep TV/Film Production In California?
Film and television production has long been a staple of Hollywood. But the state’s production has been in decline since the 2000s. That’s why last year, Governor Gavin Newsom proposed a major expansion of the state’s tv and film tax credit program. It would expand California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program to $750 million annually, up from the current $330 million annual allocation. This proposed expansion would position California as the top state for capped film incentive programs, surpassing other states like New York.
“California is the entertainment capital of the world, rooted in decades of creativity, innovation, and unparalleled talent. Expanding this program will help keep production here at home, generate thousands of good-paying jobs, and strengthen the vital link between our communities and the state’s iconic film and TV industry,” Newsom said.
The tax credit program, first introduced in 2009, is designed to cut production costs and keep film and TV jobs in California. But is it working? Take the new NBC Peacock drama “Suits L.A.” The show was originally set to film out of state. Then, after receiving $12 million in California tax credits, it moved production to Los Angeles. In return, the show is expected to generate $25 million in wages and create more than 2,600 jobs.
But other states and countries are also trying to lure big productions. And it’s still unclear if these tax credits make a dent in wider economic growth. A recent report released by the non-partisan Legislative Analyst’s Office expressed doubts, finding that tax credits are “rarely effective at creating broader economic development.”
Hundreds Gather At Joshua Tree National Park To Protest Federal Cuts
On Saturday, people gathered at national parks all over the country to protest the firing of 1000 national park employees. At Joshua Tree National Park, hundreds joined the movement.