YouTube TV and Disney Return After Streaming Dispute

Jump for joy! A deal has been reached.
Photo: Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images

YouTube TV and‍ Disney Entertainment have resolved their carriage dispute,‍ restoring access to ESPN, ABC, and other Disney-owned channels for subscribers. The agreement,‌ announced late Friday, ends a blackout that began October 30th and disrupted live sports and entertainment programming for millions of viewers.

The dispute, one⁣ of ‍the longest in ‍recent streaming television history, centered on programming⁤ fees and distribution rights. The resolution comes as college football playoffs and the broader holiday television season approach, minimizing further disruption⁣ for YouTube TV’s ⁣user base. Disney Entertainment ⁢co-chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, along with ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro, confirmed‍ the deal in a ⁤joint statement, expressing satisfaction⁤ at reaching an agreement “in time for fans to enjoy the many great programming options this weekend.”

‌ ⁢Disney’s channels – including ABC, ESPN, ⁣Freeform, and FX – ‌went⁣ dark on YouTube ‍TV on⁤ October 30th. This outage surpassed the 11-day Charter Communications dispute in 2023 in length. ‍Reports indicated ⁤the negotiations⁣ were particularly challenging, involving direct engagement ​from Disney CEO Bob​ Iger and Google CEO Sundar Pichai.