Netflix, Disney+, Amazon appeal French investment rules / Photo: MARIO TAMA, Chris DELMAS, Patrick T. FALLON - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File
-
$1.8 Billion Pledged for Biodiversity at COP17 as Monaco Reaffirms Commitment
-
Karen Wazen Launches First Standalone Boutiques in Cairo
-
Phoenix Symphony Resumes Performances Amid Financial Uncertainty
-
Municipal Elections: How Service Failure Becomes a Public Health Crisis in South Africa
-
Turkish Energy Minister Highlights Qatar as Key Partner for Regional and Global Energy Security
-
Rene Eyre Revisits Autobiographical Performance 'Say A Little Prayer' in London
-
London Museum Granted 24/7 License Ahead of November Opening
-
UAE's HCT Holds Record Graduation and Announces Major Training Expansion
-
Dana White Confirms Flight to Washington for Trump Meeting on Press Secretary Role
-
NASA Awards $10B Lunar Contract Framework to SpaceX, Blue Origin
-
Dengue Fever Expands Into High Himalayas as Climate Change Warms Nepal
-
Katy Perry Tells Fans Ex-Husband Russell Brand 'Should Be in Jail' During UK Concert
-
IoT Refrigerator Hacks Disrupt Blood Labs and Supermarkets Across Europe and US
Netflix, Disney+, Amazon appeal French investment rules
Streaming platforms Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon's Prime Video said Monday they have filed appeals with French authorities to challenge new rules requiring them to allocate 20 percent of audiovisual content investment to animation, documentaries and live performances.
"These new rules suddenly double our obligation to invest in these genres, target streaming services exclusively and end up dictating our content offerings without taking audience expectations into account," Pauline Dauvin, vice president of Netflix France, said in an opinion column published Le Monde daily.
The platforms separately filed appeals for "abuse of power" before the Council of State, France's supreme administrative court, after seeing an informal appeal to the prime minister’s office turned down, they told AFP, confirming a report by Satellifacts website.
They are seeking an amendment to a government decree which, since 2021, has required foreign video streaming platforms to finance French audiovisual production and cinema with a slice of their revenue.
Starting in January of this year, the updated version of the decree requires that 20 percent of the required audiovisual sector investment be allocated to animated programming, documentaries and live performances, to bolster the diversity of genres.
"These new rules go too far ... When regulation takes precedence over editorial freedom, then diversity becomes an exercise in conformity, to the detriment of public expectations," said Dauvin, who noted that Netflix annually spends "250 million euros on series, films and French documentaries."
"Our appeal to the Council of State does not call into question our commitment to French creative production -- on the contrary," said a spokesperson for Amazon, the owner of Prime Video, in a statement to AFP.
"It aims to ensure a balanced, fair and legally sound regulatory framework, in the interest of the public, (content) creators and the industry," the US firm continued.
The appeals come with Netflix recently having announced it wants to work toward capping mandatory investments, currently set at 20 percent of revenue.
"This is not a sustainable system for us. It is disproportionate to what we want and can do in France,” the platform recently told AFP.
A.Silveira--PC
