Why not put the deal terms with Roku and Amazon Fire out there for everybody to see, HBO Max and Peacock?

Think about it. Maybe the “fire” in this Amazon and Roku deal can be put out by customers?

This is 2020, not 1960. Technology exists to share info with the masses quickly, easily and gain feedback: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, a company blog post, etc.

We live in a social time where just about everything seems to find its way online. Why not release the deal terms being discussed “behind the scenes” that are impacting us — customers — so we can see who is being “reasonable” and who is being “greedy.”

I think given the amount of time behind the scenes that a deal between HBO Max, Peacock and Amazon (Fire) and Roku hasn’t been made suggests a more radical solution.

Transparency.

The standoffs, of course, revolve around money. More than that, the distribution disputes are about long-term strategic access to rapidly growing streaming-first audiences, as well as advertising inventory. One media company exec says Roku and Amazon are asking for “egregious” terms. On the other side, an insider at one of the over-the-top platform providers says they’re simply looking for “a reasonable share” of the value they create for partners — and adds that companies like WarnerMedia and NBCU are coming to the table with an “old TV mindset.”

HBO Max, Peacock Are in Standoff With Roku and Amazon Fire TV – Variety

Is it too much to ask for transparency in this day and age from the companies we do business with? So many times we’re like pawns on the chessboard while the real chess masters play their game behind some gigantic curtain.

I’ve written several posts about how this is stupid and hurting us, customers, at a time when neither side should want that:

• Spinning Yarns – Differing Viewpoints on Why HBO Max Not On Roku and Amazon Fire
• Could Be No Roku and Amazon Fire support for Peacock at Launch – Here You Come Again
• Tired of Waiting For Roku, 7+ Year Customer Buys Chromecast Ultra to Stream HBO Max to TV
• Does HBO Max or Quibi Get To Amazon Fire and Roku first?
• HBO Max to Roku Cast To TV Microsoft Windows Workaround
• Still No Announcement for HBO Max on Roku, But Multiple Alternate Ways to Cast To TV at Launch

(Site navigation tip: just use the search for “Roku” is how to quickly pull up these past posts)

If Roku and Amazon are asking for a reasonable deal and it’s HBO Max and/or Peacock that’s being greedy don’t subscribers have a right to decide if they want to support that?

I’m tired of companies claiming something without showing us any facts. Put up or shut up. Put the deal out there so we can see who’s being reasonable and who’s not.

You never know, maybe some of your customers can help you get over this impasse? Both sides digging in and not budging isn’t going to reach some compromise.

What do you think? Would you like to see the deal terms so that you can judge for yourself who’s responsible for not making this go through? How long should we all wait in the dark while they “work this deal out in private”? Sorry to be impatient, but sometimes you get things done when you try something different. Whatever both sides are doing doesn’t seem to be working.