NAICS Code 512 — Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries

Subsector in the official 2022 North American Industry Classification System (U.S. Census Bureau). It contains 2 direct sub-codes.

Code	512
Title	Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries
Level	Subsector (3-digit)
Edition	NAICS 2022 edition

Official definition (2022 NAICS)

Industries in the Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries subsector group establishments involved in the production and distribution of motion pictures and sound recordings. While producers and distributors of motion pictures and sound recordings issue works for sale as traditional publishers do, the processes are sufficiently different to warrant placing establishments engaged in these activities in a separate subsector. Production is typically a complex process that involves several distinct types of establishments that are engaged in activities, such as contracting with performers, creating the film or sound content, and providing technical postproduction services. Film distribution is often to exhibitors, such as theaters and broadcasters, rather than through the wholesale and retail distribution chain. When the product is in a mass-produced form, NAICS treats production and distribution as the major economic activity as it does in the Publishing Industries subsector, rather than as a subsidiary activity to the manufacture of such products.

This subsector does not include establishments primarily engaged in the wholesale distribution of video and sound recordings, such as compact discs and audio tapes; these establishments are included in the Wholesale Trade sector. Reproduction of video and sound recordings that is carried out separately from establishments engaged in production and distribution is treated in NAICS as a manufacturing activity. Establishments that primarily acquire the rights to distribute video and sound recordings to the public via television or radio broadcast or streaming distribution services are classified in Subsector 516, Broadcasting and Content Providers. Establishments using facilities and infrastructure that they operate to distribute cable and satellite television subscription programming are included in Subsector 517, Telecommunications.

Where 512 sits in the hierarchy

Level	Code	Title
Sector	51	Information
Subsector	512	Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries

Codes under 512

Code	Title
5121	Motion Picture and Video Industries
5122	Sound Recording Industries

Related Subsector codes

• 513 — Publishing Industries
• 516 — Broadcasting and Content Providers
• 517 — Telecommunications
• 518 — Computing Infrastructure Providers, Data Processing, Web Hosting, and Related Services
• 519 — Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services

Data: official 2022 NAICS structure, descriptions and Census concordances, U.S. Census Bureau — U.S. government works in the public domain (17 U.S.C. §105). Suggested reference, not an official determination.