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Many industry watchers believe Disney is acting in bad faith. Given that YouTube TV has helped increase Disney's viewership, Disney's push for higher licensing fees appears to be punitive rather than equitable. YouTube, on the other hand, maintains that they have a valid, existing agreement, and any attempt to renegotiate for higher rates is an overreach, aiming to shut out competitors.
The Future of Content Distribution
The dispute has broad implications. Analysts point out that Disney's strategic move to leverage Hulu's assets could be an attempt to shift consumers away from YouTube TV toward Hulu or Disney+, thereby controlling their distribution channel more tightly.