Netflix Co-CEO Greg Peters has warned that any levy on entertainment companies using broadband infrastructure could hit investment in content.
In a keynote address to the 2023 Mobile World Congress, Greg Peters said the streamer had been built on partnerships with creators, internet service providers and device manufacturers.
Aligning himself with Thierry Breton, Commissioner for the Internal Market, Peters agreed that “it shouldn’t be a binary choice between “Big Telco” and entertainment companies”.
“This tax would have an adverse effect, reducing investment in content — hurting the creative community, hurting the attractiveness of higher-priced broadband packages, and ultimately hurting consumers. ISPs claim that these taxes would only apply to Netflix. But this will inevitably change over time as broadcasters shift from linear to streaming.”
Peters argued that as broadcasters moved from linear to streaming they would also generate significant internet traffic. “even more than streamers today based on the current scope and scale of their audiences. Broadband customers, who drive this increased usage, already pay for the development of the network through their subscription fees.”
He said it could easily be argued that network operators should compensate entertainment companies for the cost of content.
But Peters’ was looking for a “rising tide that will lift all boats” that would include continued investment in conent from Netflix.
