Amazon’s Fire TV is at risk of being the only major streaming platform without Disney+ at launch, as the two companies remain locked in a dispute over advertising, according to The Wall Street Journal.
If Disney doesn’t agree with Amazon over advertising space, the company could also possibly see a number of its apps removed from Fire TV, including sports streaming service ESPN+. As Disney tries to enter the direct-to-consumer streaming video market and compete with giants like Netflix, it’s crucial to be on Fire TV, which is the second-largest distributor of streaming apps, according to the Journal. The disputes are a result of Amazon wanting the right to sell a “substantial percentage of the ad space on Disney apps,” according to the Journal, but Disney is resisting.
Conflicts between Amazon and other companies, including Apple and Google, have kept other popular apps from being carried on Fire TV. YouTube is one example. It wasn’t until this year that Amazon and Google, YouTube’s parent company, were able to come to an agreement over carrying the official YouTube app. Prior to this year, Amazon wouldn’t carry the app, and Google didn’t offer Chromecast users the ability to connect to Amazon Prime Video.
Giving consumers easy access to streaming services is crucial to companies like Disney as more streaming services prepare to launch. Sources told the Journal that a deal could still be reached, and there’s no reported deadline on when talks between Amazon and Disney have to close.
But the two companies don’t have long before Disney’s streaming service debut. Disney+ will launch in a number of countries on November 12th for $6.99 a month.
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