Media giant The Walt Disney Company and YouTube TV, owned by Google LLC, entered a major carriage dispute that resulted in the removal of Disney-owned channels from the live-streaming service. The affected networks — which include ESPN, ABC, FX, Nat Geo, Disney Channel and others — were taken off the platform because the parties could not agree on a new licensing deal.
YouTube TV, which claims more than 9 million subscribers in the U.S., stated in a blog post that its contract with Disney had reached renewal date and it would “not agree to terms that disadvantage our members while benefiting Disney’s TV products.” The platform offered a $20 credit to subscribers if the blackout continues for an extended period.
Disney responded by accusing YouTube TV of refusing to pay fair rates for its channels and claimed that Google, with a market cap of around $3 trillion, was using its dominance to eliminate competition and undercut standard industry terms. “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,” a Disney spokesperson said. The company said it remained committed to working toward a resolution “as quickly as possible.”
The dispute occurs amid high-stakes sports and entertainment scheduling, including college football, NBA, NFL and NHL coverage that relies on ESPN and ABC networks, increasing pressure on YouTube TV’s business model and subscriber relations. Analysts note this standoff underlines the growing value battle between content owners and streaming platforms, with subscribers potentially bearing the cost.
The outcome of this negotiation could signal broader industry shifts as streaming and live-TV bundles evolve, and as content owners seek higher carriage fees while platforms aim to protect subscriber economics and promote their own competing services.
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