By Michaela Gordoni
Fox broadcast network, Fox News and other Fox TV stations may disappear from YouTube TV soon as the companies engage in a carriage dispute.
Fox warned Monday that its channels were at risk of being pulled “unless Google engages in a meaningful way soon,” The Hollywood Reporter said.
“While Fox remains committed to reaching a fair agreement with Google’s YouTube TV, we are disappointed that Google continually exploits its outsized influence by proposing terms that are out of step with the marketplace,” Fox said in a statement. “We are alerting Fox viewers who are YouTube TV subscribers that they could lose access to much of their favorite news, sports, entertainment and local station programming unless Google engages in a meaningful way soon.”
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“Our current agreement with Fox is approaching its renewal date and we are in active and ongoing negotiations to continue carrying their content,” YouTube wrote on Monday. “Fox is asking for payments that are far higher than what partners with comparable content offerings receive. Our priority is to reach a deal that reflects the value of their content and is fair for both sides without passing on additional costs to our subscribers.”
The deadline to come to an agreement is Wednesday, Aug. 27 at 5 p.m. ET. If Fox drops service on YouTube TV, some customers would lose access to NFL and MLB games and college football.
Paramount channels, including CBS, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon, almost got pulled from YouTube TV earlier this year. Paramount and Google were able to come to an agreement.
Fox just launched its streaming service, Fox One. Fox is advising YouTube TV customers to subscribe to Fox One to continue viewing Fox content. It costs $199.99 per year or $19.99 per month with a seven-day free trial, The New York Times reported.
Variety reported the channels in danger of disappearing from YouTube TV are Fox local stations; BTN; Fox Business; Fox Deportes; Fox News; Fox Soccer Plus; Fox Soul; Fox Sports 1 (FS1) and Fox Sports 2 (FS2); Fox Weather; KTVU Plus; and LiveNow from Fox. Any YouTube TV customers who subscribe to Fox Nation as an optional add-on would also lose access to that service.
Carriage disagreements are common in the pay-TV business and often revolve around a programmer’s goal of getting higher fees from its distributor, like in this case.
YouTube has said that if Fox channels get pulled for an extended time, it will offer customers a $10 credit.
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