Key Points
- Fubo is using an affiliate link for streamer Peacock on a support page about its ongoing dispute with NBC Universal.
- The use of an affiliate link helps Fubo earn a commission from activations of Peacock subscriptions.
- NBC-owned channels have been unavailable to Fubo subscribers since Friday afternoon; most NBC shows are available on Peacock.
Disney-owned service Fubo has been without channels from Comcast’s NBC Universal since Friday afternoon, but the company is still earning money from NBC programming by selling access to streaming platform Peacock, The Desk has learned.
Over the weekend, Fubo launched a support page that explains why NBC channels are no longer available on its streaming platform, with the core issue centered around the fees Fubo must pay Comcast for the privilege of offering NBC’s broadcast stations, affiliates, cable networks and free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels.
During the dispute, Fubo says streamers can watch most NBC Universal shows by accessing the streaming platform Peacock, and the company includes a helpful link to the Peacock sign-up page where streamers can start a subscription.
Fubo’s link is connected to an affiliate platform that earns it a small commission if a streamer activates a subscription to Peacock using that specific link. The commission varies between affiliate partners, but the typical Peacock activation earns affiliate partners like Fubo around $4 per sign-up.
It wasn’t immediately clear what program Fubo was using to earn commissions from Peacock subscriptions sold via its link, and the company isn’t disclosing its use of affiliate links, something that is required by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Officials at Fubo and Comcast have not returned requests for comment.
Stock Price
Fubo is majority-owned by Disney. The dispute involving NBC Universal and its channels is the second of its kind that Disney has found itself involved in over the past month. In October, Disney-owned channels were pulled from YouTube TV after the company was unable to reach a new agreement with YouTube parent Google over fees and certain distribution terms. The situation was resolved about two weeks later.
In the instance involving Fubo, subscribers of the service — which costs more than $100 per month for its base plan, when taxes and fees are factored in — have been without local NBC and Telemundo stations and affiliates since the weekend, and no longer have access to regional NBC-branded sports channels and national networks like Bravo, E!, USA Network, MS NOW, CNBC, Cozi TV and NBC Universo.
The situation has also deprived Fubo users of NBC’s FAST channel portfolio, meaning streamers cannot access content streams like American Crimes, GolfPass, NBC News Now, NBC Sports Now, SNL Vault and Today All Day through the platform. Most of those channels are available on competing services like Pluto TV, The Roku Channel and Plex.
NBC’s local stations and premium networks are available on alternative streaming services like Hulu with Live TV, DIRECTV, YouTube TV and Sling TV.
