- YouTube TV and Disney have settled their differences
- Disney channels are now returning to YouTube TV
- The two companies have signed a new multi-year agreement
After a rather tortuous two-week dispute over payments, all Disney-owned content is returning to YouTube TV subscribers — including ABC, ESPN, FX, National Geographic and other Disney-branded channels.
If you’re one of the 10 million people who have signed up for YouTube TV, these channels should reappear soon if they haven’t already. Previous library recordings will also be restored under the new agreement.
It may take a little longer for other parts of the Disney-YouTube partnership to be restored. As part of the previous content deal expiring, the ability to buy Disney movies and series on YouTube was pulled — a block that 9to5Google says is still in place right now.
That functionality will probably also be restored over time. The terms of the new deal have not been disclosed by either Disney or YouTube TV, but the two now appear to be friends again after neither party really benefited from the blackout drama.
‘Preserves the value of our service’
Both companies have delivered positive press releases. YouTube TV says the deal “preserves the value of our service to our subscribers and future flexibility in our offerings,” as well as apologizes for the disruption and thanks subscribers for their patience.
Disney says the new “multi-year distribution agreement” reflects the “extraordinary entertainment” the company is able to offer YouTube TV subscribers and “recognizes the tremendous value of Disney’s programming.”
In fact, the press releases are so full of positivity that it’s hard to believe there was ever a problem in the first place. YouTube TV had begun offering refunds to subscribers without Disney content.
YouTube TV previously accused Disney of trying to “force deal terms that would raise prices on our customers”, while Disney suggested that YouTube TV had used its market dominance to avoid paying fair prices for the Disney channels.
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