Disney Channels Remain Unavailable on YouTube TV

Walt Disney Co. informed employees on Friday that its key television stations, ESPN and ABC, will remain unavailable on Google-owned YouTube TV over the weekend.

“We understand this has been a challenging week, particularly with sports being so prominent right now, and many YouTube TV subscribers are wondering: When will ESPN and ABC be back?” a memo sent to Disney employees said.

This memo was shared after negotiations appeared to stall, signed by Disney Entertainment co-chairmen Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, along with ESPN chief Jimmy Pitaro.

“I wish I had better news today, but it looks like we’ll have another weekend filled with sports and no agreement in place,” the message added.

Disney started negotiations by proposing a deal for YouTube TV that would be less costly than the terms of the expired license.

“This represents a significant savings that YouTube TV could pass on to its customers,” the executives mentioned in the memo.

“We’ve been working to provide unique programming packages specifically designed for sports fans, families, and other entertainment audiences. This approach allows YouTube TV more flexibility while enhancing options and value for subscribers.”

However, YouTube TV “continues to push for terms that are below market value and has not made substantial concessions,” they noted.

In a separate development, YouTube indicated its willingness to negotiate a fair arrangement to restore Disney’s networks to its pay-TV service, while also accusing Disney of misrepresenting facts and demanding higher rates than what other competitors pay.

On Monday, YouTube TV proposed reinstating ABC and ESPN in response to Disney’s request for ABC to be available for Election Day broadcasts.

“Our team is prepared to find a fair agreement that aligns with our contracts with other distribution companies,” YouTube stated. “We urge Disney to engage in discussions that prioritize our shared customers.”

YouTube claims that Disney is requesting higher fees than Charter and DirecTV for carrying the ABC network, emphasizing that it is not asking for better rates, contrary to Disney’s assertions.

This conflict revolves around carrier fees, which are the per-subscriber charges that distribution companies pay to carry various broadcast and cable channels.

YouTube TV, a prominent pay-TV distributor in the U.S., has been engaged in negotiations with media companies threatening to withdraw their networks from its platform this year.

According to separate announcements, Disney’s channels went dark on YouTube TV late last Thursday after negotiations failed to reach a licensing agreement.