U.K. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy Rules Out Streamer Levy (EXCLUSIVE)

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UK’s Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy, has unequivocally dismissed ideas of imposing a fee on streaming services functioning within the UK. This rejection came even after a parliamentary panel recommended that such a tax might aid in sustaining the nation’s television drama industry.

During an interview with EbMaster at the first-ever World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) held in Mumbai on Thursday, Nandy emphasized that the U.K. government is hesitant to place extra financial responsibilities on streamers, given the current surge in investment in British content.

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In an exclusive chat with EbMaster at WAVES in Mumbai on Thursday, Nandy highlighted the U.K. government’s stance against imposing extra costs on streaming platforms, especially considering the growing financial support for British media content.

There’s a lot of enthusiasm about drawing more financial backing towards the U.K., as it’s noticeable that major streaming platforms have been producing much more content within the United Kingdom,” Nandy stated. “Our aim is to avoid anything that might discourage this investment and instead, make the U.K. the most enticing destination worldwide for investments.”

“We’re thrilled about the possibility of bringing in additional funding into the U.K., as it’s clear that large streaming services are creating more content within the United Kingdom,” Nandy explained. “Our goal is to prevent anything that might discourage this investment and instead, make the U.K. the most appealing spot globally for investments.

Nandy emphasized that the triumph of Netflix’s latest show, “Adolescence,” serves as a testament to how streaming platforms are significantly boosting the production of British content.

She expressed her strong hesitation about imposing new taxes given the current economic prosperity. “The U.K. is a welcoming environment for businesses,” she added, “and it allows us to draw in massive investments, which in turn generate numerous job opportunities across the nation.

During her trip to Mumbai, Nandy’s main purpose centered around discussing the forthcoming cultural partnership between India and the U.K., a topic she elaborated on in her opening speech. In her talk, Nandy particularly highlighted the movie industry as a key sector ripe for joint endeavors.

Today, I wanted to emphasize on the thriving movie business – the U.K.’s film industry is experiencing a significant surge in investment from various sources. However, it’s not just us, as the Indian film industry is also witnessing immense success worldwide. We believe there are tremendous opportunities for collaboration between our industries,” she remarked.

Nandy emphasized the current tax breaks available in the U.K., such as the recent independent film tax credit, which is designed to combat the continuous decrease in British independent filmmaking over the years.

With assurance in the recent tax credit, Nandy emphasized that it’s only a piece of a larger puzzle. “We don’t view independent film tax credits as a magic cure-all. There isn’t a single fix, but there are numerous strategies we can employ to foster the entire industry,” she explained.

She also mentioned extra hurdles faced by indie filmmakers. “Besides these, there’s the issue of scarcity of studio spaces tailored for independent film productions. To tackle this, we’re collaborating with Pinewood and other entities to increase the number of smaller to mid-sized studios accessible for independent companies to produce their films.

Nandy emphasized the significance of technological advancements that could empower the independent film sector. “Technology will essentially level the playing field in the movie industry, as it simplifies and reduces costs for smaller production companies and indies to create top-notch films and challenge larger studios,” she elaborated.

In regards to the ongoing predicament facing the British television drama industry, she admitted to encountering difficulties but remained hopeful about its long-term vitality.

She admitted that smaller, independent production companies in the TV industry face difficulties, with factors like the pandemic and the U.S. actors’ and writers’ strike affecting commissioned projects significantly. This is a matter they consider very important.

Despite the hurdles, Nandy asserted that U.K. TV production ranks among the top globally. It’s not just about shows like ‘Adolescence.’ The U.K. excels in popular entertainment, as demonstrated by series such as ‘Gavin and Stacey,’ ‘Wallace and Gromit,’ and ‘Derry Girls.’ This isn’t confined to London; it’s a nationwide story encompassing the entire United Kingdom.

Concerning the 20-year-old U.K.-India co-production treaty, Nandy stressed that working together rather than competing should be the focus moving forward. This is particularly important now that India provides significant incentives like a 40% cash refund, up to $3.5 million.

She expressed her desire to elevate our efforts by joining forces with India, specifically focusing on Britain and India working together instead of competing. This collaboration aims to enhance the quality and creativity of our output for the betterment of both parties.

Nandy emphasized the rich cultural interplay between the two nations, citing instances such as Ed Sheeran’s collaborations with A.R. Rahman, and highlighting that Mumbai was the city that saw the most ticket sales during Sheeran’s worldwide concert tour.

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2025-05-01 19:17