- Google is facing a distribution dispute with Disney, which could result in all Disney-owned programming being blacked out from YouTube TV
- The deadline is at 11:59pm ET on October 30, and Disney has already issued warnings of the possible blackout
- If an agreement isn’t made, Google has said YouTube TV subscribers will be offered $20 credit if Disney’s content remains unavailable for a while
Google’s YouTube TV is facing yet another distribution dispute – and this time it’s battling it out with Disney.
As it stands, YouTube TV is at risk of losing all content owned by Disney subsidiaries. If the companies don’t come to a new agreement before the current distribution deal expires at 11:59pm ET on October 30, all Disney-owned content will be blacked out, which includes programming from ESPN, ABC, and more.
Last week, Disney issued a warning saying that it would be running public announcements on YouTube TV as well as across its many social media platforms to warn viewers of the possible blackout. Disney shared with Variety that Google’s inability to come to a new agreement puts YouTube TV subscribers “at risk of losing the most valuable networks they signed up for” – adding the following:
“This is the latest example of Google exploiting its position at the expense of their own customers. We invest significantly in our content and expect our partners to pay fair rates that recognize that value. If we don’t reach a fair deal soon, YouTube TV customers will lose access to ESPN and ABC, and all our marquee programming – including the NFL, college football, NBA and NHL seasons – and so much more.”
In the case of YouTube TV, the service is asking for better rates from Disney as a result of its growing popularity and scale – it has a reported subscriber count of 10 million. Since Disney aired its side of the dispute, YouTube has put out a statement of its own in response to Disney’s warning.
A YouTube blog post highlights that it’s “been working in good faith” with Disney to ensure a fair deal for its content on YouTube TV. But where YouTube is struggling to come to a solid agreement regarding the prices that Disney is asking for in return:
“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,” YouTube added in its statement.
As a result, Disney’s content will be removed if the two can’t reach an agreement before the deadline on October 30. However, YouTube has offered some reassurance that subscribers will be compensated with $20 credit if Disney’s programming “remains unavailable for an extended period of time.”
This isn’t the first time YouTube TV has found itself in the midst of a distribution dispute. In fact, this is the fourth time this year that YouTube has faced tension with fellow streaming providers.
In February, Google and Paramount had a public spat, which meant that channels such as CBS and Nickelodeon were at risk of being axed from YouTube TV. Similarly, Google and Fox started fighting in August over their own carriage deal, which would have been a frustrating loss for NFL fans.
Luckily, Google came to an agreement that allowed the providers above to remain present on YouTube TV – but the same is yet to be confirmed with Disney.
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rowan.davies@futurenet.com (Rowan Davies)
