(NewsNation) — Disney networks, including ESPN and ABC, were pulled from YouTube TV after the two companies failed to reach a new distribution deal before their contract expired Thursday night.
The dispute between the two media giants centers on the price YouTube TV pays Disney for access to its content. In a statement Thursday, YouTube TV said it was unable to reach a “fair deal” and that if the service disruption continues for an extended period, members will receive a $20 credit.
The blackout of Disney networks on YouTube TV comes ahead of a packed sports weekend, with several major college football games scheduled to air on ABC.
This is the third consecutive month that access to sports content from networks such as Fox and NBCUniversal has temporarily gone offline on YouTube TV due to contract disputes, according to The Athletic. In both prior cases, resolutions were ultimately reached.
In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, Disney accused YouTube TV’s parent company, Google, of “using its market dominance to eliminate competition and undercut the industry-standard terms we’ve successfully negotiated with every other distributor.”
YouTube TV has an estimated 10 million subscribers, according to The Athletic, making it the fourth-largest TV distributor in the U.S.
Go To Source | Author: Meg Hilling
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