Disney Channels Couldโ Vanish From YouTubeโ TV as Contract Talks Stall
SUNNYVALE, CA – Octoberโ 26, 2023 – โฃDisneyโฃ is warning YouTube TV subscribers that they โmay lose accessโ to channels including ESPN, Disney Channel, FX, and others if the two companies fail to reach โขa deal by October 30th. The potential blackout stems โfrom ongoing fee negotiations, adding to a pattern of tense contract renewals between streaming services and media โconglomerates.
YouTube TV, which launched in 2017 at $35 per month and nowโ costs $83 monthly, has a history โof similar disputes,โข often resolving โthem at the last minute. However, past negotiations haven’t always โขresulted in continued carriage; earlier this month, YouTube TV โขdropped Univision and other TelevisaUnivision โฃnetworks โafter โfailing to reach an agreement. Thisโ situation impacts millions of YouTube TV subscribers who rely on the service for live โsports, news, and entertainment content from Disney’s portfolio.
The dispute mirrors recent โคnegotiations YouTube TV has had withโค other major media companies. In February, YouTube TV and Paramount reached a deal to continue carrying CBS, CBS Sports, and otherโ channels after aโ similar standoff.Google’s streaming network and Foxโ came to a renewal agreement โคin August following repeated โขcontent-removal warnings.YouTube TV โand NBCUniversal also reached a last-minute extension earlier this month.
Disney has publicly stated that it is seeking fair compensation forโ it’s content, whileโข YouTubeโข TV aims to balance costs and โฃmaintain value for its subscribers. The outcome of โthese negotiations will likely โsetโ a precedent for future deals between โขstreaming platforms and content providers, possibly influencing the price and availability of liveโ TV streaming options for consumers. The deadline for a resolution is October 30th,โฃ leaving subscribers in uncertainty as the date approaches.