Today YouTube TV customers looking to watch their favorite Disney networks found them missing after negotiations between Disney and YouTube’s parent company failed.
Disney’s previous pact with Google’s YouTube TV expired Friday (Dec. 17) at 11:59pm ET.
The dispute has revolved around the carriage fees. Google claimed that Disney was demanding higher fees for its TV networks than “services of a similar size pay,” in a statement earlier this week.
Disney replied with their own statement: “We stand ready to reach an equitable agreement with Google as quickly as possible in order to minimize the inconvenience to YouTube TV viewers by restoring our networks. We hope Google will join us in that effort.”
These Disney-owned channels are currently no longer available on YouTube TV:
- Local ABC channels
- ABC News Live
- ACC Network
- Disney Channel
- Disney Junior
- Disney XD
- ESPN
- ESPN2
- ESPN3
- ESPNU
- ESPNEWS
- Freeform
- FX
- FXX
- FXM
- National Geographic
- National Geographic Wild
- SEC Network
Google said it will reduce YouTube TV’s monthly price by $15 — from $64.99 to $49.99 — to compensate for the loss of those channels.
However, one thing that could be the tipping point for many customers to leave YouTube TV for another Live TV streamer (like Disney-owned Hulu + Live TV), is that today is the first day of college football bowl season. ABC and ESPN generally carry many of those games.
What is really interesting is in their FAQ about the dispute and loss of channels, YouTube TV even states: “If you want to continue watching some of Disney’s content, consider signing up for their own service, The Disney Bundle, which they offer for $13.99/month and which is subject to its own terms and restrictions.”
Nothing like actually driving your customers to your competitors, eh?
Also of note is that Google had a similar negotiation breakdown with NBCUniversal this fall for NBCU cable networks and local NBC stations before the companies came to an agreement.
If I hear of an agreement between Disney and Google for the channels to return to YouTube TV, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, either look into the Disney Bundle or another provider that still carries those channels.
Have you been affected by the loss of Disney on YouTube TV? Let us know what you think of the dispute.
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