Creative industries such as television, film and music production along with new media activities such as software, multimedia and publishing sustain the equivalent of 192 full-time equivalent jobs in the Highlands and Islands and are worth £8 million (pounds) annually to the local economy according to a new study.

The initial findings of the survey - 'Economic Impact of the Creative Content Industries in the Highlands and Islands', which was commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), will be discussed at a seminar in Fort William today (Thursday 16th November). Delegates at the Association of Independent Media - Highlands and Islands (AIM-HI) event will hear that, including spin-off employment, creative content industries support the equivalent of over 300 full-time jobs.

Speaking at the two-day AIM-HI conference, sponsored by HIE and Lochaber Limited, senior economist at HIE, Archie Prentice said: "The study is the first of its kind in the Highlands and Islands and was commissioned so that we could assess the growing contribution that creative content industries make to the economy of the area.

"Radical changes in technology over the past few years means this growing sector need no longer be tied geographically to urban locations, making it an ideal industry to develop further in the Highlands and Islands. We hope to see people in rural areas taking advantage of the expansion of creative content industries in the future."

Among the survey's initial findings are:

* 50 per cent of employment in this sector is made up of sole traders or companies with fewer than 10 employees.

* The majority of employment is in television, accounting for 54 per cent; 13 per cent are working in software; 11 per cent in film; 11 per cent in video/DVD; 8 per cent in education or training and 3 per cent in public relations or advertising.

* 50 per cent of jobs are evenly split between the Inverness and Nairn area and the Western Isles; 15 per cent in Skye and Lochalsh; 10 per cent in Ross and Cromarty; 9 per cent in Argyll and the Islands; 5 per cent in Shetland; 4 per cent in Badenoch and Strathspey; 3 per cent in Caithness and Sutherland; 2 per cent in Lochaber and 2 per cent in Orkney.

* In a typical year there are 50 students from the Highlands and Islands studying creative content industries related courses throughout Scotland.

Also speaking at the Creative Content 2000 conference is chief executive of Lochaber Limited, Jackie Wright: "Employment in creative content industries in Lochaber is very low compared with the Inverness area and the Western Isles but this is a sector we would like to encourage.

"Lochaber is a good place to live and do business and there is no reason why rural parts of the region could not benefit from the growth in these technology-based industries."

Other speakers at the first annual AIM-HI conference are David Reilly of Creative Scotland who will inform delegates of the potential growth in various sectors within the industry, Trish Shorthouse of the Scottish Highlands and Islands Film Commission and Ian Coldwell, chairman of the Institute of Public Relations.

The Creative Content 2000 conference takes place at the Milton Hotel, Fort William on Thursday 16th and Friday 17th November.