Disney and YouTube have ended a two-week blackout of ESPN and more than 20 other Disney-owned channels on the streaming service, after reaching an agreement over carriage fees. The dispute centered on costs for subscribers to YouTube TV, with Google accusing Disney of trying to raise prices as part of its strategy to boost Hulu + Live TV and Fubo offerings.
In a statement, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that his company wasn't "trying to break any new ground" in the negotiations, but was instead seeking fair compensation for its content. The deal is reportedly equal to or better than what other major distributors have agreed to.
As part of the agreement, Google will begin issuing $20 credits to YouTube TV subscribers, although this may not be enough to satisfy those who are angry about the blackout. More than 20 channels were removed from YouTube TV during the dispute, but customers can now access sports content through alternative means, such as other broadcast stations and news networks.
The resolution comes after Google CEO Sundar Pichai reportedly became more involved in the negotiations with Disney CEO Bob Iger, according to sources. The situation was described as "different" from a 2021 carriage blackout between the two companies, which was resolved within days.
In a statement, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that his company wasn't "trying to break any new ground" in the negotiations, but was instead seeking fair compensation for its content. The deal is reportedly equal to or better than what other major distributors have agreed to.
As part of the agreement, Google will begin issuing $20 credits to YouTube TV subscribers, although this may not be enough to satisfy those who are angry about the blackout. More than 20 channels were removed from YouTube TV during the dispute, but customers can now access sports content through alternative means, such as other broadcast stations and news networks.
The resolution comes after Google CEO Sundar Pichai reportedly became more involved in the negotiations with Disney CEO Bob Iger, according to sources. The situation was described as "different" from a 2021 carriage blackout between the two companies, which was resolved within days.
. in the end, they came to some sort of agreement that works for both parties, which is fair i guess... but the fact remains that youtube tv subscribers are still stuck with a bigger bill on their hands, and that might not sit well with everyone 
. it's all about finding a balance between content creators and consumers, i suppose 
.
. I mean, I get that content creators want fair compensation, but $20 credits aren't gonna cut it for some people 
. I still can't believe they blacked out ESPN and all those other channels - sports is huge, you know? 
On the bright side, at least we can get our fix of sports through other channels or news networks now 
. Either way, I'm just glad it's all settled now 
.
. On one hand, I get that Disney wants fair compensation for its content and all that 
! i was literally stuck without espn and other disney channels on youtube tv for like 2 whole weeks 
i feel bad for google tho, they had to come up with some sweet deals to get the channels back 
. They were just trying to raise prices on YouTube TV subscribers and Google didn't budge. It's like they thought they could just cut off all the channels and customers would be forced to pay more for Hulu or Fubo, no biggie