Netflix, Disney+ Face Calls For Greater Transparency As French Regulators Herald Streamer Integration

variety.com:

Ben Croll As global platforms make greater inroad into the French market, local regulators could now push for a rise in transparency.

Since adhering to the EU’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive, original signatories Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ have significantly upped their investment in French film and television, with the three contributing €866 million ($906 million USD) from 2021 – 2023, per a new study published on Tuesday and presented in Paris.

With global SVOD expenditures now accounting for 20% of France’s National Film Board funding – marking a staggering increase from the 4% of 2019 – local authorities are eager to keep the wider directive in place, all while integrating newer players like Sony’s Crunchyroll, AppleTV+ Max.

Responding to concerns from local producer unions – who feel that negotiating without a fuller economic understanding levies them with an unfair disadvantage – administrators from France’s broadcasting regulatory authority (Arcom) are currently examining a legislative workaround to the trade secrets protections that keep streaming data opaque. “Exceptions can be made when serving a public interest,” said Arcom’s Antoine Boilley at the Tuesday presentation. “[And] we believe that financing audiovisual and cinema creation constitutes a public interest in France.” That Netflix has already agreed to share 2023 financial data gave the regulator reason for optimism as he called for a wider lift on the trade omertà, while the regulatory body also proposed an anti-inflationary and skill-shortage measure that would see SVOD services earmarking minimum portions of their annual obligations towards professional training programs.