ESPN, ABC and Disney are now unavailable on YouTube TV

This is déjà vu for YouTube TV
What Disney channels have been removed from YouTube TV?

YouTube TV certainly seems to have a habit of getting into agreement issues, and its latest spat is with Disney. Over 20 Disney-owned channels were recently removed from YouTube TV after the companies couldn’t agree on a new channel distribution deal before their October 30 deadline.

This means channels like ESPN, ABC, Disney Channel, and Nat Geo have all been removed from YouTube TV, and viewers can no longer watch them. Last week, Google stated that Disney is using the “threat of a blackout on YouTube TV as a negotiating tactic to force deal terms that would raise prices on our customers.” Meanwhile, Disney told the Los Angeles Times that Google is denying YouTube TV subscribers “the content they value most by refusing to pay fair rates for channels, including ESPN and ABC.”

Google has promised YouTube TV subscribers a $20 credit if Disney channels remain unavailable on the service for an extended period.

“We know this is a frustrating and disappointing outcome for our subscribers and we continue to urge Disney to work with us constructively to reach a fair agreement that restores their networks to YouTube TV,” Google said in its most recent statement.

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This is déjà vu for YouTube TV

It has already had three agreement disputes this year

YouTube TV and a person pointing a remote at the rendering.

This isn’t the first time Google has had an agreement issue come to light, and it likely won’t be the last.

Earlier this year, Google was on the verge of losing all of Paramount’s channels on YouTube TV, including CBS, CBS Sports, and Nickelodeon, but both parties reached a last-minute deal to avoid removal. In August, a similar issue arose with Fox, and a last-minute agreement was reached to retain all of Fox’s channels, like Fox News, Fox Sports, and FS1. More recently, YouTube TV clashed with NBCUniversal, but once again, a deal was finalized at the last moment to keep NBC channels on the platform.

The last time YouTube TV lost access to Disney channels was in 2021, but the two companies managed to reach an agreement and restore the channels after just one day of them being unavailable.

It remains unclear whether a settlement will be reached as quickly this time, since both sides are publicly pointing fingers at each other. Google claims Disney is doing this to benefit its own live TV services, such as Hulu+ Live TV and Fubo, while Disney states Google is trying to “eliminate competition and undercut the industry-standard terms.”