"As part of the new deal, Disney's full suite of networks and stations -- including ESPN and ABC -- have already begun to be restored to YouTube TV subscribers," The Walt Disney Co. said in a statement. "We are pleased that our networks have been restored in time for fans to enjoy the many great programming options this weekend, including college football."
Watt's ire was caused by the ongoing carriage dispute between Disney and YouTube TV, which resulted in ESPN, and a bunch of other Disney networks, going dark on the Google-owned pay TV service on October 30th. The two companies are fighting over the money YouTube has to pay to carry Disney's networks, with both rejecting the other side's demands as unreasonable.
Disney's networks, including the ESPN channels, are unavailable on YouTube TV as part of a blackout that began on October 30. The media giant has said YouTube TV isn't willing to pay the market rate. Meanwhile, the Google-owned live TV service has said that Disney's proposal would force it to raise prices again, while helping Disney-controlled rivals like Fubo and Hulu + Live TV. YouTube TV promised to give its customers a $20 credit if the blackout drags on.
used the threat of a blackout on YouTube TV as a negotiating tactic to force deal terms that would raise prices on our customers. They're now following through on that threat, suspending their content on YouTube TV. 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 first games of football season loom, and with them, the high-profile contract renegotiations for the stations and streamers that air them. Last night, Fox and YouTube TV fired off dueling statements indicating they were at loggerheads on their latest deal renewal. The way Fox tells it on an attack-ad-style microsite: "Google is attempting to use its market power to pressure Fox to agree to unfavorable and one-sided terms, prioritizing their own interests over a fair agreement for its customer."
