Halloween was a scary day for YouTube TV subscribers who like to watch Disney-owned channels. Amid ongoing negotiations about carriage fees, Disney-owned channels went dark on YouTube TV. These channels include ESPN and ABC.
A Disney spokesperson said, “Unfortunately, Google’s YouTube TV has chosen to deny their subscribers the content they value most by refusing to pay fair rates for our channels, including ESPN and ABC. Without a new agreement in place, their subscribers will not have access to our programming, which includes the best lineup in live sports – anchored by the NFL, NBA, and college football, with 13 of the top 25 college teams playing this weekend. With a $3 trillion market cap, Google is using its market dominance to eliminate competition and undercut the industry-standard terms we’ve successfully negotiated with every other distributor. We know how frustrating this is for YouTube TV subscribers and remain committed to working toward a resolution as quickly as possible.”
As the dispute continues, Disney has decided to broadcast its College Game Day telecasts on X, formerly known as Twitter. “We understand the frustration that some fans are feeling about missing out, so we are making this gesture with them in mind,” Disney said in a statement. College Game Day has been broadcast on Saturday mornings during the football season since 1987.
The disagreement centers around carriage fees and potential new tiers for channels. Disney is seeking rate hikes from Google. Google would like to see more tiers of programming that could give consumers the chance to drop certain channels. Disney says the “insistence of YouTube TV to strong-arm Disney into a deal that ignores market rates, industry standards, and Disney’s repeated proposals of flexible and innovative deals that would not only benefit both sides, but — most importantly — millions of consumers.”
As the blackout of Disney-owned channels continues, there are options for subscribers of YouTube TV. They can stay with the service and receive a one-time credit of $20. The base subscription price for YouTube TV is $82.99 per month. Disney has also suggested other providers, including DirecTV, Fios, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Spectrum, Xfinity, and others.
At this time, there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight for this disruption. This isn’t the first time a dispute like this has emerged with YouTube TV and another company. So far, each disagreement has eventually been resolved. In the meantime, Disney programming will have to be found by YouTube TV subscribers elsewhere.
What do you think of this blackout? How do you think it should be resolved? Do you have YouTube TV? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
