Roku and YouTube Call Off Their Prolonged Dispute
Streaming giant Roku and tech titan Google have sealed a multi-year agreement for YouTube and YouTube TV, steering clear of a December contract impasse that could have seen YouTube vanish from Roku's app store.
Confirming the news, a Roku representative stated, "We're happy to announce a multi-year extension for both YouTube and YouTube TV. This agreement is a win for our shared customers, ensuring both YouTube and YouTube TV remain accessible on the Roku platform."
The gnarling tension between the two giants was first ignited back in April when Roku accused Google of making underhanded competitive demands during negotiations surrounding the unresolved carriage agreement. These demands reportedly included prioritizing Google's properties in Roku's search results and creating a dedicated search results row for YouTube within the smart TV interface. After the public spat emerged, YouTube TV silently disappeared from Roku's app store.
Google has consistently denied Roku's allegations, branding their claims about demand for preferential treatment as "baseless." Yet, emails obtained by CNBC hint at Google's stance, reading, "A dedicated shelf for YT search results is non-negotiable."
Five months on, Roku confessed that not only were new YouTube and YouTube TV users affected by the app's disappearance, but existing users would also be impacted if a distribution deal with Google wasn't reached before the deadline on Dec. 9.
In a blog post, Roku warned, "We've seen an alarming pattern that jeopardizes the competitive and vibrant streaming ecosystem. Instead of fostering a mutually beneficial partnership, some tech titans are wielding their market power to control independent businesses, like Roku, to their advantage, potentially curtailing a fair and open competitive streaming marketplace."
The lengthy nature of the new agreement provides some respite for customers who won't have to witness platforms battling and threatening to rip away the apps they switched to use in the first place, at least not for a while. However, these massive carriage disputes are becoming increasingly common, suggesting this period of tranquility won't last long.
In the larger scheme, content and carriage disputes are common occurrences in the streaming industry[1][2][3]. The underlying causes often revolve around content distribution rights, pricing, and service terms, affecting both providers and consumers[4].
[1] "Roku-Discovery+ spat: What it means for users and the streaming industry." CNET. https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/roku-discovery-plus-spat-what-it-means-for-users-and-the-streaming-industry/
[2] "Sling TV and Viacom Release Joint Statement Following Carriage Agreement." Sling TV. https://about.sling.com/press-center/press-releases/sling-tv-and-viacom-release-joint-statement-following-carriage-agreement
[3] "Paramount Television Stations to Launch Paramount+ App on Roku Players & Roku TVs." Paramount. https://www.paramount.com/pr/paramount-television-stations-to-launch-paramount-app-on-roku-players-roku-tvs
[4] "Carriage Disputes: Antenna TV, Sinclair Stations Go Dark on Dish Network." TVNewsCheck. https://www.tvnewscheck.com/antennatv-sinclair-stations-go-dark-on-dish-network-latest-casualty-of-the-carriage-feud/
- The long-lasting dispute between Roku and Google, which started in April over Google's reported demands for preferential treatment, has probably come to an end with a multi-year agreement for YouTube and YouTube TV on Roku's platform.
- Despite Google's initial denials, emails obtained by CNBC hinted at Google's insistence on a dedicated YouTube search results shelf, a demand Roku accused of being anti-competitive.
- In a blog post, Roku confessed that not only new users, but also existing users were impacted by the disappearance of YouTube and YouTube TV from Roku's app store in December if a distribution deal with Google wasn't reached.
- Although the new agreement between Roku and Google provides some relief for customers in the short term, the increasing frequency of such massive carriage disputes in the streaming industry suggests that this period of tranquility won't last long.
