EU to cut UK TV and film content after brexit?

RobMc59 · 22-06-2021 12:56pm #1

According to various media outlets the EU is considering reducing UK film and TV content available to member states as it has a negative affect on European culture.
I wondered what other posters think about this suggestion?
https://www.italy24news.com/entertainment/news/26002.html

listermint · 22-06-2021 1:04pm

According to sources EU are applying third party status to media companies as per the brexit vote. This is democracy in action.

Media companies are of course free to go through the normal procedures to operate as per any third party country based media company.

But,

You knew all this. It doesn't make as impactful misinformed headline does it ?

Smee_Again · 22-06-2021 1:09pm

How are other non-EU TV & Film content treated? I would expect the UK content to be treated the same.

km991148 · 22-06-2021 1:11pm

Seems about right, what's the big deal?

Non brexiters will be annoyed, Brexiters should be happy enough as it's a continuation of what they wanted.

Besides, all this is just more negotiation tactics. Everything is always on the table, that's why statements like 'the NHS will not be for sale' or 'there will be no chlorinated chicken' are absolutely horsesh!t as no one can make such promises.

timetogo1 · 22-06-2021 1:14pm

Not sure why the UK would expect to be included in EU quotas for TV.
Well I do know why (exceptionalism) but I don't know any reasonable reason for it.

Hurrache · 22-06-2021 1:14pm

RobMc59 wrote: »

According to various media outlets the EU is considering reducing UK film and TV content available to member states as it has a negative affect on European culture.
I wondered what other posters think about this suggestion?
https://www.italy24news.com/entertainment/news/26002.html

It has nothing to do with culture for starters. Or is this another one of those whinges about not the Brexit you wanted?

Snickers Man · 22-06-2021 1:15pm

Does this mean we won't get Emmerdale??

Oh NOOOOOOO!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Chips Lovell · 22-06-2021 1:17pm

It stands to reason that if there's a quota for locally produced programming, then UK productions will no longer be eligible because, yunno, the UK is no longer in the EU.

What do I think of the news? Barely suppressed yawn.

Probably bad news for the UK film and television industry.

timetogo1 · 22-06-2021 1:19pm

Snickers Man wrote: »

Does this mean we won't get Emmerdale??

Oh NOOOOOOO!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Finally a brexit benefit.

Quantum Erasure · 22-06-2021 2:10pm

Will this affect Virgin Media 1 to 3 here?Would they have one stations worth of content without the British stuff?

Donald Trump · 22-06-2021 2:13pm

Snickers Man wrote: »

Does this mean we won't get Emmerdale??

Oh NOOOOOOO!!! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Maybe the EU would fund a Glenroe resurrection?

There should be a few of them left still

fash · 22-06-2021 2:19pm

RobMc59 wrote: »

I wondered what other posters think about this suggestion?

Brexit means brexit.

KildareP · 22-06-2021 2:35pm

RobMc59 wrote: »

According to various media outlets the EU is considering reducing UK film and TV content available to member states as it has a negative affect on European culture.
I wondered what other posters think about this suggestion?
https://www.italy24news.com/entertainment/news/26002.html

The UK has left the EU, why should it's content continue to be counted as European works? That it was in the EU up until recently was the only reason why it was allowed to such an extent in the first place.

But of course this will be spun, not as a consequence of Brexit, but as the EU being petty and vindictive. It's really becoming quite tiring at this stage.

ArmaniJeanss · 22-06-2021 2:44pm

KildareP wrote: »

The UK has left the EU, why should it's content continue to be counted as European works? That it was in the EU up until recently was the only reason why it was allowed to such an extent in the first place.

But of course this will be spun, not as a consequence of Brexit, but as the EU being petty and vindictive. It's really becoming quite tiring at this stage.

Well, it does seem that up to now being in the EU hasn't been necessary to be counted as European in this TV/Film category. Merely being European has been enough. (I'm just basing that on the article in the OP and the corresponding Guardian article).
Presumably no-one has batted an eyelid at say Swiss, Andorran or Liechtenstein product being included as European. And the volume of work they produce is probably quite small anyway.

It appears that it's only the UK leaving that has brought focus on the issue. Mainly because of the huge amount of such product they create.

So arguably this is an example of some EU countries being at worst 'petty and vindictive'. Or at best taking understandable advantage of a situation for their own gain.

POBox19 · 22-06-2021 2:50pm

Quantum Erasure wrote: »

Will this affect Virgin Media 1 to 3 here?Would they have one stations worth of content without the British stuff?

Are they still here?

fash · 22-06-2021 2:55pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Well, it does seem that up to now being in the EU hasn't been necessary to be counted as European in this TV/Film category. Merely being European has been enough. (I'm just basing that on the article in the OP and the corresponding Guardian article).
Presumably no-one has batted an eyelid at say Swiss, Andorran or Liechtenstein product being included as European. And the volume of work they produce is probably quite small anyway.

It appears that it's only the UK leaving that has brought focus on the issue. Mainly because of the huge amount of such product they create.

So arguably this is an example of some EU countries being at worst 'petty and vindictive'. Or at best taking understandable advantage of a situation for their own gain.

.... Or reflects the fact that:
Switzerland (and Lichtenstein) have an agreement with the EU:
OFCOM took part in the negotiations leading to the bilateral agreement allowing the participation of Switzerland in the EU "MEDIA" programme for the period 2007-2014. This program supports transfrontier collaboration in the cinema sector. The Swiss legislation on radio and television has been adapted to a number of provisions of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive.
https://www.bakom.admin.ch/bakom/en/homepage/ofcom/international-activities/ofcoms-activities-in-international-organisations/eu.html

And Andorra - I imagine faces either similar problems to UK/don't produce anything or has some form of agreement.

22-06-2021 2:56pm

I think these kind of rules apply to where the productions are made but not necessarily what they are about. Which might explain Apple doing Foundation in Limerick.

This could be good for Ireland although I expect a lot of times we might be a fake U.K.

22-06-2021 2:57pm

Quantum Erasure wrote: »

Will this affect Virgin Media 1 to 3 here?Would they have one stations worth of content without the British stuff?

It’s only related to streaming I think.

Dr. Em · 22-06-2021 3:02pm

Unfortunately it is unlikely to make much of a different to terrestrial television. RTÉ will bulk out their quota with Euronews in the middle of the night as they already do. However, it could be good news for the Irish film industry, and for the Irish language film industry, if Netflix starts buying and commissioning more Irish content to make the 30% European content quota on their Irish platform, assuming, of course, that they don't just fill it up with Scandi-noir.

Dr. Em · 22-06-2021 3:06pm

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It’s only related to streaming I think.

The EU Audiovisual Media Services Directive applies to terrestrial channels too, but it is up to the member states to implement it. I can't find anything specifically saying that we have legislated for terrestrial channels yet. Anyhow, terrestrial channels are supposed to have a majority of EU content (> 50%) and streaming are supposed to have >30%.

No idea if it effects terrestrial channels based in the UK but also broadcast in Ireland.

KildareP · 22-06-2021 3:09pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Well, it does seem that up to now being in the EU hasn't been necessary to be counted as European in this TV/Film category. Merely being European has been enough. (I'm just basing that on the article in the OP and the corresponding Guardian article).
Presumably no-one has batted an eyelid at say Swiss, Andorran or Liechtenstein product being included as European. And the volume of work they produce is probably quite small anyway.

It appears that it's only the UK leaving that has brought focus on the issue. Mainly because of the huge amount of such product they create.

So arguably this is an example of some EU countries being at worst 'petty and vindictive'. Or at best taking advantage of a situation for their own gain.

When the UK was in the European Union, the amount of non-EU/English language works coming in would have been quite small so there most likely would have been a relatively lax approach to the whole area of classification and quotas.

With the UK now out of the European Union, the amount of non-EU/English language works coming in will be significantly higher compared to before which appears to have been the trigger of said review.

If the UK can continue to claim they are European works, why shouldn't the US, or Brazil, or Canada be allowed to do so also? What makes the UK different to them?

Thus, if the EU wishes to protect itself against an influx of content from outside the EU, it has to clamp down on how it classifies content and how it manages quotas. Sure, it's going to hit the UK proportionally harder than other non-EU nations and yes, Brexit may well have been the tipping point to set in motion such a review.
Vindictive and petty? Hardly. Good business sense, more like.
Taking advantage of a situation for their own gain? Well that's pretty much the basis of any (good!) contract negotiation or trade process.

Frankly, I'm surprised the Brexiters aren't up in arms that sections of British society are trying to continue operating under the banner of the EU. Traitors!!

Normal One · 22-06-2021 3:11pm

Quantum Erasure wrote: »

Will this affect Virgin Media 1 to 3 here?Would they have one stations worth of content without the British stuff?

However will I cope without 7 hours of The Chase every day!?

black & white · 22-06-2021 3:13pm

TV 3 are f*cked then

ancapailldorcha · 22-06-2021 3:15pm

RobMc59 wrote: »

According to various media outlets the EU is considering reducing UK film and TV content available to member states as it has a negative affect on European culture.
I wondered what other posters think about this suggestion?
https://www.italy24news.com/entertainment/news/26002.html

They knew what they were voting for, Brexit means Brexit, etc.

Non-story IMO. That the EU should be supporting European industry and culture is a bit obvious and the UK has made its opinion known on the matter.

landofthetree · 22-06-2021 3:17pm

Id love if they could ban the premier league.

SF moaning about it would be funny.

ted1 · 22-06-2021 3:19pm

Donald Trump wrote: »

Maybe the EU would fund a Glenroe resurrection?

There should be a few of them left still

“The legend of Dinny” , a Glenroe origins story

Hangdogroad · 22-06-2021 3:25pm

Donald Trump wrote: »

Maybe the EU would fund a Glenroe resurrection?

There should be a few of them left still

Theyd have to do a Bobby Ewing on Biddy.

RobMc59 · 22-06-2021 3:40pm

Smee_Again wrote: »

How are other non-EU TV & Film content treated? I would expect the UK content to be treated the same.

I was thinking many of us (here in the UK and as far as I am aware also in Ireland) have grown up watching US and occasionally Australian TV and films and nobody ever really suggested limiting or reducing it as it affects our culture.

Dr. Em · 22-06-2021 3:46pm

RobMc59 wrote: »

I was thinking many of us (here in the UK and as far as I am aware also in Ireland) have grown up watching US and occasionally Australian TV and films and nobody ever really suggested limiting or reducing it as it affects our culture.

Culture in this case means protecting local film industries. For better or worse, UK content is popular across Europe, even to the detriment of the local content.

Bit cynical · 22-06-2021 3:52pm

Shouldn't it be down to the viewer to decide what nationality of content they want to watch be it UK, US, Latvian or whatever?

listermint · 22-06-2021 4:16pm

Bit cynical wrote: »

Shouldn't it be down to the viewer to decide what nationality of content they want to watch be it UK, US, Latvian or whatever?

That would then be any third country selling and operating foreign services in your customs jurisdiction unfettered.

So no. Not really. There's rules for many reasons don't try to dim it down.

fly_agaric · 22-06-2021 4:17pm

RobMc59 wrote: »

I was thinking many of us (here in the UK and as far as I am aware also in Ireland) have grown up watching US and occasionally Australian TV and films and nobody ever really suggested limiting or reducing it as it affects our culture.

I think it has had an effect on Ireland. At least I've seen it over my lifetime.
We've been almost subsumed as regards TV/Entertainment, and pace of transmission of "culture" from US/UK to here is almost instant now thanks to the internet.
We speak the same language and have deep connections to both of them so it hasn't been a wrenching process. Fairly painless.
Colonisation by foreign produced English language media (driven more by US than UK) is going to hurt more for countries where 1st language is not English and there are greater cultural differences than we have. They will try and push back against it + are right to IMO.

pleasant Co. · 22-06-2021 4:26pm

Seems logical to me, with the UK no longer in the EU, UK made media content does not contribute to the EU content quota. Doesn’t stop that content from being available, but it does eat into the content available from other non-EU countries on streaming sites.

Chips Lovell · 22-06-2021 4:30pm

RobMc59 wrote: »

I was thinking many of us (here in the UK and as far as I am aware also in Ireland) have grown up watching US and occasionally Australian TV and films and nobody ever really suggested limiting or reducing it as it affects our culture.

The are limited. What do you think the quotas do other than limit non-EU programming?

Hurrache · 22-06-2021 4:34pm

RobMc59 wrote: »

I was thinking many of us (here in the UK and as far as I am aware also in Ireland) have grown up watching US and occasionally Australian TV and films and nobody ever really suggested limiting or reducing it as it affects our culture.

And nobody has done so now either, apart from you. It's your Brexit and you're still acting like a spoilt child trying to blame everyone but those that voted Brexit for the long telegraphed logical consequences.

Bit cynical wrote: »

Shouldn't it be down to the viewer to decide what nationality of content they want to watch be it UK, US, Latvian or whatever?

Why on earth do you think you're stopped from doing do, other than broadcasters within a country not showing content from those other countries in a foreign language as it's not logical to do so?

suicide_circus · 22-06-2021 4:43pm

This will just mean RTE waste more money on the imported re-run shyte that makes up most of their schedule

RobMc59 · 22-06-2021 4:43pm

pleasant Co. wrote: »

Seems logical to me, with the UK no longer in the EU, UK made media content does not contribute to the EU content quota. Doesn’t stop that content from being available, but it does eat into the content available from other non-EU countries on streaming sites.

Is it just about being in the EU,because the UK is a European country,so why limit or exclude them?

Chips Lovell · 22-06-2021 4:50pm

Nobody's excluding them. They're excluding themselves.

Dr. Em · 22-06-2021 4:58pm

Bit cynical wrote: »

Shouldn't it be down to the viewer to decide what nationality of content they want to watch be it UK, US, Latvian or whatever?

How could you measure that? Viewer ratings only apply to content that has already been broadcast.

VinLieger · 22-06-2021 5:02pm

Ohh look another thread from Rob blaming the EU for brexit consequences.... it must be tuesday

22-06-2021 5:13pm

Seems like a nothingburger.

British content is popular because so many continentals speak English and lots of people dislike subtitled or dubbed content. It might be a boon for the Irish TV and Film industry, through companies relocating here or forming here and then doing their filming in the UK/Ireland with a bunch of UK & Irish actors and being able to slap a "European" sticker on it.

More likely, VOD services will be accessed with VPN and demand for the content will barely be hit. I don't know many people under 45 who watch legacy TV any more.

Junkyard Tom · 22-06-2021 5:19pm

What are the chances Britain was instrumental in the crafting of these EU broadcasting regulations in order to ensure its interests?

Almost a certainty?

22-06-2021 5:20pm

How do you limit what a TV channel shows?

Is it stuff filmed in the U.K., made in the English language? Sold by a UK based company?

Are the eu really going to tell RTÉ to stop showing eastenders and replace with a Spanish alternative?

22-06-2021 5:24pm

Apparently there's some increasing rumblings in Italy about leaving the EU. My Italian friend just told me that if they take away The Crown it might just push the vote over :pac:

Dr. Em · 22-06-2021 5:28pm

Aegir wrote: »

How do you limit what a TV channel shows?

Is it stuff filmed in the U.K., made in the English language? Sold by a UK based company?

Are the eu really going to tell RTÉ to stop showing eastenders and replace with a Spanish alternative?

The EU won't tell RTÉ anything. RTÉ decides which programmes they buy. They are supposed to have more than 50% EU content, which they can probably make up just by all the RTÉ news programmes + Euro news in the middle of the night + sport. Terrestrial content is measured over the whole year, it appears, while streaming content is based on a percentage of shows available at one time. At best, RTÉ might have to start generating a tad more content, or they might just put dubbed Spanish spaghetti westerns in the the middle of the day rather than buying endless reruns of Dr. Phil.

fly_agaric · 22-06-2021 5:33pm

Yeah It's up to them what they show.
EastEnders is popular I think (haven't seen an episode in years).
So they would keep that (or similar).
They might have to replace some of the cheap US or UK shíte they broadcast to pad out the time table with more Spanish/German/French/Scandi shíte or heaven forbid, commission extra programming made in Ireland.

22-06-2021 5:36pm

If you get into the details this is quite a sinister plan. The EU is going to take all the good bits out of British films and replace them with French accordion music. This could take up to a week and 1-2 DVDs. As always, the detail is in the fine print... by 2027, if you want to release a UK-made/financed movie in the EU, you will be required to dub over all male parts using castratos and all female parts using a library of horse sounds. It's just rudeness on their part, IMHO.

pleasant Co. · 22-06-2021 5:44pm

RobMc59 wrote: »

Is it just about being in the EU,because the UK is a European country,so why limit or exclude them?

Member states of the EU are currently revising their audiovisual media services directive, I really couldn’t tell you if there’s much appetite amongst members to include UK produced content in their quotas.

pleasant Co. · 22-06-2021 5:52pm

Aegir wrote: »

How do you limit what a TV channel shows?

Is it stuff filmed in the U.K., made in the English language? Sold by a UK based company?

Are the eu really going to tell RTÉ to stop showing eastenders and replace with a Spanish alternative?

Local produced content quotas have applied for decades in Ireland. RTE won’t replace a popular show regardless of where it’s from, but something less popular that doesn’t contribute to the local quota would get the chop. That wouldn’t be an EU thing btw, it’s a purely Irish thing.

Go look at what the french do in this regard, they are very proactive in protecting their arts.

ArmaniJeanss · 22-06-2021 5:58pm

Aegir wrote: »

How do you limit what a TV channel shows?

Licensing and legislation - pretty much exactly how it works in broadcasting at the moment.
A whole heap of legislation exists about what you can show and at what time. And your license to broadcast determines lots of minimum allocation (for home produced programmes, news bulletins, childrens programming etc).

Aegir wrote: »

Is it stuff filmed in the U.K., made in the English language? Sold by a UK based company?

I don't know, but those sound like the sort of technical details that EU administrators absolutely love coming up with a set of rules for.

ted1 · 22-06-2021 6:02pm

RobMc59 wrote: »

I was thinking many of us (here in the UK and as far as I am aware also in Ireland) have grown up watching US and occasionally Australian TV and films and nobody ever really suggested limiting or reducing it as it affects our culture.

It has been limited RTEs mandated to show x amount of drama, x amount of Irish language , x amount of news etc

EU to cut UK TV and film content after brexit?

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