Video Streamers Launch “Streaming Innovation Alliance” to Advance Viewer Choice, Affordability, and Diversity
Former Rep. Fred Upton and Former Acting FCC Chair Mignon Clyburn to Advise Bipartisan Coalition Championing Video Streaming Innovation
70% of Voters View Video Streaming Services “Very Favorably” or “Favorably”
September 26, 2023 (WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Leading streaming services today launched the Streaming Innovation Alliance to advocate for federal and state policies that build on the strong, competitive, and pro-consumer market for streaming video.
The Streaming Innovation Alliance includes a bipartisan team with deep expertise in technology, telecom, internet, and streaming policy. Its Senior Advisors are Fred Upton (R), a 36-year veteran of Congress who served as Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Mignon Clyburn (D), who served as Acting Chair of the Federal Communications Commission. The coalition’s broad membership includes leading streamers as well as diverse and independent services including Afroland.tv, ForUsByUs Network, Max, Netflix, Paramount+, Peacock, TelevisaUnivision, VaultAccess, ViX, The Walt Disney Company, and more.
Said Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association, who played a leading role in organizing the Streaming Innovation Alliance, “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.”
“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,” said Senior Advisor Mignon Clyburn. “Any policy that drags down streaming would turn back the clock on this vital progress as well.”
Senior Advisor Fred Upton echoed these concerns. “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,” said Upton. “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.”
As part of its launch, the Alliance today released a new poll showing that registered voters overwhelmingly favor streaming innovation and are wary of proposals to regulate the market. Seven out of ten voters polled viewed streaming services favorably, with approval even higher among younger voters and in communities of color. While even larger numbers of voters expressed concern about the risks presented by online social media platforms, those fears do not apply to video streaming services and voters are more than twice as likely to trust streaming services with their data as social media networks. By a 2 to 1 margin or more, voters worry new regulations could require streaming services to collect more data or deter them from offering sensitive programming. And two-thirds fear new rules will threaten diverse and independent services the most.
More information about the poll and its findings can be found here.
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About The Streaming Innovation Alliance
The Streaming Innovation Alliance is the united voice of the streaming community, working with the Motion Picture Association, to tell streaming’s story to state and federal policymakers. The Alliance seeks to drive forward a new era of creativity, opportunity, value, and choice in home and mobile entertainment by advocating for smart policies that will support innovative streaming services and the viewers who love and depend on them.
Former U.S. Representative Fred Upton (R-MI) and former FCC Commissioner and Acting Chair Mignon Clyburn (D-SC) serve as Senior Advisors to the Alliance.
Alliance launch members are: AfroLandTV, America Nu Network, BET+, discovery+, For Us By Us Network, Max, MPA, MotorTrend+, Netflix, Paramount+, Peacock, PlutoTV, Telemundo, Televisa Univision, VAULT, Vix, and The Walt Disney Company.