Government reaffirms 30% Netflix local content quota

[Bradley Prior]

Government reaffirms 30% Netflix local content quota

The Department of Communications and Digital Technologies (DCDT) has stressed the importance of imposing a 30% local content quota on Netflix and other international streaming services.

 

[Enzo Matrix]

Say bye to SA netflix

Doubling down on stupid, as they always seem to do

 

[dabbler]

Is Hlaudi Motsoeneng now working for these guys?

 

[Lupus]

Doesn't matter what they affirm, the nice thing about Netflix is, I can select what I want to watch. So if I don't want to watch the local content, I don't have to.

 

[Brenden_E]

With the sheer amount of content on Netflix, this a limited number of ways this stupidity can play out:

1. Reduce the SA catalog significantly, so it's easier to reach 30%
2. Withdraw from SA

Since option 1 will likely cause mass cancelation, what's the point. They will ultimately go for option 2.
VPN it is then.

 

[Mystic Twilight]

Netflix will either withdraw from the sa market or pass on the cost to sa subscribers in buying/licensing local content. Considering netflix has minimal, if any, local content, basically 100% of sa subscribers use netflix to watch anything but local content, so that local content is just going to be useless baggage.

 

[Tharaxis]

They clearly don't understand anything about the platform. Given the sheer breadth of Netflix's content platform, South Africa I doubt even PRODUCES enough content to fulfil a 30% quota.

I hate that I pay these people's salaries. If it was up to me I would have gotten rid of all of them.

 

[Ninja'd]

I doubt the House of Mouse would cave in to that and decide to never launch here.

 

[Lupus]

With the sheer amount of content on Netflix, this a limited number of ways this stupidity can play out:

1. Reduce the SA catalog significantly, so it's easier to reach 30%
2. Withdraw from SA

Since option 1 will likely cause mass cancelation, what's the point. They will ultimately go for option 2.
VPN it is then.

Wouldn't really be a bad thing, I mean there's plenty of other countries content on Netflix I never watch either.

 

[Ninja'd]

Mind you guys, the EU has the same 30% quota for streaming services.

 

[Apogee]

You cannot prescribe to international companies what to do like you can with SA's.

They will just pull the plug, which could be the plan in any case to force people back to the SABC.

If you can't compete on an even footing by doing the honest work that it takes to grow a company, just force them out of the country with unfair legislation, seems to be the rule.

Watch this space for Starlink.

In the bigger picture SA's market share is so microscopic, Netflix won't even feel the sting if they have to withdraw from the country.

 

[bwana]

Mind you guys, the EU has the same 30% quota for streaming services.

People want to watch European produced content.

EDIT: I'd also imagine the European market is one they would care about keeping.

 

[Rickster]

Mind you guys, the EU has the same 30% quota for streaming services.

Its not all dog crap that we have here.

 

[Brenden_E]

Wouldn't really be a bad thing, I mean there's plenty of other countries content on Netflix I never watch either.

What I mean is that it's near impossible to reach the quota.
There are roughly 5000 shows and movies on Netflix. Where on earth will you find 1600 odd South African shows to reach 30%?

The only option, reduce the international content so that you need fewer South African shows.

 

[B-1]

Guess this is just a way to remove local competition so they have half a chance of competing.

 

[j4ck455]

#FoKoffieStella

Forcing streaming service providers to carry local content is probably intended to be later used as a justification for insisting on those service providers collecting "TV licence fees" (especially if the local content has anything to do with the SABC).

Doesn't matter what they affirm, the nice thing about Netflix is, I can select what I want to watch. So if I don't want to watch the local content, I don't have to.

While that is true, forcing Netflix et al to invest in local content (even if it is just storing the content available to stream) will result in increased subscription fees in SA, and maybe that will also happen for other reasons but there has to be a cost associated with this local content thing, especially if it is crap that no one will ever watch.

 

[maumau]

Netflix will either withdraw from the sa market or pass on the cost to sa subscribers in buying/licensing local content. Considering netflix has minimal, if any, local content, basically 100% of sa subscribers use netflix to watch anything but local content, so that local content is just going to be useless baggage.

Yep!

 

[Lupus]

What I mean is that it's near impossible to reach the quota.
There are roughly 5000 shows and movies on Netflix. Where on earth will you find 1600 odd South African shows to reach 30%?

The only option, reduce the international content so that you need fewer South African shows.

They never said it had to be recent local content, could go back over the last 30 years

 

[ThinkCentre]

If Netflix adhere to this, it will damage the Showmax market even more!

 

[Jola]

They never said it had to be recent local content, could go back over the last 30 years

Still wouldn't even get to 5% of Netflix catalog.

This is incompetence par excellence.