Thanks to a contract dispute, YouTube TV is no longer carrying Disney-owned television channels such as ABC and ESPN. These channels could become available again if YouTube and Disney reach an agreement. To make matters worse, the dispute comes at a busy time for television. Subscribers are left without access to ongoing programs like Monday Night Football, Grey’s Anatomy, Abbott Elementary, and more.
This isn’t the first time controversial decisions by Disney have left viewers in the dark about programming, as Jimmy Kimmel Live! was suspended by ABC for a week in September. However, this scenario is bigger and more frustrating for consumers. Subscribers aren’t getting what they paid for during this blackout, which is even more concerning given that services like YouTube TV have been marketed as options to help cut the cord.
Why ABC and ESPN Aren’t on YouTube TV
On October 23, YouTube TV shared a blog post warning subscribers that Disney was threatening to black out Disney-owned channels if a deal was not reached during contract negotiations. The blog post was updated a week later, on October 30, sharing that Disney had followed through with the blackout. YouTube said it would remove Disney’s content from YouTube TV, and offered subscribers a $20 credit if its return was delayed further. The company elaborated on its decision in a statement, writing:
“We’ve been 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.”
In a statement following YouTube TV’s rejection, Disney said that YouTube was denying “their subscribers the content they value most by refusing to pay fair rates for our channels.” This statement was followed by a memo to employees from Disney Entertainment’s co-chairs, Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, and ESPN’s chair, Jimmy Pitaro. In the memo, Walden, Bergman, and Pitaro wrote that YouTube was not looking out for its customers by rejecting the deal. The memo read:
“[YouTube TV’s] actions make clear how little regard they have for their customers and are consistent with an attitude which has been prevalent throughout our negotiations — YouTube TV and its owner, Google, are not interested in achieving a fair deal with us. Instead, they want to use their power and extraordinary resources to eliminate competition and devalue the very content that helped them build their service.”
Disney also asked YouTube TV to allow subscribers to access ABC on November 4 to keep up with election coverage. The company wrote, “We believe in putting the public interest first and hope YouTube TV will take this small step for their customers while we continue to work toward a fair agreement.” A blog post shared YouTube TV’s response to Disney, which said that restoring ABC for one day would confuse subscribers. The post also noted that the majority of YouTube TV subscribers did not use ABC for coverage during the last two election days, and ABC could stream its coverage on its YouTube channel.
YouTube TV Subscribers Miss News, Sports, and Shows
As YouTube and Disney feud, YouTube TV subscribers are left without access to multiple networks and shows. ABC and all ESPN channels are the main ones, but subscribers also lose access to FX, National Geographic, Freeform, ACC Network, SEC Network, Disney Channel, Disney XD, and Disney Junior. The timing is particularly frustrating, as the blackout occurs in the middle of the fall TV and football seasons.
YouTube TV subscribers won’t be able to watch ABC’s primetime lineup due to the blackout. ABC’s long-running lead dramas, such as 9-1-1 and Grey’s Anatomy, have just kicked off their latest seasons with big episodes. ABC’s major sitcoms, Abbott Elementary and Shifting Gears, have also started new seasons, meaning YouTube TV audiences won’t be able to experience the popular comedies. Reality shows like The Golden Bachelor only have a few episodes left this season, leaving viewers in the dark about the outcomes.
With ESPN blacked out, YouTube TV subscribers lose access to the major football games that air on Monday Night Football each week. Even former NFL player JJ Watt took to X to comment on the situation, posting, “So we’re just not watching Monday Night Football huh?” YouTube TV subscribers also lose access to upcoming college football, NBA, and NHL games airing on ESPN.
How To Watch ABC and ESPN
How YouTube TV subscribers choose to access ABC, ESPN, and other channels may depend on whether they view Disney’s actions as fair. If YouTube TV subscribers think Disney was fair in asking YouTube TV for more money, they’ll have plenty of alternatives. However, those who think Disney was unfair might have a more difficult time finding ways to watch Disney’s channels without giving the company a win.
Viewers could always subscribe to another streaming plan that offers live TV, such as DirecTV, Sling, and Philo. It’s a lot of work to sign up for a new service, but there’s no end in sight to this feud. Hulu + Live TV and Fubo are also options for live-streaming, but Disney owns Hulu + Live TV, and Fubo will be merged with Hulu + Live TV next year. Signing up for cable is another option, but it’s cumbersome for most consumers, undermining the convenience that live TV services are supposed to provide.
YouTube and Disney’s feud is placing a burden on customers to find workarounds to enjoy their programs. Some options are simple, like watching ABC shows the next day on Hulu. Others are more complex, like getting an antenna — which can cost around $10 to $20 at local stores — to watch local ABC channels for programs like Monday Night Football. There are also solutions for more specific examples. For instance, ABC is live-streaming its election coverage on its YouTube channel. Dancing with the Stars also has a specific solution, as it streams live on Disney+, but other ABC reality shows do not.
Source link
Add Comment