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Disney Pulls ABC and ESPN From YouTube TV After Deal Lapses

A price fight over carriage terms has cut off Disney networks for roughly 10 million YouTube TV households.

Overview

  • Disney-owned channels went dark on YouTube TV late Thursday, with some feeds cut before the midnight ET deadline.
  • More than 20 networks — including ABC, ESPN, FX, Freeform, Nat Geo, ACC and SEC Networks — and related DVR recordings were removed.
  • The companies remain far apart on pricing, with Disney seeking higher carriage fees and YouTube TV pushing for lower rates and more flexible, genre-based packaging.
  • YouTube TV says it will issue a one-time $20 credit if the outage lasts an extended period, while Disney says Google is refusing to pay market rates.
  • The blackout lands ahead of a busy sports weekend and follows Disney’s Hulu + Live TVFubo combination, as YouTube TV counts about 10 million subscribers.