A method using media arbitration includes, while a first assistant-enabled device is performing a first long-standing operation, determining the first assistant-enabled device satisfies a co-presence condition with a second assistant-enabled device, and determining that the second assistant-enabled device is performing a second long-standing operation that conflicts with the first long-standing operation performed by the first assistant-enabled device. Based on determining that the first long-standing operation and the second long-standing operation conflict, the method also includes executing an operation arbitration routine to identify one or more compromise operations for at least one of the first assistant-enabled device or the second assistant-enabled device to perform, and instructing the first assistant-enabled device or the second assistant-enabled device to perform a selected compromise operation among the identified compromise operations.