NBCUniversal and YouTube TV are continuing their discussions over a new carriage agreement, having agreed to a temporary extension in the meantime.
The existing contract between the two parties was set to expire at midnight ET on Tuesday.
A representative from YouTube TV mentioned to Deadline, “We have secured a temporary extension to ensure there is no interruption in our service as we finalize a new deal with NBCUniversal. We value our subscribers’ patience as we advocate on their behalf during these discussions.”
This announcement followed the recent blackout of TelevisaUnivision’s networks, including the major Hispanic broadcaster Univision, on YouTube TV as their agreement also reached its conclusion on Tuesday at midnight ET. Additionally, YouTube TV is currently negotiating with Disney and ESPN to renew another soon-to-expire contract.
Carriage disputes are increasingly frequent as the traditional pay-TV industry faces challenges from cord-cutting. Despite this, YouTube TV distinguishes itself as a major player, now ranking as the fourth largest operator in the U.S. with over 10 million subscribers, a milestone achieved within just eight years of its launch. Unlike the top three operators—Charter, Comcast, and DirecTV—which are seeing declines, YouTube TV continues to grow.
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YouTube TV operates under the umbrella of Google, a tech giant with a market cap often highlighted as $3 trillion during negotiations, which may influence its bargaining strength. This financial backing could be a factor in its firm stance in negotiations and its decision to implement price hikes totaling $18 in less than two years.
Last week, NBCUniversal began alerting viewers of the impending deadline by displaying messages and running social media campaigns accusing YouTube TV of recurring negotiation issues. This followed near blackouts with Paramount and Fox networks, which were only resolved after public disputes.
A pivotal point in the YouTube TV-NBCUniversal negotiations has been the tech giant’s preference to directly stream NBCUniversal’s content rather than just including Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, in its lineup.
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