YouTube TV and NBCUniversal Brace for Potential Programming Blackout
YouTube TV subscribers could lose access to NBCUniversal programming, including “Sunday Night Football” and “The Voice,” as the two companies escalate a carriage dispute perhaps leading to a blackout at the end of September.
CNBC reported on the increasing likelihood of a blackout earlier Thursday, signaling YouTube’s growing influence in the streaming and television landscape. YouTube TV currently has approximately 10 million subscribers.
NBCUniversal released a statement asserting that YouTube TV “has refused the best rates and terms in the market,demanding preferential treatment and seeking an unfair advantage over competitors to dominate the video marketplace — all under the false pretenses of fighting for the consumer. The result: YouTube TV customers will lose access to NBCUniversal’s premium programming.”
Beginning Thursday night, NBCUniversal will begin displaying messages to YouTube TV customers warning of the potential loss of networks if an agreement isn’t reached.
Notably, NBCUniversal has never experienced a programming blackout in its U.S. history, under either Comcast or General Electric ownership.
YouTube TV countered with a statement explaining, “NBCUniversal is asking us to pay more than what they charge consumers for the same content on Peacock, which would mean less versatility and higher prices for our subscribers. We are committed to working with NBCUniversal to reach a fair deal for both sides ahead of our current agreement expiring on september 30. If their content is unavailable for an extended period of time, we’ll offer our subscribers a $10 credit.”
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal,which owns CNBC.Versant would become the new parent company of CNBC upon Comcast’s planned spinoff of Versant.
