The Department of Justice’s investigation into the “most valuable programming in all of television” -- NFL games -- “could have real-world implications for the league and its media partners,” according to Alex Weprin of the HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. But “not every media partner would face an equal impact” from the investigations by the DOJ and FCC. Fox and CBS owner Paramount, which hold the Sunday afternoon windows and broadcast more games on local stations than any other partner, “could benefit from the outcome of any investigation or interpretation of the Sports Broadcasting Act,” which provides a limited antitrust exemption to the league. On the other hand, companies like Amazon, Netflix and Disney -- which owns ESPN -- “may face new pressure given their subscription focus.” The NFL is “existential to companies” like Fox and Paramount, “given the importance of the programming to their TV lineups, their advertising revenue, and their streaming ambitions, which are focused on consumers that don’t have pay TV subscriptions.” But “more significantly,” pure-play media companies do not “have the economic firepower of the big tech giants.” Given the NFL’s “notoriously” limited supply of games, and its “willingness to carve out new windows to maximize its revenues, that may be the sticking point in the talks, and in the government investigations” (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/9).