The U.Ok. authorities has rejected a proposal to implement a 5% levy on the native income made by streaming companies like Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video.
The advice from Britain’s Tradition, Media and Sport Committee aimed to determine a cultural fund administered by the British Movie Institute to be able to assist home high-end tv (HETV) manufacturing. It famous that the fund must be established on a voluntary foundation and that if it didn’t achieve this inside 12 months or if there wasn’t full compliance, the federal government ought to introduce a levy.
It additionally really helpful that the federal government look into regulatory measures that could possibly be utilized to SVODs to make sure unbiased manufacturing corporations creating IP within the U.Ok. keep a minimal degree of possession over these rights.
However in its response on Thursday, the federal government mentioned that it’s seeking to create a “wholesome, combined movie and TV ecology” that welcomes “inward funding,” together with from streamers.
The federal government famous that U.Ok. manufacturing spend on movie and HETV reached £5.6 billion in 2024, a 31% improve since 2023, with £4.8 billion of this complete coming from inward funding and co-productions.
It additionally highlighted the financial advantages of initiatives like “Barbie,” which contributed £80 million to the U.Ok. economic system, and “Bridgerton,” which contributed £275 million and supported 5,000 native companies over the previous 5 years. Moreover, it touted investments together with Amazon’s Prime Video Pathway coaching program and Disney’s contribution to the brand new Nationwide Movie and Tv Faculty growth.
“One of many advantages of a combined ecology is that producers can strike offers each with streamers, which generally contain larger upfront charges, and with [public service broadcasters], whose phrases of commerce imply that secondary rights usually stay with the producer,” the report states. “We’re conscious, due to this fact, of the significance of enabling robust inward funding given the advantages it supplies for our home business and wider economic system, and we’ve no plans to introduce a levy on SVOD companies.”
As a substitute, the U.Ok. authorities mentioned it will proceed to interact with the main streamers, the unbiased manufacturing sector and with public service broadcasters on “how finest to make sure mutually helpful situations for all events.”
It additionally mentioned that it strongly welcomes elevated funding in U.Ok. content material and needs to see extra co-productions between SVODs and public service broadcasters, reminiscent of BBC and HBO’s “His Darkish Supplies” and BBC Three and Netflix’s “A Good Lady’s Information to Homicide.”
Moreover, it mentioned it will “construct on the Media Act and Ofcom’s Public Service Media overview by taking motion to assist public service media and the broader tv ecosystem.”
As a part of a brand new £75 million “display screen development” bundle, the U.Ok. authorities has dedicated to scaling up the World Display screen Fund from the present £7 million per 12 months to £18 million per 12 months.
It mentioned the elevated funding will assist the distribution of as much as 200 movies and the creation of as much as 75 new worldwide movie and TV co-productions, and can assist as much as 175 display screen companies to develop their worldwide functionality.
