YouTube TV to begin offering $20 credit amidst Disney blackout
YouTube TV to begin offering $20 credit amidst Disney blackout
As promised, the streaming service will provide viewers with a rebate on their bills thanks to the continued absence of ABC, ESPN and other channels.
Another weekend of college football has come and gone without any progress having been made on the carriage dispute between Disney and YouTube TV. ABC, Disney Channel, ESPN, and other Disney-owned networks are still blacked out on YouTube TV, and on Sunday, the streaming service began informing customers that they would soon be able to redeem a credit for $20 off their bill as the dispute goes on.
Key Details:
- On the way: YouTube TV is telling customers to expect more details on how to redeem their $20 credit.
- As promised: The streamer first told viewers a discount would be coming if Disney’s channels were absent for an extended period of time.
- Resolution coming?: Disney and YouTube TV are still negotiating a new carriage contract.
YouTube TV’s email to subscribers on Sunday informed them that they would soon receive a follow-up communication with instructions on how to redeem the credit to their account. The offer will allow YouTube TV customers to reduce their bill from $83 to $63 for their next month of service.
“We’ve been working in good faith to negotiate a deal with Disney that pays them fairly for their content and returns their programming to YouTube TV,” the email reads. “We know it’s been disappointing to lose Disney content, and we want you to know we deeply appreciate your patience…We remain committed to working with Disney to bring their content back to YouTube TV.”
When the carriage dispute first bubbled up, YouTube TV promised that a $20 credit would be offered should the channels be absent for an extended period of time. The bill credit after a channel blackout is a standard YouTube TV tactic; it pledged in September that it would give out a $10 credit if NBC channels were blacked out, though in that case, the two sides reached a deal before a blackout took place.
On Friday, Disney distributed an internal memo in which it laid out some of the deal parameters it has offered YouTube TV, and castigated the streaming service for not making a deal in line with those that other distributors have made to carry Disney channels. The Athletic obtained a copy of that memo and shared some excerpts from it.
“Rather than compete on a level playing field, Google’s YouTube TV has approached these negotiations as if it were the only player in the game,” the memo reads. “It goes without saying that the reason so many consumers value our programming above others is because we invest in the best talent, creators and content in the world, and we cannot allow anyone to undercut our ability to do so.”
YouTube TV responded by calling the memo’s leak an intentional tactic on Disney’s part to try and sway public opinion. Despite the public war of words, however, Disney and YouTube are still negotiating on a new carriage contract as of Monday, and a resolution could come at any moment. Even still, YouTube TV customers should keep an eye on their email to find out exactly how they can redeem an offer for a $20 credit off their monthly bill.
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.