Congressman Jim McGovern Joins Congressional Caucus for Competitiveness in Entertainment Technology

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (MA-3) today joined Co-Chairs Reps. Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), in launching the Congressional Caucus for Competitiveness in Entertainment Technology. As one of the new caucus' founding members Rep. McGovern will work to educate his colleagues and the public at large about the many ways the U.S. entertainment technology industry is improving our nation's economy and the lives of our citizens.

"I look forward to working with Co-Chairs Brady and Wasserman Schultz to engage our colleagues and make them aware of the expanding role of entertainment technology in our economy and society," said Rep. McGovern. "The computer and video game industry has more than quadrupled in size since the mid-1990s and generated highly skilled jobs across the nation. In fact, right now this is a $2 billion industry in Massachusetts. My hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts boasts two of the top ten video game design programs in the country as ranked by the Princeton Review -- Becker College and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). MIT in Massachusetts is also ranked in the top ten."

"The talent and innovation these colleges are producing have helped establish an exploding industry computer and video game industry cluster in Massachusetts where we are proud to have such leaders in the field as Take Two, Turbine, Tencent and GSN."

The interactive entertainment industry represents a unique sector of the U.S. economy that merges creative entertainment content with some of the most sophisticated computer and information technology on the market today. In the United States, computer and video game publishers currently operate in 34 states, and directly or indirectly employ over 120,000 people, contributing $5 billion to the economy. In Massachusetts, the computer and video game industry employs more than 1,200 people.

"Digital technology is already in the driver's seat when it comes to job creation; Congressman McGovern and the Patrick/Murray administration get that," said Robert E. Johnson, Ph.D., president of Becker College in Worcester, Mass. "Massachusetts is uniquely positioned--with a critical mass of talent and innovative partnerships--for growth in this industry."

"This emerging technology should be looked at as vital driver of Massachusetts' future innovation economy, and we should do our best to invest in those companies driving us forward," said Massachusetts State Representative Vincent Pedone.

With the computer and video game industry poised for continued growth, interest in entertainment software as a career path is also growing. Schools such as Becker, WPI, and MIT are providing the training needed to meet this growing demand and keep Massachusetts competitive in today's global economy.

Technical innovations in the entertainment technology industry also have applications far beyond entertainment uses, including improving the health and wellness of all Americans and advancing educational programs for kids and adults.

The Congressional Caucus for Competitiveness in Entertainment Technology's mission is to educate the public and policymakers about the economic, educational, and social benefits of sustaining a robust entertainment software industry. It is the members' vision that the Caucus will serve as a forum to discuss and formulate innovative approaches to utilize the industry's benefits and leverage its innovation, creativity, and reach to address a range of policy challenges.

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