UK may regulate streaming platforms
British govt may regulate Netflix, Amazon & Disney+ bringing them in line with BBC, ITV, Sky and others.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under Streaming, Subscription
Streaming platforms including Netflix, Amazon and Disney+ could be regulated in the UK in proposals being considered by the British government.
Ministers at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport have announced they will consult on plans to subject the streaming giants to British broadcasting laws, bringing them in line with the BBC, ITV, Sky and others.
The review first was floated over the weekend and has been launched in tandem with plans to assess whether Channel 4 should be privatised.
The government said it will consider whether rules need strengthening to ensure the streamers have appropriate content age ratings in place and whether they should be subject to standards on impartiality and accuracy for documentaries and news programming.
Ministers would also consider measures to “level the playing field so public service broadcasters can compete with international rivals” -but were not specific about what this would involve.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “Technology has transformed broadcasting but the rules protecting viewers and helping our traditional channels compete are from an analogue age.
“The time has come to look at how we can unleash the potential of our public service broadcasters while also making sure viewers and listeners consuming content on new formats are served by a fair and well-functioning system.”
Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video, collectively have nearly 30m subscribers in the UK, according to the Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board.
Netflix, Amazon and Disney declined to comment.
Source: Deadline
2 Responses
I my opinion the British government is basically protecting itself from regional media and entertainment industry lobby groups, it’s all about vested political interest, much as it had been here in Australia decades ago when Murdoch and Packer played political games with the cross media ownership rules.
Politicians listening to broadcasters is much the same as them creating a government committee, it gives some breathing space for all concerned to sort their own issues out and then give advice back to the government.
Netflix in particular would want nothing to effect their subscription rates.
Government should lay off entertainment platforms. We don’t want government filtered programs.