Netflix slams Euro quotas
March 19, 2024
Larry Tanz, EMEA boss for Netflix, has told Series Mania that local European quotas “stifle creativity”. Tanz calling for “greater flexibility” given how many shows Netflix is currently making around the world.
He pointed to Spain’s attitude; it has quotas in place but with “flexibility” so that Netflix can make Spanish-originated films and series but then also film the likes of UK production Kaos in Spain and have that count.
“Our opinion is flexibility is a great way to encourage creativity and when we have constricting quota limitations it can stifle creativity […] The more flexibility we have, the more we can do,” said Tanz.
Tanz went on to state that Netflix remains “all in” while “worthy adversaries dial back” their offerings. “Competitors realised streaming is a great business but it’s also very very hard and in some cases expensive […] That has caused competitors to dial back or exit countries entirely but we are continuing to invest.”
Tanz also attempted to “mythbust” the notion that Netflix owns all rights to its shows, pointing to recent research that found it only owns the IP on 25 per cent of its European projects.