Not as good as it used to be: Do streaming platforms penalize quality?


Gambato, Jacopo ; Sandrini, Luca

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URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:180-madoc-678336
Document Type: Working paper
Year of publication: 2024
The title of a journal, publication series: ZEW Discussion Papers
Volume: 24-045
Place of publication: Mannheim
Edition: This version: 19.06.2024
Publication language: English
Institution: Sonstige Einrichtungen > ZEW - Leibniz-Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung
MADOC publication series: Veröffentlichungen des ZEW (Leibniz-Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung) > ZEW Discussion Papers
Subject: 330 Economics
Classification: JEL: D4 , L1 , L5,
Keywords (English): platform economics , media economics , content aggregator , recommendation bias , innovation
Abstract: In this study, we analyze the incentives of a streaming platform to bias consumption when products are vertically differentiated. The platform offers mixed bundles of content to monetize consumer interest in variety and pays royalties to sellers based on the effective consumption of the generated content. When products are not vertically differentiated, the platform has no incentive to bias consumption in equilibrium. With vertical differentiation, royalties can differ, and the platform biases recommendations in favor of the cheapest content, hurting consumers and high-quality sellers. Biased recommendations, if unconstrained, eliminate sellers’ incentives to increase the quality of their content, but if constrained, may lead to the inefficient allocation of R&D efforts.




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