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Bad news for YouTube TV subscribers: You’re losing a significant chunk of video programming from ABC and ESPN due to Google and Disney struggling to reach a licensing deal.
On Thursday night, YouTube TV’s parent Google announced it was losing access to Disney content, including the Disney Channel, FX and Nat Geo, following a breakdown in negotiations to renew the content licensing.
(Credit: Google)
Google is placing the blame on the Mickey Mouse company. “Unfortunately, Disney is proposing costly economic terms that would raise prices on YouTube TV customers and give our customers fewer choices, while benefiting Disney’s own live TV products—like Hulu + Live TV and, soon, Fubo,” the company wrote in a blog post.
(To settle a Fubo lawsuit over the now-defunct Venu sports-streaming service, Disney just closed a $220 million deal under which it will own 70% of Fubo and Fubo will launch a new service featuring Disney’s sports networks.)
Google also claims Disney raised the “blackout threat” last week as a negotiating tactic before following through on Thursday. But Disney tells the Associated Press that Google refuses to pay a fair rate for valuable content
“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,” the company reportedly said.
Disney has also been lobbying consumers to complain to YouTube TV. Even ESPN host Scott Van Pelt tweeted a link to a dedicated web page that offers various ways customers can reach the Google-owned service. Meanwhile, YouTube TV says it’s still committed to working with Disney on reaching a licensing agreement.
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YouTube TV is already fairly pricey at $82.99 per month for the base plan, which increased from $72.99 per month nearly a year ago. If Disney “content is unavailable for an extended period of time, we’ll offer our subscribers a $20 credit,” Google says.
Google’s support page also notes: “Recordings of Disney content (on YouTube TV accounts) will be removed. If we’re able to reach an agreement with Disney and bring their content back to YouTube TV, subscribers will regain access to recordings that were previously in their library.”
We just went through this in August with YouTube TV and Fox; the two reached a deal before channels were dropped.
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About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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