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Speaker: We don’t make the rules, we're just trying to play by them

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  • Kim Robinson,

    One thing leads to another... unexpectedly.

    https://messagesent.wordpress.com/2015/04/15/disability-access-being-threatened-by-major-nz-media-companies/

    Very ironic that the Big 4 don't even offer captioning/audio descriptive content with their services.

    The actions of the Big 4 has created the 'perfect flashpoint'...

    Whangarei • Since Apr 2015 • 8 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Fraser Rolfe,

    Welcome to the Haarp Valley Teepee PA...

    simply sue the govt directly

    more 'grist to your mill'*, sir
    It can't happen here...
    ...can it?
    well cigarette plain packaging maybe - and don't forget that people friendly French utilities company, Veolia (who also run Auckland's rail system) are still suing the Egyptian Government for 80 Million Euros for raising the minimum wage!
    Poor corporations who just can't bear
    bearing the cost of doing business fairly...
    That TTIP agreement is working well then.

    Throw wide the floodgates of greed...


    *GFM <Grist For Mill>
    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dave-johnson/corporate-courts----a-big_b_5826490.html
    and
    http://newint.org/blog/2014/07/11/ttip-democracy-trade/

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Kim Robinson, in reply to ,

    Waiting for the Big 4 to actually file those papers with the courts. Once that's done... it'll automatically trigger the Human Rights complaint.

    Whangarei • Since Apr 2015 • 8 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Media companies still talking about suing.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Kim Robinson, in reply to Sacha,

    Whangarei • Since Apr 2015 • 8 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Kim Robinson,

    Onya.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Mark Sibly,

    Wow, just checked out Russell's link here and was surprised-but-not-really to find NZ has the fewest available titles in the world!

    Also, just curious, but how do content creators actually get paid when their stuff is licensed to netflix? Lump sum? Per view?

    And I assume content creators get a cut of sub-licensing deals with other regions, correct?

    Since Jan 2010 • 6 posts Report Reply

  • Dylan Reeve, in reply to Mark Sibly,

    Wow, just checked out Russell’s link here and was surprised-but-not-really to find NZ has the fewest available titles in the world!

    Netflix has been in New Zealand for about a month. It takes time to negotiate rights for content. In many cases they'll have existing licensing deals in place that aren't easily modified - so NZ rights will probably be added when those agreements are up for renewal.

    Also, just curious, but how do content creators actually get paid when their stuff is licensed to netflix? Lump sum? Per view?

    I'm not 100% sure for Netflix, but my assumption is that it's lump sum. The goal for Netflix is to have a broad enough range of content to be able to appeal to the widest audience possible - some may get very few views (not enough that a pay-per-view license would be appealing to the distributor) but it's important to have that variety.

    The same is true of Sky (and subscriber TV in general) - the most popular channels effective subsidise the more niche content.

    And I assume content creators get a cut of sub-licensing deals with other regions, correct?

    Each region is licensed separately, although there is sometime bundling (like I assume most of Netflix's content here is negotiated as an Australia/NZ combo).

    Also it may be uneconomical to license some content here - shows like Friends. Netflix paid about $500,000 per episode (nearly US$120 million) for the rights to the whole series. It's easy to imagine, given that precedent, that Netflix was unable to strike a reasonable deal for the show in this region.

    Auckland • Since Aug 2008 • 311 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Mark Sibly,

    how do content creators actually get paid when their stuff is licensed

    It depends on the relationship the content creators have negotiated with the rights-holders (producers or local broadcasters under our funding set-up), who negotiate with agents, who negotiate licensing with distributors like Netflix or TV networks.

    As you'd imagine, there's plenty of scope for power imbalances and ticket-clipping along that chain. I'd expect profit accumulates higher in the chain than the people who made the content. They probably just got paid wages like most other industries, with maybe some residual rights if they're in a more powerful position at the time in the local industry.

    Conflating content creators with the various layers of rights-holders is one of Hollywood's favourite PR tactics when lobbying for tighter copyright restrictions.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Dylan Reeve,

    It's easy to imagine, given that precedent, that Netflix was unable to strike a reasonable deal for the show in this region.

    Indeed...

    The primary reason Netflix likely decided to move aside was the insanely large price tag Sony is asking. While they paid more than $500,000 per episode for Friends last year (for a total north of $118 million with 236 episodes), Sony wants an even higher price for Seinfeld. With 180 episodes of that show over nine seasons, the total cost could easily top $100 million, depending on how much time the deal covers.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • SteveH,

    Meanwhile elsewhere in the world, companies are actually going after the right targets:
    http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/67845577/sony-lobbied-netflix-to-stop-aussie-vpn-users-leak-shows

    Since Sep 2009 • 444 posts Report Reply

  • llew40,

    Since Nov 2012 • 140 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie,

    The Internet Society of Australia suggests that geoblocking content should be banned under international trade treaties.

    We believe that in negotiations over the Transpacific Partnership agreement Australia should insist on an end to geoblocking and a requirement, as part of the new international trading arrangements being introduced, that content supplied over the Internet must be released at the same time and at comparable prices across all TPP participating countries.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • Alfie,

    The Herald reports that Sky, TVNZ, MediaWorks and Lightbox have won their battle to restrict New Zealander's access to offshore streaming services.

    New Zealand internet service providers offering customers "back door" access to streaming web content will stop offering those services from September in a deal cut with broadcasters who were taking them to court.

    Pay-TV operator Sky Network Television today said it has dropped legal proceedings against the ISPs after reaching a settlement, which will see the 'global mode' unavailable in New Zealand from September 1.

    VPNs however remain untouched.

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report Reply

  • Moz, in reply to Alfie,

    VPNs however remain untouched.

    I dunno what you're talking about. I am on holiday in Britanada right now, using a VPN is beyond my ability... watching iPlayer while recording a Canadian music show for later consumption.

    One geoblocking trick that really grumps me is when publishers buy the rights to distribute an ebook here then block us from buying it because we're not big enough to be worth while. FFS, we're big enough to be worth actively blocking us, the "effort" to unblock us is surely not too huge.

    Sydney, West Island • Since Nov 2006 • 1233 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Moz,

    when publishers buy the rights to distribute an ebook here then block us from buying it

    that behaviour ought to be prohibited.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

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