YouTube TV has been working on a carriage contract showdown between Fox Corp. and Televisaunivison for the last few weeks. Next is: nbcuniversal.
On Thursday evening, NBCU began telling YouTube TV subscribers that the network could be pulled from the service as the two companies are unable to agree on the terms of the new distribution agreement. NBCU and YouTube had to negotiate a new contract in 2021 and agreed to a short extension when the talk was wired. The company’s current contracts expire on Tuesday, September 30th. On the same day, another agreement between YouTube TV and Televisaunivision also expired.
Over the past few years, such debates have been largely among more traditional companies, with large outlets where Disney, Paramount and its rivals are being discarded at cable and satellite distributors ranging from Altis to charter communication. However, in 2025, YouTube TV became seismic forces as it was not trapped in a particular region of the United States, unlike traditional cable carriers. Many traditional cable and satellite companies are working to reduce subscribers as more consumers move to broadband streaming.
YouTube TV has 9.4 million subscribers as of April, and its service has increased in recent years, not only in terms of ease of use, but also in the wake of its 2023 NFL Sunday ticket packages. The company plans to spin off most of its cable holdings into a new entity called Versant around the end of 2025.
In a recent discussion with NBC, YouTube TV, part of Google Parent Alphabet, is looking for a term that broadcasters feel is significantly better than those who have already negotiated with other careers, according to those familiar with the issue.
YouTube TV has now been to navigate the losses of the two largest Spanish programmers in the country, as NBCU owns Telemundo. Televisaunivision has already begun running promotions and advertising that will allow YouTube TV to pull a massive Univision broadcast network from the base tier and instead offer it as an add-on option. YouTube TV suggests that Univision’s “performance” on YouTube TV does not guarantee the conditions it seeks, saying that Univision can no longer carry it unless both parties reach “fair deals.”
YouTube TV also mentioned Fox Corp. in August, and Fox began warning subscribers that there was a power outage among properties like the Fox Broadcasting Network, Fox Stations, Fox Sports 1, and Fox News Channel. Both parties have become conditions.
Such conflicts have been a hallmark of the pay television business for decades, and have sometimes erupted into public places. In recent years, companies have been arguing about the rise of streaming services, where media companies have invested billions of dollars and are captivating cable and satellite customers. In part of the showdown, the solution was found on Pay-TV carriers, offering part of the new streaming service as part of the programming package.
