SVoD in Europe and the Americas: A Comparative Approach to Regulatory Regimes

Abstract

This article aims to shed light on the regulation of subscription video-on-demand (SVoD) services from a comparative perspective, taking existing regulatory regimes as a point of departure. This comparison focuses specifically on how measures related to content quotas and financial obligations are interpreted and operationalized in relation to SVoD services in European and American audiovisual markets. It is argued that even though regulation of SVoD services is still in its infancy in Europe and the Americas, the portrayal presented already reveals fragmented and dissimilar regulatory responses with few commonalities, although there is significant alignment with existing audiovisual regimes. The principal finding is that a new jurisdictional scope is on the table with the possibility of imposing obligations on players legally based in other territories.