ESA cuts Q2 lobbying spend by 5%
Industry trade body pours $1.1 million into Washington efforts during April-June quarter, adds attention to privacy, consumer protection.
With 11 states now supporting California's appeal to the US Supreme Court over violent video game legislation, the Entertainment Software Association has quite the fight on its hands. However, that legal wrangling hasn't given the ESA cause to increase its spending on lobbying efforts in Washington. In fact, during the April-June quarter, the industry's representative body actually curtailed spending.
According to a filing with the Office of the Clerk to the US House of Representatives, the ESA spent $1.1 million on swaying the opinion of lawmakers during the three-month period. That figure marks a 5 percent decline from the $1.2 million the ESA has spent on industry issues during each quarter since April 2009.
The ESA largely stuck to the same issues it traditionally advocates. These topics include constitutional issues, copyright law (piracy, intellectual property, and patent modernization), trade concerns, Internet governance, and access to H1-B visas for highly skilled workers. The industry body also addressed telecommunication issues--broadband policy, in particular--and attempted to sway lawmakers on the Energy Star standards.
Despite spending less on lobbying, the ESA actually added new issues to its dossier during the quarter. These included the Consumer Product Improvement Safety Act and various privacy-related topics.
Known primarily among gamers as the organizer behind the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the ESA also runs the Video Game Voters Network. Additionally, the ESA plays a large role in opposing restrictive game legislation, touting last year a 43-0 record. Members of the organization range from first-party publishers Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo to third-party outfits of various sizes, including EA, Ubisoft, Epic Games, and 505 Games.
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