OTT-as-MVPD Won't Increase Online Video Competition, Says Gallant

The FCC likely will classify linear over-the-top distributors as multichannel video programming distributors, but that won’t increase OTT competition (see 1503060046), said Guggenheim Securities analyst Paul Gallant in an emailed note Friday. It would offer OTTs access to vertically integrated programming and require local TV stations to “negotiate in good faith” for signal carriage by OTTs and MVPDs, he said, but that wouldn’t give OTTs more access to marquee content and the Copyright Office would have to say that OTTs qualify for compulsory copyright licenses. Comcast's planned buy of Time Warner Cable is focused on its effect on online video competition, Gallant said. Mediacom’s requested FCC inquiry into programmer leverage over OTTs and other pay-TV distributors could affect OTT entry, he said. There's a small chance the commission could ask about programmer bundling and volume discounts and start such an inquiry, he said. A programmer inquiry could improve OTTs’ access to programming more than OTT-as-MVPD would, he said.