It’s not easy running a streaming service, and it requires careful management of content so that users can get the best experience that can’t be found anywhere else. Netflix understood this early on as one of the first streaming services, and started creating its own exclusive TV shows and movies in order to distance itself from paying studios a hefty some to license content.
Fast-forward almost two decades later and that’s pretty much the blueprint other companies are following, with big names like Apple, Disney, and others creating their own content to lure people in. It’s expensive to create these shows and movies, but at least it’s original, and it also ensures that they aren’t at the mercy of others in order to acquire licenses to stream content.
Not an easy business to be in
That’s where YouTube TV often finds itself nowadays, and we’ve seen the company struggle to secure the rights from network operators, with its most recent contract negotiations going public with Fox. While it seemed like customers would lose the ability to enjoy shows from the network, YouTube was able to get a deal done, keeping Fox on the platform for a little while longer.
So it doesn’t come as a complete surprise that we’re already hearing news of another uphill battle, this time with NBCUniversal. The news comes from a report on CNBC, sharing that there’s chatter that content from the network may not be around after the expiration of the current contract that ends on September 2025 (via 9to5Google).
While YouTube has been paying in order to keep its content flowing, the new report states that it might be looking to play a little hardball this time around to lower the rates. With content costing more and more, and providers raising rates on services, it only makes sense that these types of negotiations will continue for many years to come.