New Report Blasts TV Show “Nashville” for Costing Taxpayers More Than $45 Million

New Report Blasts TV Show “Nashville” for Costing Taxpayers More Than $45 Million

As the sixth and final season of Nashville comes to a close on July 26, research organization the Beacon Center has released a report on the “ineffectiveness of film incentives in Tennessee,” citing that Nashville cost Tennessee taxpayers more than $45 million.

According to its profile, “The Beacon Center is an independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan research organization dedicated to providing expert empirical research and timely free market solutions to public policy issues in Tennessee.”

Here’s what the Beacon’s new report had to say about Nashville, in part:

No project exemplifies the bad public policy of [movie production incentives, MPIs] in Tennessee more clearly than the ABC/CMT television show Nashville. The show, which has now been cancelled twice in three years due to poor ratings, has received the most taxpayer money of any project, totaling $45 million in state incentives alone (including millions more in local taxpayer incentives). Even worse, the show’s six seasons received the largest six individual Tennessee Entertainment Commission grants of any project in state history. The smallest incentive, $5.7 million given for the sixth and final season, was still awarded after CMT announced the show would be permanently cancelled. The show Nashville also serves as an example of how corporations or sports teams hold cities and states hostage after receiving taxpayer money. After the show’s second season, ABC producers explored moving filming to Austin, Texas, unless the show received more in Tennessee taxpayer incentives for the third season. However, this came immediately after less than 50 percent of season two’s budget was spent in Tennessee, a series low.

 

For a show named after a Tennessee city, outside of its first season Nashville was hardly dominating the Tennessee film industry. Also of note is that with the increased production budget after the first season, the percentage of expenditures that were qualified Tennessee expenditures dropped dramatically. The show also demonstrates that if a taxpayer-incentivized television show becomes even somewhat popular and scales up production and budget, the vast majority of a project’s growth will inevitably occur elsewhere, likely in Hollywood, where actors and actresses are more likely to reside and where support staff is easier to obtain. Thus, even a “successful” TV series will result in Tennessee taxpayers subsidizing Hollywood and other out of state locales. While fans may miss the show after it received its final death in July 2018, Tennessee taxpayers should breathe a sigh of financial relief.
Event though Nashville spent more than $251 million for goods and services in Tennessee over its six seasons, the Beacon is one entity that won’t miss Deacon, Juliette, Scarlett, Will and the rest of the gang.

photo by Jason Simanek

Blogs

Hudson Westbrook Credits Miranda Lambert With Giving Him The Best Advice Of His Young Career

Over the past year, Hudson Westbrook rose to fame with hits like "Take It Slow" and "House Again." In a new interview with People, the 20-year-old country music sensation reflects on his whirlwind success, while also sharing the helpful advice he received from Miranda Lambert. "She was like, 'Just do your own thing and don't…

Hudson Westbrook Credits Miranda Lambert With Giving Him The Best Advice Of His Young Career

Over the past year, Hudson Westbrook rose to fame with hits like “Take It Slow” and “House Again.” In a new interview with People, the 20-year-old country music sensation reflects on his whirlwind success, while also sharing the helpful advice he received from Miranda Lambert. “She was like, ‘Just do your own thing and don’t…

Billboard Country Live Planning Another Concert Showcase In Nashville This June

Billboard Country Live is set to host another two-day event in Nashville, with this year’s festivities set to take place on June 5-6 at Luke Combs’ Category 10. The celebration will include a showcase concert on Thursday (June 5) presenting live performances by rising country artists Alexandra Kay, Ashley Cooke, Drew Baldridge, Max McNown, and…

Billboard Country Live Planning Another Concert Showcase In Nashville This June

Billboard Country Live is set to host another two-day event in Nashville, with this year’s festivities set to take place on June 5-6 at Luke Combs’ Category 10. The celebration will include a showcase concert on Thursday (June 5) presenting live performances by rising country artists Alexandra Kay, Ashley Cooke, Drew Baldridge, Max McNown, and…

Morgan Wallen Shares Insight Into How He Curated His Sand In My Boots Festival

Morgan Wallen’s inaugural Sand In My Boots Festival will officially kick off this weekend in Gulf Shores, Alabama, running from May 16-18. The fest coincides with the release of Wallen’s highly-anticipated new album, I’m the Problem, which dropped on Friday (May 16). Wallen will be joined by fellow headliners Post Malone and Brooks & Dunn,…

Morgan Wallen Shares Insight Into How He Curated His Sand In My Boots Festival

Morgan Wallen’s inaugural Sand In My Boots Festival will officially kick off this weekend in Gulf Shores, Alabama, running from May 16-18. The fest coincides with the release of Wallen’s highly-anticipated new album, I’m the Problem, which dropped on Friday (May 16). Wallen will be joined by fellow headliners Post Malone and Brooks & Dunn,…

CBS Shares First Look At Taylor Sheridan And Blake Shelton’s New Reality Singing Show, ‘The Road’

On Thursday (May 15), CBS shared the first glimpse of their upcoming reality music competition series, The Road, which was created by Yellowstone mastermind Taylor Sheridan and country superstar Blake Shelton. The 12 competing musicians on the show will face a unique challenge as they perform a series of opening sets for Keith Urban while…

CBS Shares First Look At Taylor Sheridan And Blake Shelton’s New Reality Singing Show, ‘The Road’

On Thursday (May 15), CBS shared the first glimpse of their upcoming reality music competition series, The Road, which was created by Yellowstone mastermind Taylor Sheridan and country superstar Blake Shelton. The 12 competing musicians on the show will face a unique challenge as they perform a series of opening sets for Keith Urban while…

Ella Langley Opens Up About Struggling With Mental Health While Experiencing Career Success

During an appearance on Sharla McCoy's Buckin' Broadcast during ACM week, Ella Langley opened up about her struggles with mental health despite her recent success in her music career. The country star reflected on her challenging week leading up to the 60th ACM Awards, where she was the most nominated artist and won five awards,…

Ella Langley Opens Up About Struggling With Mental Health While Experiencing Career Success

During an appearance on Sharla McCoy’s Buckin’ Broadcast during ACM week, Ella Langley opened up about her struggles with mental health despite her recent success in her music career. The country star reflected on her challenging week leading up to the 60th ACM Awards, where she was the most nominated artist and won five awards,…