A new streaming industry trade alliance has been formed by several streamers. They have come together to advocate for federal and state policies that would benefit the streaming industry. The Walt Disney Company, Netflix, and Warner Bros. Discovery’s MAX are all a part of this new Streaming Innovation Alliance.
There are also some other members of the Streaming Innovation Alliance. They include AfroLandTV, America Nu Network, BET+, discovery+, For Us by Us Network, MPA, MotorTrend+, Paramount+, Peacock, PlutoTV, Telemundo, Televisa Univision, Vault TV and Vix. The parties were brought together with the help of Charles Rivkin, the chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association. The alliance also has former Republican Representative Fred Upton and also former Democratic acting FCC chair Mignon Clyborn as senior advisors.
“Streaming provides great value, vast programming choices and unprecedented options for consumers. The MPA looks forward to working with the SIA and its members to ensure federal and state policy propels this incredible innovation forward — and doesn’t undermine the value and diversity consumers are enjoying today,” Rivkin said.
“Streaming services have opened up a new era of progress for program diversity that is bringing relevant stories and options to historically underserved communities at a record pace while opening doors for production jobs to people of color that have been shut for decades,” Clyburn said. “Any policy that drags down streaming would turn back the clock on this vital progress as well.”
Added Upton, “The rise of innovative, new video streaming services is an American success story we should celebrate and encourage, not smother with obsolete and ill-fitting rules and regulations designed for completely different technology, products and business models. Viewers have never gotten more for their entertainment dollar, and I urge policymakers to resist any effort to curtail this hugely beneficial innovation. Let’s not allow some backwards-looking regulatory scheme to block gains consumers so strongly value and appreciate today.”
The first act that the alliance took was to release a poll on Tuesday. The results of this poll found that registered votes “favor streaming innovation and are wary of proposals to regulate the market,” like rules that require streaming services collect more user data or enact measures that could “deter them from offering sensitive programming.”
This new coalition came together after earlier this year the Coalition for Local News was formed. The Coalition for Local News is an organization of more than 600 local TV station who advocate for change in the way streaming deals for local television are negotiatied. Currently, there is a loophold in FCC regulations which allows for streaming platforms to negotiate with network owners, rather than the owners of the local stations themselves.
What do you think of this new Streaming Innovation Alliance? Is this a good thing for consumers of streaming platforms? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
