Both brand-new streaming services have had to launch this summer without Roku and Amazon's big audience. "The standoffs, of course, revolve around money," explains Todd Spangler. "More than that, the distribution disputes are about long-term strategic access to rapidly growing streaming-first audiences, as well as advertising inventory. One media company exec says Roku and Amazon are asking for 'egregious' terms. On the other side, an insider at one of the over-the-top platform providers says they’re simply looking for 'a reasonable share' of the value they create for partners — and adds that companies like WarnerMedia and NBCU are coming to the table with an 'old TV mindset.' The OTT platforms’ leverage is real. Both say they have more than 40 million active accounts (and growing)...The blackouts are akin to TV networks’ feuds with cable and satellite operators. And many in the industry expect them to continue."
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TOPICS: Peacock, HBO Max, Prime Video, Roku