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Ask HN: Why Can't I Watch SouthPark in English in Germany?

1 points by jimothyhalpert7 ↗ HN
Feel free to finish the probable-manager's sentence: "No, we should make it German only, because..."

It's a general question about the reasons behind original providers limiting user's choice. Feel free to use other platforms and countries.

7 comments

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Tomte
...we bought the rights to distribute in a huge package with dozens or even hundreds of shows, and apart from a few special-interest titles (GoT, TBBT etc.), demand for English-language programming is pretty low. We're certainly not paying double price so that a few thousand users can watch one of their favorite shows in English.
jimothyhalpert7
Right, ok. So, SouthPark's parent company has to pay for being able to stream the original, English version on their website? (just clarifying what distribution rights means in this case) Is there any way to justify such practice, from a utilitarian perspective of a net-benefit for society?
Tomte
I assumed you mean something like Netflix. At first I even thought you were talking about television.
jimothyhalpert7
I meant streaming platforms, where the cost of providing original voice over is close to zero, compared to the benefit of learning a new language.
mtmail
I'd turn the question around and ask why in Germany TV shows shouldn't be broadcasted in German.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubbing_(filmmaking)#Germany,_... "According to a European study, Austria is the country with the highest rejection rate (more than 70 percent) of subtitles, followed by Italy, Spain and Germany"

jimothyhalpert7
The question is about removing the option to watch it in the original.
jimothyhalpert7
Also, am I correct in the assumption that U.S. doesn't have access to non-dubbed versions of foreign series?