Netherlands: Tax on internet use to save newspapers

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  • Jack Sparrow
    Almost goners..
    • May 2008
    • 11420

    #1

    Netherlands: Tax on internet use to save newspapers

    Read this article some days ago and im still confused about it, so i want to hear some opinions.

    Because of the internets, newspaper memberships are slowly drying up. Why have a membership thats pretty expensive and all the trouble of delivering it to someone when you can just switchon the laptop (or by now, even the cellphone) to check all the news from allover the world for free.

    Some dude in the dutch parlement wants every single person that has an internet connection to pay tax on it.

    Why? Are they doing something to give poor people a better life?

    No, to prevend the newspapers from slowly going bankrupt. They want to save them.

    Even if i have to pay only 3-4 euros a month for it, which in turn makes the government earn billions, why the fuck would i want to save something i dont want to use, or is bound to die. Isnt that evolution?

    Opinions please.
  • Danny B
    Confirmed User
    • Jan 2007
    • 4423

    #2
    Yeah I read that too. On the interwebses ;)
    Ridiculous indeed.
    But hey, it's the Netherlands and the government taxes the shit out of everything.
    Next thing you know they'll be taxing green energy because they don't want the fossil energy sources to become obsolete.
    Danny B

    ICQ: 407485488
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    • HomerSimpson
      Too lazy to set a custom title
      • Sep 2005
      • 13826

      #3
      Originally posted by mrfrisky
      why the fuck would i want to save something i dont want to use, or is bound to die. Isnt that evolution?
      exactly...
      and newspapers can now make $$$ by advertising on their sites,
      and they are saving the forests by not using paper to print the news for just one reading.

      only glossy mags will survive, and couple of daily newspapers.
      their price should be increased because you're destroying forests by reading news on the paper, and all that just because you're lazy to go online... that should be taxed IMHO
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      • slapass
        Too lazy to set a custom title
        • Nov 2002
        • 14625

        #4
        The concern is that if there is no local news, politicians will get away with whatever they want. I assume we will develop a different system. Ideally local politicians would go away and we would have more uniform laws for bigger areas.

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        • James124
          So Fucking Banned
          • Jun 2006
          • 261

          #5
          Originally posted by slapass
          The concern is that if there is no local news, politicians will get away with whatever they want. I assume we will develop a different system.
          im sorry but that's the most idiotic comment ever made. You actually believe that???

          Comment

          • the real magoo
            So Fucking Banned
            • Sep 2001
            • 1637

            #6
            Originally posted by mrfrisky
            why the fuck would i want to save something i dont want to use, or is bound to die. Isnt that evolution?
            No, thats Socialism.

            Comment

            • Hank_Heartland
              Confirmed User
              • Sep 2002
              • 3987

              #7
              Originally posted by the real magoo
              No, thats Socialism.
              No, it is just another excuse for a tax...that's it that's all

              Let the damn things die if they can't adapt
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              • Libertine
                sex dwarf
                • May 2002
                • 17860

                #8
                Originally posted by mrfrisky
                Some dude in the dutch parlement wants every single person that has an internet connection to pay tax on it.
                Not a dude in the Dutch parliament, but instead a commission created to analyze the future of the newspaper industry.

                And since the minister of education, culture and science has already stated that he considers it an extremely bad idea, it's not going to happen.

                Of course, the concern about newspapers disappearing is actually a valid one. While websites also deliver news, they very often stick to stories from the big news agencies (AP, Reuters, ANP, etc.) and do very little investigative journalism themselves.

                Since news agencies tend to provide only small stories with little depth and criticism, there is a very real danger that the disappearance of newspapers will stifle public debate and prevent politicians and such from getting called out on bad behavior. Because let's face it - when a politician abuses his power, a newspaper like NRC is rather more likely to expose his actions than a website like Nu.nl.

                Of course, that doesn't mean this proposal is a good one. It's not. Government funding for the media makes the media less independent, which is the last thing we should want.
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                • pornguy
                  Too lazy to set a custom title
                  • Mar 2003
                  • 62910

                  #9
                  Adapt or Die.
                  PornGuy skype me pornguy_epic

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                  • the real magoo
                    So Fucking Banned
                    • Sep 2001
                    • 1637

                    #10
                    Originally posted by pornguy
                    Adapt or Die.
                    Tubes are the future

                    Comment

                    • Mefo
                      Confirmed User
                      • Jun 2002
                      • 6169

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Libertine
                      Not a dude in the Dutch parliament, but instead a commission created to analyze the future of the newspaper industry.

                      And since the minister of education, culture and science has already stated that he considers it an extremely bad idea, it's not going to happen.

                      Of course, the concern about newspapers disappearing is actually a valid one. While websites also deliver news, they very often stick to stories from the big news agencies (AP, Reuters, ANP, etc.) and do very little investigative journalism themselves.

                      Since news agencies tend to provide only small stories with little depth and criticism, there is a very real danger that the disappearance of newspapers will stifle public debate and prevent politicians and such from getting called out on bad behavior. Because let's face it - when a politician abuses his power, a newspaper like NRC is rather more likely to expose his actions than a website like Nu.nl.

                      Of course, that doesn't mean this proposal is a good one. It's not. Government funding for the media makes the media less independent, which is the last thing we should want.

                      Yup, this law won't get trough

                      Comment

                      • notime
                        Confirmed User
                        • Jun 2003
                        • 8027

                        #12
                        They need to tax the oil industry to save the porn business
                        That idea would be much better

                        Comment

                        • Scott McD
                          Too lazy to set a custom title
                          • Nov 2002
                          • 67792

                          #13
                          That's fucking ridiculous. No doubt our government here will be right on it aswell...


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                          • Paul Markham
                            Too old to care
                            • Jun 2001
                            • 52942

                            #14
                            Originally posted by slapass
                            The concern is that if there is no local news, politicians will get away with whatever they want. I assume we will develop a different system. Ideally local politicians would go away and we would have more uniform laws for bigger areas.
                            Originally posted by James124
                            im sorry but that's the most idiotic comment ever made. You actually believe that???
                            Yes and so do I. And if you don't you're a fool.

                            The newspapers are the leaders at investigative journalism. Without them cases like Watergate would never of happened. And it's still happening today, go look at the work The Telegraph is doing in the UK.

                            Without them investigating the case of UK Members of Parliament expenses no one would of known about it. The MPs would still be ripping off UK citizens. And if you go look you will find many more cases similar.

                            The problem is simple, online advertising is not as good as generating money as print is and was. It's money that pays for journalists to sit down and grind these cases out. TV is the next best thing but how much of their investigations are limited to a 30 minute one off time frame?



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                            • GatorB
                              The Demon & 12clicks
                              • Oct 2001
                              • 18208

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Paul Markham
                              Yes and so do I. And if you don't you're a fool.

                              The newspapers are the leaders at investigative journalism. Without them cases like Watergate would never of happened. And it's still happening today, go look at the work The Telegraph is doing in the UK.

                              Without them investigating the case of UK Members of Parliament expenses no one would of known about it. The MPs would still be ripping off UK citizens. And if you go look you will find many more cases similar.

                              The problem is simple, online advertising is not as good as generating money as print is and was. It's money that pays for journalists to sit down and grind these cases out. TV is the next best thing but how much of their investigations are limited to a 30 minute one off time frame?
                              I guess if this was 100 years ago you'd be all for a car tax to help keep blacksmiths in business.

                              Comment

                              • Paul Markham
                                Too old to care
                                • Jun 2001
                                • 52942

                                #16
                                Originally posted by GatorB
                                I guess if this was 100 years ago you'd be all for a car tax to help keep blacksmiths in business.
                                You missed my point 100%, well done.



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                                • grumpy
                                  Too lazy to set a custom title
                                  • Jan 2002
                                  • 9870

                                  #17
                                  its down the drain already( the idea )
                                  Don't let greediness blur your vision | You gotta let some shit slide
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                                  • mynameisjim
                                    Confirmed User
                                    • Aug 2007
                                    • 2985

                                    #18
                                    There is some truth to some of the replies.

                                    Newspapers are the only organizations that do true investigations. All the big stories you read about on the news sites, or watch on CNN, or bloggers talk about, originated from newspapers actually digging up the dirt and following up with sources, etc. Many big stories that are on the front page of the New York Times were investigated for months. Editors and writers went back and forth, double checked sources. No other format can really do that.

                                    A tax isn't the answer, but I hope the newspaper industry can find a way to stick around. The founders of America stated that a free and healthy press was one of the keys to a working democracy. I hate to tell you this, but Anderson Cooper standing in a hurricane doesn't qualify as good journalism.
                                    jim (at) amateursconvert . com Amateurs Convert

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                                    • Paul Markham
                                      Too old to care
                                      • Jun 2001
                                      • 52942

                                      #19
                                      Originally posted by mynameisjim
                                      There is some truth to some of the replies.

                                      Newspapers are the only organizations that do true investigations. All the big stories you read about on the news sites, or watch on CNN, or bloggers talk about, originated from newspapers actually digging up the dirt and following up with sources, etc. Many big stories that are on the front page of the New York Times were investigated for months. Editors and writers went back and forth, double checked sources. No other format can really do that.

                                      A tax isn't the answer, but I hope the newspaper industry can find a way to stick around. The founders of America stated that a free and healthy press was one of the keys to a working democracy. I hate to tell you this, but Anderson Cooper standing in a hurricane doesn't qualify as good journalism.
                                      It takes a few minutes to think back to the scandals revealed by the newspapers to see how some politicians or big business might not be in favor of any form of support for them.



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                                      • Abracadabra_nl
                                        Confirmed User
                                        • Jun 2005
                                        • 147

                                        #20
                                        It was just a suggestion buy some governmental commission. They won't actually put it into effect.
                                        Taxing on internet use to save newspapers, that would simply have been too ridiculous to put into words
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                                        • TidalWave
                                          Confirmed User
                                          • Sep 2007
                                          • 2706

                                          #21
                                          Why is it that these smaller newspapers can't drop the paper format and just digitize their works?
                                          They can all still go and investigate all these things, and simply report it in a different format - the internet. If they don't have enough people visiting to cover their expenses, then people just don't care about what they're reporting and they should die out.

                                          Reporting on the internet will actually yield them much lower costs then what they have and are doing now for offices, and printing, etc.
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                                          • Paul Markham
                                            Too old to care
                                            • Jun 2001
                                            • 52942

                                            #22
                                            Originally posted by TidalWave
                                            Why is it that these smaller newspapers can't drop the paper format and just digitize their works?
                                            They can all still go and investigate all these things, and simply report it in a different format - the internet. If they don't have enough people visiting to cover their expenses, then people just don't care about what they're reporting and they should die out.

                                            Reporting on the internet will actually yield them much lower costs then what they have and are doing now for offices, and printing, etc.
                                            And a lot less profit, that pays for journalists to delve into stories and root out the scandals. Internet advertising will never replace the spending on print advertising. And its that money that mallows you to know those scandals.

                                            Too many think the Internet should be free for it to work. Nothing in life is free and you always get what you pay for.



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                                            • iseeyou
                                              So Fucking Banned
                                              • Feb 2006
                                              • 306

                                              #23
                                              It costs big money to hire investigative journalists and print newspapers. Who will pay for it?

                                              Nothing in life is free except porn.

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                                              • Dirty Dane
                                                Sick Fuck
                                                • Feb 2004
                                                • 9491

                                                #24
                                                Taxfree internet = less newspapers = less tree cutting = less environmental taxes = more tax on internet
                                                They are not doing it to save newspapers, but to save their own asses
                                                Last edited by Dirty Dane; 06-27-2009, 03:36 AM.

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                                                • Rochard
                                                  Jägermeister Test Pilot
                                                  • Dec 2001
                                                  • 75762

                                                  #25
                                                  My brother works in advertising in the newspaper industry in NYC. He tells me it's dieing and he's looking to get out.

                                                  Originally posted by Danny B
                                                  Yeah I read that too. On the interwebses ;)
                                                  Ridiculous indeed.
                                                  But hey, it's the Netherlands and the government taxes the shit out of everything.
                                                  Next thing you know they'll be taxing green energy because they don't want the fossil energy sources to become obsolete.
                                                  Just wait.... Here in the US some of our gasoline taxes go towards maintaining our roads. As the MPG improves and people move over to electric cars, this revenue will go way down. Local governments are talking about taxing us by how many miles we drive a year.
                                                  Herschel Savage
                                                  Brooklyn, NY

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