YouTube TV and NBCUniversal Have Agreed to Make Nice—for Now

After a drawn-out public showdown over a contract dispute that would have resulted in 14 NBC Universal channels being yanked from YouTube TV, the 2 providers introduced in a Thursday night time assertion that they’ve labored out a short-term repair.

“NBCUniversal and YouTube TV have agreed to a short extension while parties continue talks. NBCUniversal will not go dark on YouTube TV at midnight eastern tonight,” an NBCUniversal spokesperson stated in a press release. “We will continue to be in touch on next steps as we have more information. Thanks for your patience.”

An present contract between the 2 firms was set to run out at midnight on September 30, however each events clashed over carriage phrases within the days main as much as the deadline, creating uncertainty concerning the destiny of the NBCUniversal channels on YouTube’s streaming service. While NBCUniversal had reportedly demanded that the Google-owned YouTube TV bundle its streaming service, Peacock, as a situation of constant to have entry to the broadcaster’s channels, YouTube TV had objected to the phrases, asking that NBCUniversal deal with it “like any other TV provider.”

“In other words, for the duration of our agreement, YouTube TV seeks the same rates that services of a similar size get from NBCU so we can continue offering YouTube TV to members at a competitive and fair price,” the service wrote in a blog post asserting the stalled negotiations.

To offset any inconvenience to clients that might consequence from the 14 channels—which might have included NBC, Bravo, and the regional sports activities networks, amongst others—being dropped, YouTube TV had initially supplied to decrease the month-to-month worth for its service by $10, from $64.99 to $54.99. While that deal is seemingly now off the desk, negotiations between the 2 firms are ongoing.

While cable subscribers are most likely overly acquainted with carriage dispute-related blackouts that mess with their service, streaming platforms are comparatively new to the observe and have been subjecting their clients to disruptions with rising frequency—significantly when regional sports activities networks are concerned. As streaming platforms duke it out for management of the chessboard, subscribers can anticipate to see extra of some of these turf wars taking part in out in entrance of them in real-time—which type of makes you marvel if reducing the twine continues to be the cleaner, extra handy different to cable that was promised to us.