WGA Report: Disney, Amazon, and Netflix Are the ‘New Gatekeepers’ of Media
variety.comGene Maddaus Senior Media Writer The Writers Guild of America issued a report on Thursday calling Netflix, Amazon and Disney the “new gatekeepers” of the media business, and calling for antitrust regulators to prevent consolidation in the streaming marketplace.
The report argues that Netflix, Amazon and Disney have amassed collective market power that has driven down wages and limited viewer choice.
The guild also argues that the companies have shown they will “abuse a position of dominance” to harm their competitors and that further consolidation will result in fewer writers able to make a living. “Any mergers in media and entertainment involving significant streaming players should be blocked, including acquisitions of smaller or potential competitors,” the union argues.
The report comes as the WGA strike reaches its 108th day with no signs that a deal is imminent. The guild responded on Tuesday to the latest proposal from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, but sources have said that the two sides remain far apart on a range of key issues, including a TV staffing minimum, weekly pay for screenwriters, and a viewership-based streaming residual.
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