The New Zealand screen producers’ guild, SPADA, has called for Government to regulate international streaming platforms by requiring them to pay a levy on their New Zealand revenue.
Speaking at the launch of a new Love Local campaign at SPADA’s annual conference in Wellington this past week, the organisation's President Irene Gardiner said it was urgent that work begin on how best to get the international streamers to contribute to the New Zealand screen eco-system of which they are a part.
“We will be suggesting to our new Government that a levy be put on the platforms’ New Zealand revenue, which could then be invested back into local production via the screen funding agencies NZ Film Commission, NZ On Air and Te Māngai Pāho."
“The streamers currently pay no tax in New Zealand, face no regulation, and use broadband infrastructure that was partially funded by our Government. As has happened globally, their negative impact on local broadcasting viewership and therefore advertising revenue has been huge, which has been very challenging for local production.”
Gardiner said many other countries had introduced ways to regulate streamers - some territories were going for a local content quota, others a levy, and others a mixture of the two.
- All the above is a excerpt from a Media Release from SPADA (16 November 2023 - Wellington)