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Blog Category: Service

Census Bureau Reports Post-Recession Growth in 10 of 11 Service Sectors

Graphic of motion picture and video industries change (graph: Census Bureau)

The Department of Commerce's U.S. Census Bureau today released its 2010 Service Annual Survey, which shows that of the nation’s 11 service sectors, 10 showed an increase in revenues for employer firms between 2009 and 2010. These figures are the first findings from this survey to track the revenues of services after the December 2007 to June 2009 recession.

The statistics cover multiple service sectors: the information services sector; the health care and social assistance sector; the finance and insurance sector; and the arts, entertainment and recreation sector. The information sector increased from $1.08 trillion to $1.1 trillion. Within this sector, Internet publishing and broadcasting continued to see increased revenues, up 11.3 percent from $19.1 billion to $21.3 billion in 2010. Television broadcasting increased 12.0 percent from $31.6 billion to $35 billion. Cable and subscription other programming as well as wireless telecommunications carriers also saw increases in revenue of 7.3 percent and 5.3 percent, respectively, to $55.2 billion and $195.5 billion.

See the complete list on their full press release.

This growth within the service sector mirrors a May 2011 report that showed the record services trade surplus that continues to grow. U.S. trade in private services totaled $526.6 billion in 2010, representing a trade surplus that is growing, rising from $66.7 billion in 2003 to $168 billion in 2010.

Acting Secretary Blank Participates in 'September 11th Day of Service and Remembrance' at Ballou Senior High School

Acting Secretary Rebecca Blank along with Ballou's Ruth Jones, GWU's Provost Steve Lerman and others plant a rhododendron in honor of a local student killed on September 11, 2001 ((Photo: Jati Lindsay))

On Sunday, Acting U.S. Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank participated in a “September 11th Day of Service and Remembrance” at Ballou Senior High School in Southeast Washington D.C. This year’s 9/11 National Day of Service coincides with the third annual George Washington University Freshman Day of Service. Approximately 2,300 George Washington University freshmen and student leaders will visit 15 sites in the Washington, D.C. area to volunteer their time on service projects such as school beautification and restoration as well as environmental clean-up. About 150 students from George Washington University were assigned to Ballou for a variety of tasks.

Upon arrival, Acting Secretary Blank met with Principal Branch to learn more about the schools and the “New Ballou” effort underway that will help improve student academic performance and meet the myriad needs the students have.

After an orientation with all the George Washington University students, Dr. Blank participated in planting a rhododendron in honor of a local student who was killed on the September 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon. Bernard Brown was a student at a feeder school for Ballou and had he survived, he would have probably attended the high school. She then pulled up weeds in the vegetable garden alongside freshman George Washington University students.

After helping in the garden, Dr. Blank, along with George Washington University Provost Steve Lerman and several other members of George Washington University, took a tour of the New Ballou with Ruth Jones, the Director of Resource Development at Ballou. The group saw the transformation of the school that included a new computer lab and stocked library. The tour ended in the science lab where students were painting a mural of areas of scientific study. Dr. Blank rolled up her sleeves and helped some of the students with the mural of plant cells.