Trump pushes YouTube TV to restore Univision for political purposes
Trump pushes YouTube TV to restore Univision for political purposes
The president said bringing back the channel would be a big help to Republicans, then urged the move in the name of ‘fairness.’
With the government of the United States shut down, President Trump is turning his attention away from negotiating to reopen the country. Instead, his focus has fallen on a different kind of negotiation. Univision and other channels owned by TelevisaUnivision are blacked out on YouTube TV, but the president took time to publicly chastise the streamer for not bringing the channel back.
Key Details:
- Big implications?: Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that Univision’s extended absence from YouTube TV would be “VERY BAD” for Republicans in midterms.
- Any updates?: Neither side has given ground since the carriage dispute caused Univision to be blacked out last night.
- Repeating pattern: The Trump administration also interceded in YouTube TV’s carriage fight with Fox.
Trump fired up his Truth Social account on Saturday to declaim on the subject of the dispute between TelevisaUnivision and YouTube TV. Using words of praise for both sides, Trump nevertheless made it clear which side he wanted to see come out ahead at the end.
“I hope Univision, a great and very popular Hispanic Network, can get BACK onto the very amazing Google/YouTube,” he wrote. “It has been taken out of their package, which is VERY BAD for Republicans in the upcoming Midterms. They were so good to me with their highest rated ever political Special, and I set a Republican Record in Hispanic voting. Google, for the purpose of FAIRNESS, please let Univision back! President DJT.”
There hasn’t been much movement from either side since last Tuesday, when the expiration of the old carriage deal between the two sides led to Univision being removed from YouTube TV airwaves. Both sides are attempting to push the blame for the dispute onto the other, but as explained by the president, the possibility of political gain for Republicans is leading the administration into the fray.
Trump’s administration has not been shy to intercede in such disputes, despite legitimate First Amendment concerns over the interference of the federal government in contract talks between programmers and distributors. FCC chairman Brendan Carr was very active in trying to cajole YouTube TV to give Fox a favorable deal during their carriage dispute in late August.
Fox and YouTube TV eventually made a deal to bring Fox channels back to the streamer, and an agreement of some kind between TelevisaUnivsion and YouTube TV is probable as well. It remains to be seen what kind of terms the deal will be made under, and whether or not President Trump’s post will have an effect on getting the deal done more quickly.
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.