In the waterfall, Streaming/Paid TV refers to what description?

• A. Free television networks
• B. The theatrical window only
• C. Linear programming where a service buys content to be shown as part of a paid channel, not a single film purchase
• D. Direct-to-video release

Answer: (C)

Streaming/Paid TV in the licensing waterfall refers to licensing that is sold as part of a linear channel or paid streaming service—a service buys a slate or library of content to be shown on a paid channel, rather than purchasing individual films for on-demand or home video. This means the rights are packaged for a channel’s schedule (often with a license fee or revenue-sharing arrangement) and the content is presented as part of a continuous lineup, not as one-off, per-title acquisitions. It’s distinct from free networks (which are ad-supported and not paywalled), the theatrical window (which involves release in cinemas), or direct-to-video (which bypasses channel licensing in favor of home release).