Disney Channels Could Be Pulled From YouTube TV Due To New Carriage Dispute
Disney, like other major studios, are no stranger to carriage disputes with its distribution partners, as when contracts come to a close and major corporations start negotiating for better deals.
The latest television distribution deal coming to an end is between Disney and YouTube TV, as their current distribution agreement expires at midnight ET on Thursday, 30th October 2025.
Disney has warned that if a new deal isn’t signed, YouTube TV subscribers could lose access to ABC local stations, ESPN, FX and other networks.
YouTube is now one of the biggest online television providers, with over 8 million subscribers, and it’s already had contract disputes with NBCUniversal, Fox, Paramount and TelevisaUnivision in recent months.
Deals had been made with NBCUniversal, Fox, and Paramount before subscribers lost access to channels, while the dispute with TelevisaUnivision has seen channels blocked for over a week.
Disney put out a statement regarding the potential blackout of channels:
“Google’s YouTube TV is putting their subscribers at risk of losing the most valuable networks they signed up for. 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.”
With YouTube also releasing its own statement:
“We are working in good faith to negotiate a deal with Disney that pays them fairly for their content on YouTube TV. 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. Without an agreement, we’ll have to remove Disney’s content from YouTube TV and if it remains unavailable for an extended period of time, we will offer subscribers a $20 credit.”
Just two years ago, Disney had a carriage dispute with Charter Communications, which saw Disney channels removed from Spectrum for almost two weeks, resulting in a deal that saw cable customers getting access to Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Unlimited as part of the deal.
Disney is also a direct competitor to YouTube TV, as it operates Hulu + Live TV, which is also currently in the process of merging with Fubo TV. So this will likely be a subject YouTube can use to gain an advantage, while that deal is going through the regulatory process.
Roger’s Take: Ultimately, YouTube TV is one of the biggest streaming channel providers in the United States, and both sides need one another, but who will blink first? While Disney has been adding its streaming services like Disney+ to any new cable deal, YouTube TV doesn’t seem to be following suit in offering an array of streaming platforms in its offering. As more and more people dump traditional cable, YouTube TV has quickly become one of the most popular alternatives. Neither company will want the negative publicity from this dispute, but I’d guess eventually it will get resolved, hopefully before the blackout.
Do you think YouTube TV and Disney will resolve the situation? Let me know on social media!
