“Unfortunately, Disney is proposing expensive economic terms that increase prices for YouTube TV customers and reduce customer choice,” Google said in a recent blog post.
ESPN host Molly Kerim leaves ‘First Take’ after 10 years
Molly Kerim, the influential host of ESPN’s “First Take,” announced in a social media post that she is leaving the show for the first time in 10 years.
Unbranded – Entertainment
ESPN programming could be removed from YouTube TV if a new contract agreement is not reached by the end of October.
Google, the parent company of YouTube TV, and Disney, the parent company of ESPN, have until Thursday, October 30th at 11:59 pm ET to reach an updated contractual agreement for the latter’s programming to continue on YouTube TV, according to a Google statement obtained by USA TODAY.
“Unfortunately, Disney is proposing expensive economic terms that will increase prices for YouTube TV customers and reduce customer choice, while benefiting Disney’s own live TV products, including Hulu + Live TV and soon Fubo,” the official YouTube blog post on Oct. 23 said.
Disney did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s inquiry on Friday, Oct. 24.
This is the third time in the past two months that a show has been nearly removed from YouTube TV. In August, Google and Fox struggled to reach an updated contract agreement, and earlier this month the same issue arose between Google and NBCUniversal. Both Fox and NBCU argued that Google had no intention of agreeing to a renewed contract with realistic terms or fees. However, a deal was ultimately reached in each case.
Google will give you a $20 credit if Disney Channel is removed
A post on YouTube’s official blog states that Google will offer YouTube TV subscribers a $20 credit if Disney Channel is removed from YouTube TV “for an extended period of time.” This period is not specified.
Which Disney Channels may be removed from YouTube TV?
The following Disney-owned channels may be removed from YouTube TV if the necessary contractual agreements are not met by the deadline:
- ABC
- ABC News Live
- ACC network
- Baby TV Español (Spanish plan)
- disney channel
- disney junior
- Disney XD
- ESPN
- ESP News
- ESPN2
- EPSNU
- ESPN Deportes (Spanish project)
- free form
- FX
- FSM
- FXX
- Looks like a local
- Nat Geo
- Nat Geo Wild
- Nat Geo Mundo (Spanish plan)
- SEC Network
Greta Cross is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Story ideas? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
