YouTube TV says it’s ready to strike a deal as Disney dispute enters second week

As the standoff between YouTube TV and Disney enters its second week, YouTube has stated that it is ready to reach a fair agreement to restore ESPN, ABC, and other Disney-owned networks that went off air following the expiry of their distribution deal on 1 November. The blackout has left millions of subscribers unable to access major sports broadcasts and entertainment programming, sparking widespread frustration among viewers.

YouTube told Reuters on Friday that it was open to resuming negotiations and stood ready to make what it described as a fair deal with Disney to restore the channels to its platform. The company, however, placed the blame on Disney, claiming that the entertainment conglomerate had distorted facts and was demanding rates higher than those paid by other major distributors such as Charter and DirecTV, as well as above those charged to Disney’s own smaller platforms. YouTube stated that its team was prepared to finalise an agreement consistent with market standards and urged Disney to act in the best interests of their shared customer base.

The breakdown in talks has already affected major sporting events, with college football fans missing live broadcasts on ABC and ESPN last weekend — and the ongoing dispute threatens to extend the disruption into another sports-heavy weekend, reported Reuters.

Disney, in its response, revealed that discussions with YouTube TV were still underway to restore its networks as soon as possible, but accused YouTube of seeking preferential treatment. In an internal memo to staff, Disney Entertainment co-chairs Dana Walden and Alan Bergman and ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro stated that YouTube TV continued to demand below-market rates and had made minimal concessions during negotiations. The company asserted that it had initiated talks with a proposal that would cost less overall than the recently expired deal, adding that the terms offered were consistent with agreements reached with other distributors earlier this year.

Disney also said it had offered YouTube temporary access to ABC during the election coverage window, describing it as a matter of public interest. Meanwhile, YouTube revealed that it had proposed a temporary restoration of ABC and ESPN while the parties continued negotiations, stating in a blog post that these were the channels most valued by subscribers.