Quoting Mithi:

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Quoting kdh1949:

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Lions Gate executives realize that if they submit to Finland's fee, they set a precedent for doing the same thing in every country where they want to market LHOTP (or any TV series they own).

You mean like the USA where you have to pay the MPAA for movie-ratings?

If a distributor doesn't want to pay the MPAA fee, they release the material unrated -- just like Lions Gate plans to do with LHOTP.

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Not to mention that e.g. the german FSK couldn't care less for any 'precedence', Lions Gate would have to pay anyways.
Rating costs money, the alternative govermental censorship would cost freedom.

I suppose the distributor of LHOTP could try and sneak some objectionable material onto the DVDs that isn't in the version that's already being aired in Finland, that the government nannies might have to censor.

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and a lose-lose situation for the tax assessors in Finland.

They didn't have to work, so where exactly did they lose?

It's still a lose-lose for the taxman, but I'll grant you a win-win for the raters since they don't have to spend 168 hours poring over LHOTP for things that might require censoring.

Quoting whispering:

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Quoting kdh1949:

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but I'll grant you a win-win for the raters since they don't have to spend 168 hours poring over LHOTP for things that might require censoring.

We dont censor DVD's, it isnt even possible AFAIK.

I never suggested that Finland did.  I was only commenting on Mithi's statement that the alternate topaying to get a title rated was "govermental censorship [which would] would cost freedom."

Found this quote on the SA Film and Publication Board's website:

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3 What is the difference between censorship and classification?

Censorship, as generally practised, and as experienced by South Africans prior to 1994, is a system which denies and prohibits access to certain materials determined by a Government to be inimical to its interests as a government. Censorship is, therefore, motivated by political considerations. Classification, on the other hand, is a system which rates material into appropriate categories on the basis that adults should be free to choose for themselves what to see, hear, read or play, that children should be protected from potentially disturbing, harmful and inappropriate materials, that everyone has a right not to be exposed to unsolicited materials that they may find offensive and that the public has a right to such information as will enable them to make appropriate viewing choices for children in their care. Classification, therefore, is motivated by public interest and constitutionally-protected rights and freedoms and not politics. With the exception of child pornography, there is no censorship in South Africa. Child pornography remains the only category of materials that is completely prohibited in films, videos, publications, the Internet and in any other medium of expression or representation, as well as private possession.

4 If the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, why are films classified?

Classification does not deny freedom of expression, except for materials which are outside constitutional protection, such as child pornography, propaganda for war, incitement to violence and the advocacy of hatred based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion. All other materials are rated to protect children in the relevant age groups from exposure to materials that pose a risk of harm. “Harm” in this context is not just physical harm but includes emotional and psychological harm which may have a negative impact on the normal emotional and cognitive development of children. In balancing competing interests, such as the right to freedom of expression and the protection of children, the Constitution provides that the best interests of a child are of paramount importance in every matter concerning the child.

Here, you will not be able to distribute without classification, and the fees are as restrictive

R400 (approx US$40) for a limited market release (normally foreign language or film that will not enjoy general public appeal) film

However, English language producs for home entertainment are costed at R1000 (US$100 approx) for the first 90 minutes, plus R15 per minute after that.  For this release of 10,032 minutes it would thus cost R149,130 (around US15000)

oh, and of course the 14% Value-Added Tax on top of that

There is obviously no way a product like this can hope to recover that fee in the local market!  Except of course if LHOTP will not enjoy general public appeal in SA and gets charged R400. 

For some or other reason, Barnes & Noble has dropped the price on the complete collection significantly:

# $279.99 List price
# $139.99 Online price (Save 50%)
# $125.99 Member price