Representatives from Amazon, Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount attended new UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy‘s debut speech today, in which Nandy said “the spirit of our new government” is reflected in the social and economic potential of the nation’s film and TV industry.
There were 150 organizations present at Nandy’s debut speech, her first since Labour won the election earlier this month.
Taking place in Manchester, Nandy used the address to position her culture department as the one to help contribute to the government’s mission of national growth.
“This is the spirit of our new government,” she said of the economic potential of film, TV and other creative sectors.
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“Through our partnerships with our Mayors, Councils, Businesses and Charities to put rocket boosters under our growing industries – film and theatre, TV, fashion, video games, heritage and tourism – to take the brakes off the economy, create opportunity for every child and export our incredible talent to the world.”
Nandy has already thrown her support behind the BBC’s license fee funding model, which will be in operation until at least 2027, while attempting to put a stop to politically-driven culture wars.
She said: “It is our ambition that we will face a self-confident country, at ease with itself, where all our people see themselves in the story we tell ourselves about ourselves as a nation – and our contribution is seen and valued. And my message to each and every one of you is that if you share that belief in our country. If you have that zest. If you want to challenge us and are willing to be challenged in turn.”
As well as reps from the big U.S. majors, the likes of the BBC and Channel 4 were present today.
Prime Video UK MD Chris Bird said the UK is a “creative industries powerhouse with a rightly deserved reputation for producing some of the world’s greatest artists, authors, producers and technicians,” coming a week after Amazon acquired Bray Studios and posted plus-£1B ($1.3B) UK revenues for the first time, the latter revealed in Ofcom’s Media Nations report this morning.