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by smcin 750 days ago
> Anyway, I'm dumb and I'm not getting it even after reading it.

Per the article, they are proposing to tax streaming services in order to support local news, as they already do with licensed broadcasters.

1 comments

Yes, but I don't understand why. Is Netflix damaging them ("local news")?

I don't see the relation and I'm assuming there is one.

This feels like taxing McDonalds to support struggling local artists.

Its to level the playing field. Licensed national broadcasters already have to pay a fee which ends up supporting local news / content. International streamers charging money to Canadians for their attention do not currently pay this fee. It seems only fair that all broadcasters / streamers should have to pay the same fee to access the same market.
Ah. I can understand the argument the streamers should be handled like all broadcasters currently are.

Still think it's an.. awkward way to handle things, but that's up to Cadana. Ok, thank you.

Why shouldn't it (be treated the same as broadcasting)? Streaming is eating broadcasting alive.

Streaming surpassed cable TV for the first time in July 2022 (in the US).

(As to Canada levying a charge on them to fund local news, that's a whole other discussion.)