Junts amends the audiovisual law so that Netflix offers content in Catalan

The amendments to Draft General Law on Audiovisual Communicationwhose submission deadline is today, raise a greater protection for co-official languages and that bullfighting broadcasts be considered “harmful content” to guarantee the protection of minors.

The PDeCAT has registered 147 amendmentsof which 37 are to guarantee that the co-official languages ​​have specific protection and 67 so that the future law respects the powers of the Autonomous Communities.

Together for Catalonia has presented 80, with special emphasis on “shielding Catalan on audiovisual platforms”; the Basque Group 58, with the aim of safeguarding regional powers and protecting the cultural and linguistic plurality of the State, the same points that concern EH Bildu, as reflected in its 88 amendments.

In addition, the parliamentary groups of United We Can, Euskal Herria Bildu, Republican and Plural, together with the CUP and Nueva Canarias have presented a joint amendment to ask that shows where you are abuse or kill animalssuch as bullfighting, are considered “harmful content” to ensure the protection of minors.

Among Junts’ amendments is that the law set a specific percentage, of 7.5%, as a share of content in co-official languages, instead of 6% in the draft, which establishes a 30% share of European production in the catalogues. Of this percentage, 50% must be in the official or co-official languages ​​(15% of the total) and of that subquota, 40% in co-official languages ​​(6% of the total).

An obligation that they want to affect all audiovisual communication service providers and not only for those established in Spain, as the text indicates.

“No percentage has been shielded for Catalan, Galician or Basque on Netflix, HBO Max or Disney Plus, to give a few examples”, highlights the deputy Pilar Calvo.

It also calls for an increase in 5 to 10% contribution to the production of European work to ensure the preservation of linguistic and cultural diversity. Funds that would come from the collection of both private television and platforms.

Junts proposes that 70% of this contribution, which is earmarked for the co-official languages, be divided equally between Catalan, Galician and Basque.

Other amendments call for the powers of bodies such as the Consell de l’Audiovisual de Catalunya to be maintained with regard to the control and supervision of content broadcast via streaming or on video exchange platforms in Catalonia.

The PDeCAT spokesman in Congress, Ferran Bel, has asked the Government “more sensitivity to co-official languages” and has expressed his confidence that in the work of the paper the protection of Catalan, Basque and Galician can be shielded.

From the point of view of production, an amendment is introduced to set a minimum percentage of 2.1% of the total income of video-on-demand platforms to finance audiovisual work in co-official languages.

The PDeCAT proposes to establish some incentives for video-on-demand platforms based outside the State so that it is economically advantageous for them to have a minimum of 60% seriesfilms or documentaries from its catalog available in a dubbed and subtitled version in one or more of the co-official languages.

In relation to the financing of regional public television, it is proposed that out of the total contributions from television service providers and video sharing providers to finance RTVEhalf is ceded to these televisions in proportion to the income generated in each autonomous community.

The PDeCAT has also presented several amendments to protect the autonomous powers in matters of control of public television.

Between his 58 amendmentsEAJ-PNV intends to establish a quota in the platform catalog for audiovisual works in an official language other than Spanish.

The text establishes 30% of European production; half of this in official or co-official languages ​​and 40% of that half in co-official languages. EAJ-PNV asks that at least 10% be reserved for each language of the Autonomous Communities and that the distribution be proportional to the population.

On the production of European work, he advocates a different distribution of six percent of the income that will have to be allocated to this concept. Versusl 70% for independent productions in the official or co-official language without establishing distribution, they ask that at least 15% be for official languages ​​other than Spanish.

Other of the Basque Group’s proposals for changes are intended to maintain regional powers in the provision of communication services and to limit what they consider an “excessive interference” of the Bill in “the governance of public communication service providers regional audiovisual”.

EH Bildu goes further and asks that the law establish that platforms offer at least 40% European works in their catalogs (the text speaks of 30%). And a minimum of half of that percentage will be for official languages, with 40% of that percentage for the languages ​​of the Autonomous Communities.

Also rise from 6 to 10% of the income of public providers broadcasters the quota that should be used to finance European audiovisual work.

From there, 70% will be for audiovisual works by independent producers. And 40% of that amount, for projects in the official languages ​​of the Autonomous Communities.

Traditional television channels will allocate eight percent of their income (instead of six) to financing European audiovisual work.

“Retransmissions, previews, advertisements, summaries or promotions of shows in which animals are mistreated or killed will be considered harmful content,” says the joint amendment on bullfighting.

The signatories emphasize that in the bill there is no mention “of protection against exposure to the violence of bullfighting” when the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has recommended that countries where bullfights are held prohibit the participation of minors under 18 years of age as bullfighters and as an audience.

And they remember that for six years, between 2006 and 2012, coinciding with Zapatero’s mandates, the RTVE corporation stopped broadcasting bullfights during children’s hours following United Nations recommendations, but they were resumed that year, with the PP government.