Recently, local ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC owners have been asking the FCC to turn streaming services into cable TV companies. To help stop that, several streaming services created a group called Preserve Viewer Choice Coalition to fight back. If the local TV stations are successful, this could result in the cost of your TV bill going up as the FCC would charge more fees and locals could demand more money.
Now YouTube TV and Hulu have announced that they joined the Preserve Viewer Vhoice Coalition that is fighting to stop the FCC from turning streaming into cable TV.
“Having Hulu and YouTube TV on board amplifies our message and reinforces our commitment to ensuring that consumers continue to enjoy a wealth of choices in the streaming era,” said Bryce Harlow, spokesperson for the Preserve Viewer Choice Coalition. “Their decision to join us is a testament to the momentum we’re building and the shared belief in the importance of a competitive streaming market devoid of burdensome regulations.”
In reply to a recent letter to the FCC objecting to turning streaming services into cable TV companies the Coalition for Local News that represents local TV station owners, said:
We respect the fact that there are differing views on how we should ultimately regulate the video marketplace in the streaming era. But what is beyond debate is that this marketplace has been utterly transformed. As Senator Cantwell noted in her letter to the FCC, when it last collected public comment about this marketplace in 2014, services like Fubo TV, YouTube TV and Hulu Live didn’t even exist. Today, the top five leading live streaming services are in nearly 14 million households. Given that scale of change, it should be beyond question that the FCC should now refresh the record so it can formulate policy on the basis of current marketplace realities.
This fight could have long-term impacts on your TV. Changing streaming services into cable TV companies gives the FCC more power over what they can do. It also will allow local TV stations to demand more money from streaming services. For now we will have to wait and see what happens.