Paramount channels to stay on YouTube TV in short-term deal
Paramount channels to stay on YouTube TV in short-term deal
The two sides are still at work on a broader carriage deal, but this temporary fix will ensure no channel blackout happens right away.
Paramount Global and YouTube TV have averted disaster, at least for the time being. The two sides have worked out a temporary agreement to keep Paramount-owned channels on the live TV streaming service in the short term, one day after the streamer warned customers that they were likely to lose Paramount programming in a channel blackout. The two sides are continuing to work on a long-term deal, but for now, viewers will have no disruption in their access to Paramount content.
Key Details:
- YouTube TV posted on social media Thursday night that it had made a short-term deal with Paramount.
- The post did not specify whether the deal would be long enough to ensure access to March Madness.
- Paramount owns key channels like CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, and others.
YouTube TV announced the short-term agreement with Paramount on social media on Thursday night, less than an hour before its standing carriage deal with the company was set to expire.
An update for our members: We’ve reached a short-term extension with Paramount to keep their content on YouTube TV. Subscribers continue to have access to Paramount channels, including CBS. We appreciate your patience as we continue to negotiate on your behalf.… https://t.co/xMAs8m6jFU
— YouTube TV (@YouTubeTV) February 14, 2025
The post does not include any information about how long the short-term deal with Paramount will last, but it is likely that the detente will remain in place as long as negotiations remain productive. Paramount-owned CBS will begin broadcasting the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament on March 20 and the Masters Golf tournament begins on April 7, so viewers have been understandably concerned as to whether the deal will extend to those dates.
Paramount also owns popular cable channels like CBS Sports Network, MTV, Nickelodeon, and Paramount Network, so viewers stand to lose access to more sports, shows like “Love & Hip Hop Atlanta,” popular kids programming, and more, in addition to all the local content they get from their market’s CBS station.
Word of the potential carriage dispute first began to circulate on Wednesday, when YouTube TV began informing its subscribers that they were about to lose Paramount programming. Customers were faced with being locked out of Paramount+ and BET+ accounts that were purchased through YouTube TV’s Primetime Channels store, and could also have lost any DVR recordings sourced from Paramount channels.
YouTube TV was even prepared to give customers credits toward their bill if the Paramount channel blackout went ahead, but it appears that necessity has been negated for the time being. Now, the question becomes how quickly Paramount and YouTube TV can work out a long-term deal, or if the short-term agreement will be long enough to cover major sports events like March Madness and the Masters.
YouTube TV
YouTube TV is a live TV streaming service with more than 60 channels for $82.99/month. This plan includes local channels 32 of the top 35 cable channels, and regional sports networks (RSNs) in select markets. The base plan includes more than 100 live channels, including major broadcast networks like ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, as well as popular cable channels such as ESPN, CNN, FX, USA Network, and TNT. Local channels are included in most markets, making YouTube TV a full replacement for traditional cable for many viewers.