MPAA Outlines Four Months of Innovation in the Video Market

Last week, FSF Scholars submitted its response to the questions in the sixth white paper regarding video policy to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) also submitted its response and outlined the dynamic innovations that have occurred in the over-the-top (OTT) video marketplace in just the last four months:

•    On Oct. 15, 2014, Time Warner announced the launch of a stand-alone, over-the-top, HBO service in the United States. 

•    On Oct. 16, 2014, CBS announced the launch of CBS All Access, a subscription video-on-demand and live-streaming service that makes available both archived and current CBS television network programming. 

•    Between Oct. 27, 2014, and Jan. 14, 2015, Amazon introduced the Google Chromecast competitor Fire TV Stick; announced the debut of three original television series and 12 original television pilots; and signed Woody Allen to create his first television series. 

•    Between Oct. 29, 2014, and Jan. 7, 2015, Netflix made announcements regarding 10 original television series. On Jan. 20, 2015, the company announced it had added a record 13 million new subscribers during the fourth quarter of 2014, bringing its total subscriber base to 57.4 million. 

•    Between Oct. 30 and Nov. 18, 2014, Hulu announced two original television series. 

•    On Nov. 13, 2014, Sony announced the launch of PlayStation™ Vue, a cloudbased TV service that makes available 75 channels of live and archived programming, including from CBS, FOX, FX, FOX Sports, YES Network, National Geographic, NBC, NBCSN, CNBC, Telemundo, Bravo, E!, Oxygen, Sprout, Syfy, USA Network, BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1, Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet, Oprah Winfrey Network, HGTV, Food Network, and the Travel Channel.

•    On Jan. 5, 2015, DISH announced the launch of Sling TV, a live, over-the-top television service, including content from ESPN, Disney, TNT, TBS, Food Network, HGTV, and the Cartoon Network.

New innovations such as these have emerged to create a dynamically competitive video market, which is a very different snapshot relative to the video market 25 years ago. Over that span, the market share of cable providers has decreased from 95 percent to 55 percent. It is important that video policy reflect the ever-changing market that sees new competitors and innovations every week. 

It is also important to understand that the protection of intellectual property rights plays a pivotal role in the continuing evolution of the video marketplace.