Key facts
- Boycotting Disney proved difficult due to its ownership of numerous entertainment platforms and franchises.
- Disney acquired Fubo in January 2025, settling an antitrust lawsuit.
- Fubo increased its subscription prices by $15 after a dispute with NBCUniversal.
- Media conglomeration in streaming intensifies, leading to fewer owners and potential price hikes.
- Mergers in streaming can lead to higher subscription fees and less diverse programming.
A personal account of the difficulty in boycotting Disney due to its vast media holdings illustrates the growing challenge consumers face as streaming services consolidate. The author's struggle to avoid Disney's content, from TV shows to movies and sports, underscores how media mergers concentrate power, making it harder for consumers to express dissent through boycotts and for smaller voices to be heard.
The author found it challenging to boycott Disney last fall after the company pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air. The ubiquity of Disney's content across platforms like Disney+, Hulu, ABC, FX, and ESPN made a complete boycott impractical for daily entertainment routines, including sitcoms, adult animation, and movie franchises.
This difficulty in protesting is exacerbated by ongoing media conglomeration and mergers in the streaming age. The article highlights Fubo's antitrust lawsuit against Disney, Fox Corporation, and Warner Bros. Discovery over plans to launch a joint sports streaming app. Fubo alleged anticompetitive behavior, including being forced to purchase unwanted content to access desired sports programming. Disney settled the suit in January 2025 by acquiring Fubo, a move that critics suggest undermines competition.
Fubo's subsequent price hike further illustrates the financial pressures on streaming services. After a contract dispute with NBCUniversal, Fubo raised its monthly subscription price by $15, even after restoring some channels. Experts predict more mergers in the streaming industry as companies strive for profitability, which could lead to higher prices, less competition, and potentially less diverse programming.
The article also raises concerns about Fox's potential acquisition of Roku, which could impact free ad-supported streaming services. The trend toward consolidation means that boycotting a merged entity would require avoiding a wider array of content and services.