INDEPENDENT MINDS. EXCELLENT TELEVISION.THE PREVIEW EDITION / SEPTEMBER 2026
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SOURCE NOTEBOOK

TV Shows & Streaming Database — Deep Research Brief, Part 05: "Where to Watch" Availability, Pricing, and Catalog Change Tracking

111 preserved extracts. Research planning document; requested work is not evidence that the work was completed.

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111 extracts
  1. NOTE 3749

    TV Shows & Streaming Database — Deep Research Brief, Part 05: "Where to Watch" Availability, Pricing, and Catalog Change Tracking

    Research window: January 1, 2019 – September 15, 2026 (with emphasis on the last 24 months). Research date: state the exact date research was performed (brief drafted September 17, 2026).

  2. NOTE 3750

    TV Shows & Streaming Database — Deep Research Brief, Part 05: "Where to Watch" Availability, Pricing, and Catalog Change Tracking

    Conduct exhaustive research on how TV series availability works and changes across streaming, broadcast-streaming, FAST, and rent/buy storefronts in multiple countries, and on how existing aggregators collect, display, and get availability wrong. The goal is to give the website a defensible availability record model, a measured understanding of catalog churn, a documented case list of removed and split-rights titles, a tested deep-link library, an accuracy benchmark against the leading aggregators, and the math behind "which services do I need," subscription rotation, and price-history features.

  3. NOTE 3751

    1. How to research this part

    Treat every named title, platform, price, date, and removal in this brief as a lead to verify, not a fact. Items marked (verify) are especially likely to be stale.

  4. NOTE 3752

    1. How to research this part

    Minimum counts: at least 60 platform-plan records per country for the 5 audit countries; at least 75 removal/write-off/rights-dispute cases (2022–2026); at least 40 split-rights examples; at least 25 TVOD price observations per storefront; deep-link patterns for at least 30 platforms across web, iOS, Android, and one TV OS.

  5. NOTE 3753

    1. How to research this part

    Prefer primary sources: platform help centers and pricing pages, press sites, company earnings calls and 10-K/annual reports, official "new this month" posts, storefront listings observed directly, and API documentation. Use trade press (Deadline, Variety, THR, The Wrap, Cord Cutters News, What's on Netflix) for context and dates, not as the sole source for availability.

  6. NOTE 3754

    1. How to research this part

    Record every availability and price observation with country, plan, observation date (UTC), observation method (manual in-app, official web page, API response), and observer.

  7. NOTE 3755

    1. How to research this part

    Log "as of" dates on catalog-size and churn figures; catalog numbers change weekly.

  8. NOTE 3756

    1. How to research this part

    Do not scrape platforms or aggregators in violation of their terms, use VPNs or geo-block evasion to observe other countries, or link to unauthorized sources. Use local testers, official country pages, licensed APIs, or contracted panels.

  9. NOTE 3757

    1. How to research this part

    Separate announced dates ("leaving March 31") from observed removals (title actually gone on April 1 in that country).

  10. NOTE 3758

    2.1 Core record (platform × country × plan × date)

    Design and justify a schema. Research how JustWatch, Reelgood, Watchmode, Streaming Availability API (Movie of the Night), and TMDB watch providers structure their equivalents (verify current field sets from public documentation).

  11. NOTE 3759

    2.1 Core record (platform × country × plan × date)

    availabilityid, titleid (canonical), scope (series / season / episode), seasonnumber, episoderange

  12. NOTE 3760

    2.1 Core record (platform × country × plan × date)

    platformid, channeloraddonid (e.g., a Prime Video Channel vs. Prime Video itself), country (ISO 3166-1), region where relevant (e.g., Canadian provinces for French-language rights)

  13. NOTE 3761

    2.1 Core record (platform × country × plan × date)

    offertype: subscription, free-with-ads, free, rent, buy, add-on, live/linear, next-day, FAST channel

  14. NOTE 3762

    2.1 Core record (platform × country × plan × date)

    planidsincluded (e.g., Netflix Standard with ads vs. Standard vs. Premium; Peacock Premium vs. Premium Plus; Disney+ Basic vs. Premium)

  15. NOTE 3763

    2.1 Core record (platform × country × plan × date)

    planrestrictions (title excluded from ad tier for licensing reasons—verify known Netflix and Disney+ ad-tier exclusions)

  16. NOTE 3764

    2.1 Core record (platform × country × plan × date)

    quality (SD/HD/4K/HDR/Dolby Vision), audiolanguages, subtitlelanguages, audiodescription flag

  17. NOTE 3765

    2.1 Core record (platform × country × plan × date)

    price, currency, pricetype (per episode / per season / season pass), taxinclusive flag

  18. NOTE 3766

    2.1 Core record (platform × country × plan × date)

    availablefrom, availableuntil (announced), observedfirstat, observedlastat

  19. NOTE 3767

    2.1 Core record (platform × country × plan × date)

    deeplinks {web, ios, android, tvos, androidtv, roku, firetv, tizen, webos}

  20. NOTE 3768

    2.1 Core record (platform × country × plan × date)

    source (list), sourcerecordid, confidencescore, lastverifiedat, verificationmethod

  21. NOTE 3769

    2.1 Core record (platform × country × plan × date)

    status: active, leavingsoon, expired, removedunexpectedly, disputed, unconfirmed

  22. NOTE 3770

    2.2 Questions to answer

    Should season-level and episode-level records be stored separately, or episode ranges collapsed? Show a worked example where Season 1–3 are on one service and Season 4 on another.

  23. NOTE 3771

    2.2 Questions to answer

    How should "partial seasons" be handled (e.g., a network streamer carrying only the last 5 episodes of a current season)? Research next-day windows on Hulu, Peacock, Paramount+, and network apps (verify current policies post-2025 Hulu integration into Disney+).

  24. NOTE 3772

    2.2 Questions to answer

    How do add-on channels map (Prime Video Channels, Apple TV Channels, Roku Premium Subscriptions, YouTube Primetime Channels)? A title on "HBO Max via Prime Video Channels" (verify whether still offered) is a different offer from HBO Max direct.

  25. NOTE 3773

    2.2 Questions to answer

    How to represent bundles (Disney+/Hulu/HBO Max bundle, Xfinity StreamSaver, carrier bundles) without duplicating availability.

  26. NOTE 3774

    2.2 Questions to answer

    How to model dubbed/subbed differences (e.g., anime simulcast subbed vs. dub weeks later on Crunchyroll; verify).

  27. NOTE 3775

    2.3 Worked example to produce

    Take one long-running series with known split rights (candidate leads: Grey's Anatomy, The Office (U.S.), Seinfeld, Star Trek: Discovery, Doctor Who) and build its full availability table for US, UK, CA, AU, DE on a single date, with every season, plan, and storefront. Show the JSON and a rendered "Where to watch" module mock.

  28. NOTE 3776

    3. Catalog churn: adds, removals, and cadence

    Measure monthly adds and removals by platform and country. Sources: official "new on" posts, What's on Netflix removal lists, JustWatch/Reelgood "new" and "leaving" feeds (as licensed), and your own longitudinal snapshots.

  29. NOTE 3777

    3. Catalog churn: adds, removals, and cadence

    Questions: What share of removals happen on the 1st and last day of the month? What share are pre-announced, and how far ahead (Netflix "last day to watch" labels typically ~30 days (verify))? How often do announced removals get extended or reversed?

  30. NOTE 3778

    3. Catalog churn: adds, removals, and cadence

    Research catalog-size estimates and their sources (e.g., Netflix U.S. TV series count over time; verify figures from What's on Netflix, JustWatch, Ampere Analysis). Record source and date for every number.

  31. NOTE 3779

    3. Catalog churn: adds, removals, and cadence

    Study licensed-vs-original catalog shifts: licensing back to rivals (e.g., WBD and Paramount titles licensed to Netflix 2023–2025 (verify); Suits on Netflix 2023 as a demand case (verify)).

  32. NOTE 3780

    3. Catalog churn: adds, removals, and cadence

    Study library moves tied to corporate events: Paramount Skydance–WBD acquisition plan to combine HBO Max and Paramount+ (announced; closing not expected before 2027, verify); Hulu integration into Disney+; Freevee shutdown 2025 and where Freevee originals went (verify); Crunchyroll ending free ad-supported tier Dec 31, 2025 (verify).

  33. NOTE 3781

    3. Catalog churn: adds, removals, and cadence

    Produce: a churn table (platform, country, month, adds, removals, announced %, reversals) for at least 12 months across 10 platforms, clearly marked as estimated where based on third-party data.

  34. NOTE 3782

    3.1 Leaving-soon data reliability

    Compare "leaving soon" labels in apps vs. aggregator feeds vs. actual removal dates for a sample of at least 100 titles.

  35. NOTE 3783

    3.1 Leaving-soon data reliability

    Record: announced date, actual removal date, country, whether extension occurred, lag before aggregator updated.

  36. NOTE 3784

    3.1 Leaving-soon data reliability

    Case leads: Netflix "Last day to watch" badges; Hulu "Expiring" collection; Max/HBO Max "Last Chance" rows; Prime Video "Leaving soon" (verify which still exist).

  37. NOTE 3785

    4. Removed titles, write-offs, and rights disputes (2022–2026)

    Build a case database. Every entry below is a lead requiring verification of dates, scope, and whether the title later returned elsewhere.

  38. NOTE 3786

    4.1 Write-offs and content purges (verify all)

    Warner Bros. Discovery removals from HBO Max 2022–2023: Westworld, The Nevers, Minx (later picked up by Starz), Raised by Wolves, Love Life, Gordita Chronicles, Infinity Train, Summer Camp Island, OK K.O.!, various Cartoon Network titles; many later went to FAST services (Tubi, The Roku Channel) (verify).

  39. NOTE 3787

    4.1 Write-offs and content purges (verify all)

    Disney+/Hulu removals May–June 2023: Willow, Y: The Last Man, Big Shot, The Mysterious Benedict Society, Dollface, Pistol, The Premise (verify); Willow later to TVOD/other (verify).

  40. NOTE 3788

    4.1 Write-offs and content purges (verify all)

    Paramount+ removals 2023 after Showtime integration: Star Trek: Prodigy (moved to Netflix, verify), Queen of the Universe, Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, The Game revival (verify).

  41. NOTE 3789

    4.1 Write-offs and content purges (verify all)

    Starz, AMC+, and MGM+ removals (research whether documented).

  42. NOTE 3790

    4.1 Write-offs and content purges (verify all)

    Post-2025 consolidation removals: research titles removed during Hulu-into-Disney+ migration, Freevee sunset, Versant spin-off (Comcast cable networks, Jan 2026, verify) and any Paramount+/Showtime catalog trimming.

  43. NOTE 3791

    4.2 Licensing expirations and disputes (verify all)

    Carriage or licensing disputes that pulled TV content: YouTube TV vs. Disney channels (Nov 2025 blackout, verify); YouTube TV vs. Paramount/NBCU/Fox negotiations 2025 (verify outcomes); DirecTV vs. Disney (2024, verify).

  44. NOTE 3792

    4.2 Licensing expirations and disputes (verify all)

    Music-rights edits and removals (e.g., Scrubs, Dawson's Creek, Daria music replacements on streaming) as availability-quality issues, not removals.

  45. NOTE 3793

    4.2 Licensing expirations and disputes (verify all)

    Episodes pulled for content reasons: 30 Rock, Scrubs, Community, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia episodes removed 2020 for blackface (verify); Golden Girls episode (verify). These create episode-level gaps that must be recorded.

  46. NOTE 3794

    4.2 Licensing expirations and disputes (verify all)

    Titles unavailable on any streaming service in the U.S. for extended periods (lead list to verify: Moonlighting (returned via Hulu 2020, verify), The Wonder Years original, WKRP in Cincinnati, Ally McBeal).

  47. NOTE 3795

    4.3 Produce

    Case table: title, platform, countries affected, removal date, stated reason (write-off / expiry / dispute / content / unknown), official statement link, later home (platform, date), episode-level impact, source quality rating.

  48. NOTE 3796

    4.3 Produce

    A "lost TV" indicator policy: when to label a title "not currently streaming anywhere in [country]" and how to verify a true absence (checking all storefronts, FAST services, network apps).

  49. NOTE 3797

    5. Split rights

    Seasons split across services: e.g., The Walking Dead seasons (Netflix vs. AMC+ in U.S. at various times, verify); Gossip Girl original; Gilmore Girls (Netflix vs. others internationally); Doctor Who (BBC iPlayer + Disney+ outside UK/Ireland 2023–2025, verify current).

  50. NOTE 3798

    5. Split rights

    Territory splits: Netflix-branded originals licensed from other studios (Star Trek: Discovery was Netflix outside U.S. until Paramount+ took it back ~2021, verify); The Office U.S. on Peacock in U.S. but other services internationally; Apple/Prime co-productions.

  51. NOTE 3799

    5. Split rights

    Language/region splits: French-language rights in Canada (Crave vs. Club illico, verify); Latin America vs. Brazil; DACH vs. rest of EU.

  52. NOTE 3800

    5. Split rights

    Windowing splits: broadcast next-day on Hulu (ABC, FX) or Peacock (NBC) vs. full back catalog elsewhere; Paramount+ live CBS feed vs. on-demand.

  53. NOTE 3801

    5. Split rights

    Produce: at least 40 split-rights examples with a diagram-ready table (title → seasons → country → platform → dates).

  54. NOTE 3802

    6. Network next-day streaming and live windows

    Document for each major U.S. broadcaster: next-day on which service and plan (ABC/Hulu or Disney+, NBC/Peacock, CBS/Paramount+, Fox/Hulu or Fox One or Tubi, The CW/CW app) (verify all post-2025).

  55. NOTE 3803

    6. Network next-day streaming and live windows

    Document live access: Paramount+ with Showtime/Premium live CBS; Peacock Premium Plus live NBC affiliate; Fox One (launched Aug 2025, verify); vMVPDs.

  56. NOTE 3804

    6. Network next-day streaming and live windows

    UK/AU/CA equivalents: BBC iPlayer box-set policy, ITVX, Channel 4 streaming-first, 7plus/9Now/10 catch-up windows, CBC Gem, Crave next-day HBO (verify).

  57. NOTE 3805

    6. Network next-day streaming and live windows

    Questions: How long do "current season" episodes stay (rolling 5, full season, until next season)? How to show a rolling window in the UI?

  58. NOTE 3806

    7. TVOD per-episode and season pricing

    Storefronts: Apple TV app/iTunes, Amazon Prime Video store, Google TV / YouTube Movies & TV (verify Google Play Movies migration status), Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu, rebranded 2024, verify), Microsoft Store (verify whether still selling TV), Sky Store, Rakuten TV, Chili (verify status).

  59. NOTE 3807

    7. TVOD per-episode and season pricing

    Observe per-episode HD/SD pricing (historically $1.99–$3.99 U.S., verify), season prices, season passes, "complete series" bundles, pre-order season pass behavior, and whether 4K costs more.

  60. NOTE 3808

    7. TVOD per-episode and season pricing

    Research regional differences (UK £, EUR, CAD, AUD) and tax-inclusive display.

  61. NOTE 3809

    7. TVOD per-episode and season pricing

    Questions: How often do season prices change? How common are sales? Do storefront prices differ by device? Are some episodes unavailable individually?

  62. NOTE 3810

    7. TVOD per-episode and season pricing

    Produce: a price sheet of 25+ titles × 4 storefronts × 3 countries with observation dates, plus a price-change log over at least 8 weeks.

  63. NOTE 3811

    8. Deep links: formats and testing

    Catalog link patterns for each platform (web URL, universal links on iOS, Android App Links/intents, tvOS, Android TV, Roku ECP deep-link parameters, Fire TV, Samsung Tizen, LG webOS). Research official partner docs: Apple TV app integration (Video Partner Program, verify), Google TV/Android "Watch Actions" (verify), Roku deep linking spec, Amazon catalog integration.

  64. NOTE 3812

    8. Deep links: formats and testing

    Record whether links target series, season, or episode, and whether IDs are stable (Netflix title IDs, Prime Video ASINs/GTIs, Disney+ entity IDs, HBO Max URNs—verify formats).

  65. NOTE 3813

    8. Deep links: formats and testing

    Design a test protocol: for each platform × device × country, test 50 links; record outcome (opens correct episode, opens show page, opens home, error, prompts install, wrong region). Retest monthly.

  66. NOTE 3814

    8. Deep links: formats and testing

    Produce: deep-link failure-rate table and a link-rot monitoring plan (HTTP checks for web, periodic device checks for apps).

  67. NOTE 3815

    8. Deep links: formats and testing

    Note affiliate-link wrapping impacts (Amazon, Apple Services Performance Partners) and disclosure needs; note where a lawyer should review affiliate terms.

  68. NOTE 3816

    9.1 Design

    Countries: US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany (or India/Brazil as alternates; justify).

  69. NOTE 3817

    9.1 Design

    Sample: 500 series stratified by type (100 current-season broadcast/cable, 100 streaming originals, 100 licensed library, 75 anime, 50 K-drama/Asian, 50 reality/unscripted, 25 kids). Include 50 titles with known recent changes.

  70. NOTE 3818

    9.1 Design

    Sources compared: JustWatch, Reelgood (US and limited countries, verify), TMDB watch providers (JustWatch-powered; note attribution), Watchmode, Streaming Availability API, Google search/knowledge panel "Watch" options, official platform apps/websites as ground truth.

  71. NOTE 3819

    9.1 Design

    Ground truth: local testers with real subscriptions checking official apps within a 48-hour window; record screenshots and timestamps.

  72. NOTE 3820

    9.2 Metrics

    Precision (listed offers that truly exist), recall (true offers listed), plan accuracy, season-scope accuracy, price accuracy, deep-link success, and staleness (days behind reality).

  73. NOTE 3821

    9.2 Metrics

    Error taxonomy: wrong platform, missing platform, wrong country, wrong plan/ad tier, wrong season scope, stale removal, phantom leaving-soon, wrong price, broken deep link, add-on confused with base service.

  74. NOTE 3822

    9.2 Metrics

    Produce: per-source scorecard by country and title type, with confidence intervals and a list of the 50 worst errors.

  75. NOTE 3823

    10. Confidence score and last-verified design

    Propose a 0–100 score combining: number of agreeing independent sources, source reliability weights (from the audit), age since last verification, platform volatility (churn rate), proximity to announced expiry or month boundary, and user-reported problems.

  76. NOTE 3824

    10. Confidence score and last-verified design

    Worked example: offer confirmed by official app 2 days ago (+), agreed by 2 feeds (+), month-end in 1 day (−), 1 user report "not available" (−) → score and displayed label ("Verified Sep 15", "Likely", "Unconfirmed").

  77. NOTE 3825

    10. Confidence score and last-verified design

    Define refresh cadence tiers (daily for top 5,000 titles and leaving-soon items; weekly mid-tail; monthly long tail).

  78. NOTE 3826

    10. Confidence score and last-verified design

    Research UX: how to display "last verified" without eroding trust; how users report errors; correction SLAs.

  79. NOTE 3827

    11. "Which services do I need" optimizer

    Formalize as weighted set cover: minimize total monthly cost subject to covering watchlist titles (or maximize weighted coverage under a budget). Include ad-tier vs. ad-free choices, bundles, add-ons, free services, and TVOD fallback costs.

  80. NOTE 3828

    11. "Which services do I need" optimizer

    Worked example: a 20-show watchlist in the U.S., prices on a given date (verify), showing optimal sets at $10, $20, $30 budgets, and the cost of buying the uncovered shows outright.

  81. NOTE 3829

    11. "Which services do I need" optimizer

    Questions: greedy vs. integer programming performance at 200 services; handling annual-plan discounts; multi-country households; user-owned services as sunk cost.

  82. NOTE 3830

    11. "Which services do I need" optimizer

    Research existing tools (JustWatch "my services" filters, Reelgood, Streaming Availability-based apps) and their limits.

  83. NOTE 3831

    12. Subscription rotation planner

    Model a 12-month calendar: which service to hold each month to watch watchlist items as they release (weekly schedules mean finales determine subscription timing).

  84. NOTE 3832

    12. Subscription rotation planner

    Inputs: release calendars, episode counts, user pace (episodes/week), cancellation rules (billing-period end access), price changes, promo offers.

  85. NOTE 3833

    12. Subscription rotation planner

    Research churn-and-return data (Antenna subscriber analyses, verify; serial churner statistics) and platform countermeasures (annual plans, bundles, ad tier pricing).

  86. NOTE 3834

    12. Subscription rotation planner

    Worked example: two prestige weekly shows on different services premiering three months apart; show savings vs. holding both all year.

  87. NOTE 3835

    13. Price history tracking

    Build a price-history table: platform, country, plan, price, currency, effective date, announcement date, grandfathering rules, source link.

  88. NOTE 3836

    13. Price history tracking

    Seed with known 2023–2026 changes (verify each): Netflix price rises (Jan 2025 U.S., verify), Disney+/Hulu Oct 2025 (verify), Peacock July 2025 (verify), HBO Max Oct 2025 (verify), Crunchyroll Feb 2026 (verify), Prime Video Ultra ad-free add-on ($4.99/mo with 4K moved into it, 2026, verify), Apple TV price increase Aug 2025 (verify).

  89. NOTE 3837

    13. Price history tracking

    Questions: how to track promo vs. list prices; how to present regional price parity; how to alert users before increases take effect.

  90. NOTE 3838

    14. Timeline 2019 – 2026

    Log dated events relevant to availability: launches (Disney+, Apple TV+ 2019; HBO Max, Peacock 2020; Paramount+ 2021), renames (Max 2023, HBO Max return July 2025, Apple TV rename Oct 2025; Vudu → Fandango at Home 2024), shutdowns (Freevee 2025; CNN+ 2022), major write-off waves (2022–2023), licensing-back deals, carriage disputes, ad-tier launches (Netflix Nov 2022, Disney+ Dec 2022, Prime Video default ads Jan 2024), password-sharing crackdowns, price changes, merger closings (Skydance–Paramount Aug 2025; Disney–Fubo Oct 2025; WBD acquisition pending) — all (verify).

  91. NOTE 3839

    15. Deliverables for Part 05

    Availability schema (JSON Schema + ER diagram) with worked multi-season, multi-country example.

  92. NOTE 3840

    15. Deliverables for Part 05

    Platform-plan directory for 5 audit countries (at least 300 plan records) with prices and as-of dates.

  93. NOTE 3841

    15. Deliverables for Part 05

    Catalog churn dataset (10 platforms × 12 months) with methodology notes.

  94. NOTE 3842

    15. Deliverables for Part 05

    Removals/write-offs/disputes case database (75+ cases).

  95. NOTE 3843

    15. Deliverables for Part 05

    Split-rights database (40+ examples).

  96. NOTE 3844

    15. Deliverables for Part 05

    Next-day/live window matrix for U.S., UK, CA, AU broadcasters.

  97. NOTE 3845

    15. Deliverables for Part 05

    TVOD price sheet and 8-week price-change log.

  98. NOTE 3846

    15. Deliverables for Part 05

    Deep-link pattern library (30+ platforms) and failure-rate test results.

  99. NOTE 3847

    15. Deliverables for Part 05

    500-title × 5-country accuracy audit report and per-source scorecards.

  100. NOTE 3848

    15. Deliverables for Part 05

    Confidence score specification with test cases.

  101. NOTE 3849

    15. Deliverables for Part 05

    Optimizer and rotation planner specifications with worked examples.

  102. NOTE 3850

    15. Deliverables for Part 05

    Price-history table (2019–2026) with sources.

  103. NOTE 3851

    15. Deliverables for Part 05

    Glossary of at least 60 availability terms (window, holdback, co-exclusive, season pass, next-day, FAST, add-on, etc.).

  104. NOTE 3852

    15. Deliverables for Part 05

    Annotated source list (at least 80 sources) with access dates.

  105. NOTE 3853

    Research standards

    State the research date and record access dates for every observation; availability is only true "as of" a moment in a specific country.

  106. NOTE 3854

    Research standards

    Treat official apps and platform pages observed in-country as ground truth; label aggregator data as secondary.

  107. NOTE 3855

    Research standards

    Never observe foreign catalogs via VPN or geo-evasion; use in-country testers or licensed data.

  108. NOTE 3856

    Research standards

    Label each removal reason as officially stated, reported by trade press, or inferred.

  109. NOTE 3857

    Research standards

    Report accuracy metrics with sample sizes and confidence intervals; do not generalize beyond the sample.

  110. NOTE 3858

    Research standards

    Keep price data with currency, tax treatment, and promo vs. list status.

  111. NOTE 3859

    Research standards

    Respect data-provider terms on caching, attribution, and display; note where a lawyer should review license terms or affiliate agreements.