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SPADA JOINS CALL FOR FOR STREAMING PLATFORM REGULATION AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTIONS

18 January 2024

MEDIA RELEASE

Rāpare, 18 Kohitātea 2024 / Thursday, 18 January 2024

 

GLOBAL SCREEN INDUSTRY UNITES FOR STREAMING PLATFORM REGULATION AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTIONS

In an unprecedented international collaboration, representatives of screen producing organisations from around the world are standing together to release a joint statement emphasising the key principles needed to ensure a sustainable future screen industry through the regulation of powerful digital streaming platforms. 

Representing tens of thousands of screen industry businesses, our shared commitment is to demonstrate our unity of purpose and commitment towards ensuring the independence and viability of the global screen industry and the preservation of the cultural sovereignty of each nation. 

The joint statement acknowledges that responding to the changes brought to screen business dynamics by digital streaming platforms is both a global challenge and local issue. Governments worldwide are taking steps to adapt and impose new regulations, recognising changed industry dynamics and the urgent need to act to protect local stories, creative work and the intellectual property generated. 

The statement underscores the cultural and economic importance of local storytelling, recognising this as a strategic national asset to be cherished and protected. The commitment extends to ensuring that local audiences have access to a diverse range of newly created local stories across all platforms. 

Moreover, the joint statement stresses the mutual cultural responsibility of digital platforms operating in local markets, emphasising the need for them to make fair and proportional contributions to the creation of new local content in the markets in which they receive revenue. 

Central to these principles is the need for a healthy screen independent sector, encompassing development, production, distribution, and post-production. Governments are urged to address market failures and imbalances in commercial bargaining power, with a particular emphasis on recognising the critical role of independent screen businesses. 

Most importantly, the joint statement calls for governments to recognise the growth opportunities tied to intellectual property (IP) protection. Independent screen businesses should own and/or retain control of their IP, ensuring financial participation in the success generated by their work on platforms—a crucial aspect of preserving a nation's unique cultural heritage. 

This isn't just about regulations; it's about safeguarding the heart and soul of our cultural narratives. As a united front, AECINE, Animation in Europe, AnimFrance, APA, APCA, APFC, APIT, AQPM, CEPI, CIMA, CMPA, Doc/it, EPC, FIPCA, FPS, IBAIA, MAPA, PATE, PIAF, PROA, PROFilm, Produzentenverband, QEPC, SPA, SPADA, SPI, UPFF+, and USPA call on their governments to take decisive action in protecting local content and their intellectual propert

Together we represent thousands of screen industry businesses and share a commitment to securing regulation from our respective governments that will ensure that our industry continues to both be sustainable and maintains our nation’s cultural sovereignty.

To help achieve this, government regulation of digital streaming platforms should be guided by the following principles:

  • Local content has both significant cultural and economic importance and is a strategic national asset.
  • Local audiences should have access to a broad range of new local stories across all the platforms they are using.
  • All platforms that derive financial benefit from conducting business in the local market should financially contribute, proportionally, to the creation of new local content for the benefit of local audiences.
  • To meet audience expectations, there is a need to maintain and support a healthy screen sector (development, production (including post-production), distribution), that delivers employment, economic activity, industry upskilling, exports, and growth opportunities.
  • Government has a role to address market failure and any imbalance in commercial bargaining power in the creation and delivery of quality new local screen content.
  • Independent screen businesses (SMEs) are critical to achieving this cultural and economic objective.
  • There is significant scope for growth in existing levels of production, investment, employment, commissioned content hours and exports, provided fit for purpose regulation, that protects local cultural assets, is in place.
  • Independent screen businesses should own and/or retain control of the intellectual property (IP), and rights in their work, including the right to financially participate in the success generated by their work on a platform, created as part of a nation’s own unique cultural heritage.
  • Any government regulated investment framework should specify that the majority of this investment should be fulfilled through projects where IP is under the control of independent screen businesses. This principle will assist businesses to remain strong and sustainable, thereby enhancing their capacity to invest in the development and production of new IP.

 [ENDS]

Download the statement HERE.

 

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

Spada President Irene Gardiner is available for comment.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Tamar Münch | The Public Good
P: 021 659 349 | E: tamar@thepublicgood.co.nz

  

This statement is supported by:

 

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