Since it's inception the content owners have been able to deal with a limited number of providers who had little to no incentive to manage cost. Satellite has enough drawbacks that local cable operators had no major competition that customers would go to in the event of price increases. The distribution costs, laying cable, provided a major barrier to entry to competition.

That has changed with streaming providers. The barriers to entry are gone so now anyone who can string together enough content can become a provider and price is now a factor. I think the first response is that a lot of niche channels that only exist because the content owners force them to be carried to get the stuff people want will go away.

I see the future as consumers dealing with the owners more than the distributors. Paying more for channels you want but not having a bunch of stuff you don't.

Though the realist side of me knows that the content owners will just get control of the streaming services like they did the cable companies and we will get the shaft. That's just how it works and the FCC and such will just bend us over for their benefactors that keep the politicians fat and happy.