Disney and YouTube TV reach deal

Washington [US], November 16: Google's YouTube and Walt Disney said on Friday they had reached an agreement to restore Disney-owned networks to YouTube TV, after a fee dispute left millions of subscribers without access to U.S. Election Day programming and major live sports events.
The full line-up of Disney (DIS.N), opens new tab channels including ABC, ESPN, FX and National Geographic will return to YouTube TV from Friday, the companies said in separate statements.
Additionally, ESPN's full line-up of sports, including content from ESPN Unlimited, will be available to base-plan subscribers at no additional cost by the end of 2026, according to YouTube.
The dispute, centered around carriage fees, or the per-subscriber rates distributors pay to carry broadcast and cable networks, had caused Disney's channels to go dark on October 30 on one of the largest pay-TV services in the U.S.
Walt Disney did not immediately respond to a query about the financial terms of the deal. YouTube said it was not disclosing the deal's terms.
CNBC reported last week that Disney sought rates comparable to those paid by major distributors, including around $10 a subscriber per month for ESPN.
YouTube TV's rapid growth as a pay-TV platform, combined with Google's (GOOGL.O), opens new tab vast financial resources, gives it greater negotiating leverage with media companies and allows it to operate with less short-term financial pressure than traditional providers.
The service has been locked in negotiations and carriage disputes with major media firms that were threatening to pull their networks from the platform.
Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger said on Thursday his company had proposed a deal "equal to or better than what other large distributors have already agreed to," referring to talks with YouTube TV over the dispute.
Prospects of a prolonged fight over the distribution of Walt Disney's television networks had worried investors about the outlook for its already declining TV business.
Walt Disney missed quarterly revenue expectations as its cable TV weakness overshadowed strong growth in the company's streaming and parks businesses.
Source: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation