US EditionESPN Programs May Be Removed From YouTube TV if Disney, Google Can't Make a Deal
YouTube TV’s 10 million subscribers face losing Disney channels including ESPN and ABC amid fee disputes and contract talks that could affect sports and prime-time programming.
- This week The Walt Disney Company began airing notices on its cable networks and eight ABC stations warning YouTube TV subscribers about an expiring distribution contract that expires Oct. 30.
- At the heart of talks is carriage fees and Google's request for integration rights, with Disney saying Google seeks below-market rates and permission to embed streaming content.
- YouTube TV, with roughly around 10 million subscribers, could lose access to local ABC stations, ESPN, Disney Channel, Disney Jr., FX, FXX, FXM, NatGeo, and Freeform if negotiations fail, as Disney emphasizes sports as key subscriber drivers.
- YouTube TV responded that it will remove Disney content without a deal and offer a $20 credit if channels stay unavailable; alternatives include Hulu + Live TV and DIRECTV plans from $35 per month.
- Industry watchers note this follows multiple carriage disputes this year and includes legal tensions after Justin Connolly, Disney's former head of distribution, joined YouTube TV, prompting a lawsuit rejected by courts.
28 Articles
28 Articles
ESPN, ABC risk going dark on YouTube TV as Disney contract fight heats up
Walt Disney Co. has warned that its channels -- including ESPN and ABC -- could disappear from YouTube TV as the media giants battle over a new carriage deal ahead of an Oct. 30 deadline.
The Columbian
Disney warns that ESPN, ABC and other channels could go dark on YouTube TV
LOS ANGELES – Walt Disney Co. is alerting viewers that its channels may go dark on YouTube TV amid tense contract negotiations between the two television giants. Read more...
Disney–Google Dispute Could Leave YouTube TV Viewers Without ABC, ESPN, NFL, NBA And More - Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA), Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS)
Disney and Google are in a standoff over YouTube TV carriage fees that could leave millions of subscribers without access to Disney-owned networks like ABC and ESPN if a new deal isn't reached.
Disney warns of looming carriage dispute with YouTube TV, channels may be pulled on October 30
The front of local television station KGO-TV in San Francisco, owned by the Walt Disney Company. (Photo by Matthew Keys for The Desk) The Walt Disney Company is notifying viewers of its local television stations and national cable channels of a possible dispute with Google-owned YouTube TV that could impact subscribers of the streaming cable TV alternative. This week, Disney began airing messages on its TV channels and networks warning of an exp…
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