Hollywood’s battle with streamers over secretive streaming data heats up

California’s incoming governor, Xavier Becerra, has pledged to make streaming services disclose more viewership data, potentially giving writers and other creative workers clearer evidence about how shows perform. The proposal matters because streaming companies’ decisions about renewals and cancellations are often opaque, and performance figures can affect both creative choices and pay negotiations.

Becerra’s proposed California Content Performance Disclosure Requirement would require studios and streamers to provide “meaningful performance data” to the creative community. The article cites Disney+’s *Wonder Man*, which was renewed and then cancelled, and notes that some writers and producers are turning to Samba TV, which tracks viewing through smart TVs and set-top boxes. The lack of transparency was a grievance during the 2023 Hollywood strikes; meanwhile, ad-supported streaming models are beginning to prompt more selective data sharing.