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YouTube TV Grows to 6.3 Million Subscribers; Why Service is Distancing Itself from Live Streaming Competition

David Satin
David covers the biggest news stories, live events, premieres, and informational pieces for The Streamable. Before joining TS, he wrote extensively for Screen Rant and has years of experience writing about the entertainment and streaming industries. He's a Broncos fan, streams on his Toshiba Fire TV, and his favorites include "Andor," "Rings of Power," and "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."
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David Satin

Times are tough in the pay-TV industry, and they’re only going to get tougher. That’s according to a report from Variety, which cites research done by MoffettNathanson that shows traditional pay-TV services currently have 75.5 million total customers, down almost 7% year-over-year. The data shows conclusively that pay TV is nearing its so-called “floor” of between 50 and 60 million homes, and that the death spiral of cable and satellite has begun.

Even live TV streaming services — also known as virtual multi-channel video programming distributors (vMVPDs) — are feeling the pinch. Hulu + Live TV lost 100,000 subscribers between January and March, and while Fubo grew its subscriber base by over 208,000 customers in the first quarter of 2023, it actually shed more than 100,000 domestic users. YouTube TV, on the other hand, added 300,000 users last quarter, and now sits at an estimated 6.3 million global customers.

That total from MoffettNathanson shows that YouTube TV has added more than a million users from the last time it made a public announcement about its subscriber numbers. YouTube does not regularly report such metrics publicly, and the last time it gave a concrete update was in June of 2022 when its live TV service had 5 million subscribers. YouTube TV is the only live TV streaming service on the market today with more than 5 million users, and it will do whatever it can to increase those numbers.

But what is it about YouTube TV that makes the service so popular? For one thing, YouTube TV offers local broadcast channels in a high number of important media markets. Because of high carriage fees, many live TV services are forced to pick and choose which of the major broadcast networks they’ll carry, and some often end up being left behind. But YouTube TV offers ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX in most markets, helping it stand out to users who value the live news and local content these local channels carry. Given that 76% of Americans still turn to local broadcast TV every day, this is a big factor that helps YouTube TV stand out amongst the competition.

Another way that YouTube TV is distancing itself from its peers in the live-streaming industry is with the optional 4K Plus add-on. Although not many channels are broadcasting content in Ultra-High-Definition 4K currently, the number is growing, and the technology required to watch it at home has never been cheaper. YouTube TV is one of the only major live TV services that offers 4K streaming ability, though users do have to pay an additional $9.99 per month to get it. That’s cheaper than it used to be, however; YouTube slashed the price of the add-on in half when it raised the monthly rate of a YouTube TV subscription to $72.99 in March. Fubo also offers 4K streaming on its service.

The numbers are certainly good news for YouTube TV as it gears up to offer its first season of NFL Sunday Ticket in 2023. When YouTube’s parent company Alphabet Inc. acquired the rights to the NFL’s out-of-market games package in January, MoffettNathanson analysts predicted it would need to attract around4.5 million customers per season just to break even on the deal. Considering Sunday Ticket never had more than 2 million users when its rights were held by DIRECTV, that seemed like a daunting proposition. But with a subscriber base of 6.3 million, YouTube TV at least has a path to reaching that number, especially considering YouTube has made Sunday Ticket available a la carte, so fans can purchase it without having to be signed up for YouTube TV.

Pay TV is certainly doomed, and its end may be coming more quickly than market analysts envisioned. Live TV streamers are struggling to pick up the slack, but YouTube TV is continuing to shine when compared to its competition. There are no guarantees in such a fast-changing marketplace, but if YouTube TV continues on this trajectory, in a few years it could be known as the Netflix of live TV streamers.

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YouTube TV

YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 60 channels for $72.99/month. This plan includes local channels, 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs) in select markets. The service includes an unlimited DVR.

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With the recent addition of Viacom channels (BET, MTV, Comedy Central, etc.) to the service, they are only without Hallmark and A+E Networks (Lifetime, History, A&E).

They recently added NFL Network and new Sports Plus add-on which include channels like NFL RedZone for $11 a month.

YouTube TV offers select 4K content, including some live sports and on-demand shows, as part of their 4K Plus add-on. The 4K Plus add-on is $9.99 a month and also includes offline downloads and unlimited streams on your home network.

If you want a cheaper service with many of the entertainment channels on YouTube TV, you can subscribe to Philo which includes A+E, Discovery, Viacom, Hallmark, and other channels for just $20 a month after a 7-Day Free Trial.

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David Satin
David covers the biggest news stories, live events, premieres, and informational pieces for The Streamable. Before joining TS, he wrote extensively for Screen Rant and has years of experience writing about the entertainment and streaming industries. He's a Broncos fan, streams on his Toshiba Fire TV, and his favorites include "Andor," "Rings of Power," and "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."
Read full bio ›
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