All Things Video

Eric Peckham is an analyst for TechCrunch and the creator of the Monetizing Media newsletter. Earlier in his career, he worked in startups and venture capital in New York and Los Angeles. In this episode, Eric and I discuss how media industry realignment favors incumbents over new entrants – a seemingly new phenomenon given platform shifts had historically offered greater opportunity for startups. According to Eric, there are a few elements at play. For one, many startups are staying private longer and opting for strategic exits rather than IPOs, which makes it easier for cash-rich tech giants to acquire would-be competitors. What’s more, the Internet often creates “winner take all” or at least “winner take most” dynamics, which can stifle competitive innovation once an incumbent becomes entrenched. And finally, our global anti-trust laws are incredibly outdated. Despite calls to update them for the Internet age, some politicians worry about hamstringing domestic companies in the face of foreign competitors.