Disney-YouTube TV outage angers cord-cutters who ditched cable, only to find the same hassle when streaming
Disney-YouTube TV outage angers cord-cutters who ditched cable, only to find the same hassle when streaming
By Saleah Blancaflor | Published: 2025-10-31 19:50:00 | Source: Fast Company – news
It’s certainly been a scary week for The Walt Disney Company and Google. The two companies are in the midst of a carriage dispute that has led to a Disney Networks blackout on Google-owned YouTube TV, leaving viewers unable to access popular channels including ESPN and ABC.
Disney began notifying viewers on October 23 about the dispute and warning that its networks could be removed from the pay-TV platform.
It all came to a head over the past 48 hours as the two sides failed to reach an agreement on a new deal, and YouTube TV began removing Disney networks about 30 minutes before the previous carriage deal was set to expire at midnight ET.
One area of disagreement between the two appears to be over pricing, with Disney demanding higher prices, which Google disagrees with.
A number of YouTube TV subscribers have complained on social media that their access has been cut off, with some noting that the situation is reminiscent of contract battles that have long plagued cable channels.
“I will never forget how liberating it was in 2018 to unplug and subscribe to YouTube TV,” John Martin, radio host on sports station 92.9 FM ESPN, said. Written on XAdding that “nothing good ever lasts, kids.”
“I hope cable just figures it out,” one X user said books. “(This) must be a time where they’re trying to win others back but they’re basically saying ‘hold my beer.'” Another user wrote. Still last “I just switched, and now I have to find another streaming platform,” he said.
Corporations play the blame game
Reached for comment, Google was directed Fast company To A Statement issued by YouTube Thursday
“Last week, Disney used the threat of blocking YouTube TV as a negotiating tactic to impose deal terms that would raise prices on our customers,” the post on the YouTube blog said. “They are now following up on this threat, suspending their content on YouTube TV.” This decision directly harms our subscribers while benefiting their live TV products, including Hulu + Live TV and Fubo.
The post went on to say that while the situation is a “frustrating and disappointing outcome” for YouTube TV subscribers, the company said it urges Disney to work “constructively to reach a fair agreement that returns their networks to YouTube TV.”
If an agreement isn’t reached and the content stays off YouTube TV, Google said it will offer subscribers a $20 credit.
Meanwhile, Disney is pointing the finger at Google, accusing the tech giant of “using its market dominance to eliminate competition and undermine industry standard terms” that it says it has already negotiated with other distributors.
“Unfortunately, Google’s YouTube TV has chosen to deprive its subscribers of the content they value most by refusing to pay fair prices for our channels, including ESPN and ABC,” a Disney spokesperson said. “Without a new agreement, their subscribers will not be able to access our programming, which includes the best lineup in live sports – anchored by the NFL, NBA and college football, with 13 of the top 25 college teams playing this weekend.”
On Friday, a memo was shared with Disney Entertainment and ESPN employees from Disney Entertainment co-presidents Dana Walden and Alan Berg and ESPN president Jimmy Pitaro, regarding YouTube TV. The note, which he obtained Fast companyrepeat similar sentiments as in the statement
The three executives wrote that Google’s actions “demonstrate how little they care about their customers and are consistent with the attitude that has prevailed throughout our negotiations — YouTube TV and its owner, Google, are not interested in reaching a fair deal with us.”
“The bottom line is that our channels are extremely valuable, and we can only continue to program with the sports and entertainment viewers they love so much if we stand up to tactics that threaten the integrity of our business and the value of our creative work,” the memo concluded.
What channels are blocked?
Affected networks being removed from YouTube TV include ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNNews, Freeform, FX, FXX, FXM, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, SEC Network, Nat Geo, Nat Geo Wild, ABC News Live, ACC Network and Localish, as well as ESPN Deportes, Baby TV Español and Nat Geo Mundo for those with the Spanish plan.
this Not the first time The companies are feuding with the distribution of TV content, and it’s not the first time YouTube TV has been involved in disputes with other entertainment giants.
Paramount Global (now known as Paramount Skydance), Fox Corporation and NBCUniversal recently battled the streaming service, though they were ultimately able to reach an agreement to avoid a blackout.
YouTube TV also dropped Univision and other networks owned by TelevisaUnivision in September after the two parties were unable to reach an agreement.
Meanwhile, there was a public dispute between Disney and Charter Communications over a 2023 renewal, though both parties were able to resolve the issue to avoid a power outage.
Impact on subscribers
Industry experts said that those who suffer most from constant transportation renewal disputes are customers.
Although carriage disputes have always existed in the era of linear pay TV, the fragmentation of today’s home entertainment makes the lapses even more apparent, especially when dealing with sports streaming rights scattered across the small-screen ecosystem, said Brandon Katz, director of insights and content strategy at Greenlight Analytics.
“When consumers move between multiple subscriptions, often guided by access to specific content like sports channels, removing them causes more friction,” Katz said. Fast company. “This friction often leads to a temporary spike in cancellations and, in this case, perhaps a short-term increase in subscriptions to ESPN Unlimited and/or the Disney Bundle. Convenience, cost and access govern consumer decision-making in the complex era of streaming.”
YouTube TV is estimated to be the fourth-largest multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) in the United States, competing with traditional cable providers by about 10 million subscribers. This means they have enormous influence, although Katz noted that power outages caused by disputes like these usually do not last long.
“Even when these disputes lead to power outages, they usually do not extend beyond two weeks,” Katz said. “I fully expect YouTube TV and Disney to reach an agreement in the near future. However, the increasing frequency of these disputes and the over-the-top nature of sports rights these days makes it especially frustrating for consumers, who ultimately vote with their wallets.”
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(tags for translation) Cut the cord
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