YouTube TV restores Disney channels, including ESPN, ABC – What shows are back, subscription, more | 10 things to know

Walt Disney Co. and Alphabet announced Friday that they had reached a deal to bring content from ABC and ESPN back to Google’s YouTube TV, ending a two-week blackout for viewers.

The Walt Disney Co. “As part of the new agreement, Disney’s entire suite of networks and stations, including ESPN and ABC, are already available to YouTube TV subscribers,” he said in a statement.

On the night of October 30, Disney content was removed from YouTube TV after the two parties were unable to agree on a new licensing deal. In the days that followed, subscribers lost access to Disney channels, including major U.S. college football games, professional sports and other news and entertainment programming.

From what the programs will be to subscription details, points of contention, and more, here are 10 things you need to know about the issue:

What shows should users expect?

All Disney shows, including those on ESPN networks, ABC, Disney-branded channels, Freeform, FX Networks and National Geographic channels, will be available to watch on Google’s YouTube TV. Access to a variety of live and on-demand programming from ESPN Unlimited on YouTube TV.

Subscription details

Under the final terms of the deal, ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer service (Unlimited Plan) will be available to YouTube TV subscribers at no extra cost, while some networks will be offered in different genre-specific packages. Additionally, Disney+ and Hulu Package can also be included in some YouTube packages.

Which programs have been removed before?

In addition to ESPN and ABC programming, content from other Disney-owned channels such as NatGeo, FX, Freeform, SEC Network and ACC Network were also removed from YouTube TV during the dispute.

What was the biggest point of contention?

When the carriage dispute escalated, YouTube TV said Disney was offering too expensive terms, leading to increased prices and fewer options for subscribers. The platform also accused Disney of using the blackout as a bargaining tactic and suggested that Disney was also favorably promoting its own streaming services, such as Hulu Live TV and Fubo, the AP reported.

What were Disney’s claims?

Disney claimed that YouTube TV refused to pay fair wages for its channels. The company also accused Google of using its market dominance to stifle competition. Additionally, executives criticized the platform for removing content just before the deal expired at midnight last month.

Issue with Election Day stream

In addition to the cost issue, Disney asked YouTube TV to continue ABC programming for Election Day, Nov. 4, citing the need to prioritize the “public interest.” However, YouTube TV argued that this temporary restoration could confuse viewers and instead suggested that Disney agree to restore both ABC and ESPN channels while negotiations continue.

Senior executives about the latest deal

Speaking about the latest agreement, Disney Entertainment Co-Presidents Alan Bergman and Dana Walden and ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro noted: “This new agreement reflects our commitment to delivering exceptional entertainment and evolving with audiences’ viewing preferences.”

Not the first Disney and YouTube TV clash

It is important to note that this is not the first time YouTube TV and Disney have encountered such a problem. In 2021, YouTube TV subscribers temporarily lost all Disney content due to a contract dispute between the two companies. This disruption lasted less than two days before a new agreement was reached.

YouTube TV, Disney subscription costs

Currently, YouTube TV’s basic subscription costs $82.99 per month. It offers live TV streaming from networks such as NBC, CBS, Fox, PBS, as well as Disney content.

Disney offers live TV through traditional streaming and streaming services. ESPN launched its own streaming service earlier this year, starting at $29.99 per month. Additional Disney content is available on platforms like Hulu, Disney+, and Fubo. Currently, Disney allows subscribers to bundle ESPN with Hulu and Disney+ for $35.99 per month or a discounted price of $29.99 for the first year.

Pressure from YouTube on expired contracts

Disney isn’t the only major company whose content has been removed from YouTube TV. The platform also removed other networks when their contracts expired. For example, Spanish-language broadcaster Univision has been unavailable on YouTube TV since September 30.

Parent company Televisaunivision criticized Google’s action, saying it would “deprive millions of Hispanic viewers of the Spanish-language news, sports and entertainment they depend on on a daily basis” and called on the platform to change its decision.