This week Paramount and YouTube TV averted a blackout
This week Paramount and YouTube TV averted a blackout
The companies have agreed to a short-term deal to keep Paramount-owned channels accessible to YouTube TV subscribers.
This week, it’s time for another carriage agreement disagreement as YouTube TV and Paramount Global are the latest companies in dispute over programming, threatening YouTube TV customers with the loss of Paramount-owned channels like CBS.
Plus, threes are wild for two of TV’s best: “Yellowjackets” and “The White Lotus” return this weekend for their much-anticipated third seasons!
This Week’s Biggest Streaming News:
YouTube TV and Paramount work toward a new carriage agreement, avert blackout for now
On Wednesday, YouTube TV subscribers received an email informing them that Paramount-owned channels, such as CBS, [CBS Sports], MTV, Nickelodeon, and Paramount Network, would go dark on the service as early as Thursday. The live TV streamer also warned its viewers it would lose DVR-recorded Paramount programming, plus access to add-ons like Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and BET+.
But the crisis has been averted, at least for now. Less than an hour before the standing carriage agreement with Paramount was set to expire, YouTube TV announced a short-term extension with the programmer. Although it was not disclosed how long the short-term deal will last, we expect it will remain in place as long as negotiations between the two companies remain productive. In the meantime, viewers will have no disruption in their access to streaming and recorded Paramount content.
If the short-term agreement ends without any long-term resolution, YouTube TV has already promised its subscribers it would be providing an $8 credit if the blackout lasts for an “extended period of time,” though it didn’t provide concrete details on the length of time and the deal is, regardless, on pause for now.
The programmer and distributor have extra incentive to work out their grievances by mid-March when the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, which shows a large portion of its games on CBS, gets underway, as well as other planned major programming like the Masters Tournament in early April.
If you’re a YouTube TV subscriber, we recommend sitting tight for now while the two sides continue to hammer out a long-term deal. But if the date gets closer and you are worried about losing your Paramount programming around March Madness or the Masters, we’ve laid out a few options for where you can continue to watch CBS and other Paramount-owned channels!
Catch up on our recent stories related to the Paramount-YouTube carriage dispute:
- YouTube TV likely to lose Paramount-owned channels
- Paramount channels to stay on YouTube TV in short-term deal
- Is YouTube TV offering a credit for Paramount channel blackout?
- How YouTube TV customers can watch Paramount-owned channels
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.
Catch up this weekend: ‘Yellowjackets’ returns
Roses are red, violets are blue, jackets are yellow. The hit SHOWTIME psychological survival thriller “Yellowjackets” is finally back with all-new episodes just in time for Valentine’s Day, and the first two episodes of Season 3 are available to stream now via the Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan.
In Season 3, the Yellowjackets girls aren’t out of the woods yet, and neither are their older counterparts. In the ‘90s timeline, the brutal winter is finally over but not without unthawed tensions and distrust in their leadership that threatens to jeopardize their chances of being rescued from the Northern wilderness. In the present day, it turns out, 25 years isn’t long enough to bury all your secrets, and the now-grown women are trying to keep their lives from unraveling any further.
Watch the Season 3 trailer for ‘Yellowjackets’
“Yellowjackets” stars Melanie Lynskey, Christina Ricci, Tawny Cypress, Lauren Ambrose, Sophie Nélisse, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sophie Thatcher, Samantha Hanratty, Courtney Eaton, Liv Hewson, Steven Krueger, Warren Kole, Kevin Alves, Sarah Desjardins, and Simone Kessell with Elijah Wood returning in a recurring role. New season additions include Hilary Swank and Joel McHale.
The first two episodes of “Yellowjackets” Season 3 are currently available to stream on Paramount+ with a Paramount+ with SHOWTIME plan. If you have a live streaming service like DIRECTV, you can also catch the SHOWTIME premiere this Sunday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. A new episode will be available every Friday and Sunday, respectively.
Paramount+ with SHOWTIME
Previously known as Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, Paramount+ Premium is the ad-free tier of Paramount+ that combines the best of Showtime’s acclaimed original series with Paramount’s expansive content library. Subscribers can stream hit dramas like “Yellowjackets,” “Billions,” “Shameless,” “Homeland,” “Ray Donovan,” “Dexter,” Weeds,” and “Nurse Jackie” all in one place.
What’s new this weekend: ‘The White Lotus’ Season 3 premieres
Pack your bags and head back to The White Lotus!
Mike White’s Emmy and Golden Globe-winning black comedy-drama series is back on HBO for its third season this Sunday, Feb. 16, and this year’s destination is the title resort in Bangkok, Thailand.
Watch the trailer for Season 3 of ‘The White Lotus’
Like its previous two seasons, the anthology series features an all-star cast including the returning Natasha Rothwell and new cast members Leslie Bibb, Carrie Coon, Walton Goggins, Sarah Catherine Hook, Jason Isaacs, Lalisa Manobal, Michelle Monaghan, Tayme Thapthimthong, Sam Nivola, Lek Patravadi, Parker Posey, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Aimee Lou Wood, and more.
Check-in time for “The White Lotus” Season 3 is this Sunday, 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max. A new episode will be available every Sunday night through April 6’s season finale.
HBO Max
HBO Max is a subscription video streaming service that gives access to the full HBO library and exclusive Max Originals. There are hubs for content from TLC, HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TCM, Cartoon Network, Travel Channel, ID, and more. Watch hit series like “The Last of Us,” “House of the Dragon,” “Succession,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and more. Within HBO Max, B/R Sports allows users to watch live NBA, MLB, NHL, March Madness, and NASCAR events.