Washington, D.C. – Ongoing disputes between streaming platforms and broadcasters continue to play out, leaving millions of viewers caught in the middle. These impasses highlight the unchecked power of dominant tech companies to determine what households can and cannot watch. The following statement can be attributed to Alex Siciliano, senior vice president of communications at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB):
“The unchecked dominance of Big Tech companies like Google and its ability to dictate what millions of households can and cannot watch through its YouTube TV platform is a problem for competition and consumers. These behemoths have the upper hand to not only lock out independent, news-leading local stations from their lineup, but also to push around companies like NBCUniversal and TelevisaUnivision. In this case, Google’s actions will have the added impact of depriving millions of Spanish-speaking viewers access to the most trusted broadcast news, sports and entertainment.”
Rather than serving consumers, the current marketplace too often leaves them with fewer choices, higher costs and reduced access to trusted local news and culturally relevant programming. NAB continues to highlight the need for a level playing field where broadcasters can compete fairly and audiences remain connected to the news and information they rely on.
The National Association of Broadcasters is the premier advocacy association for America's broadcasters. NAB advances radio and television interests in legislative, regulatory and public affairs. Through advocacy, education and innovation, NAB enables broadcasters to best serve their communities, strengthen their businesses and seize new opportunities in the digital age. Learn more at nab.org.
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