YouTube TV subscribers woke up to a surprise on Friday morning, learning that all of the Disney-owned channels had been removed from the pay-TV streaming platform. Read on for all of the details of this blackout, including which channels it impacts and when the situation may be resolved.

Disney Channels Blocked from YouTube TV

All Disney’s channels have been blacked out on YouTube’s pay-TV platform after the two companies were unable to reach a new agreement before the Thursday midnight deadline. The removal of Disney networks means that YouTube TV will not carry ESPN, ABC, FX, Disney Channel, National Geographic, and Freeform. While the two media giants remain in talks, neither company has signaled when subscribers should expect these channels to resume airing.

A Disney spokesperson told the media that YouTube TV had chosen to deny its subscribers this content by "refusing to pay fair rates." The Disney-owned channels air some of the most popular content in the U.S., including a good majority of sports programming across the ESPN network of channels.

Sports fans are heading into the weekend without access to some of the top sporting events. For example, the ESPN networks are airing 13 of the top 25 college football teams this weekend. Other sports scheduled to air across the ESPN family in the coming days include the NBA and the NFL.

YouTube TV issued a statement via X late Thursday acknowledging how disruptive it is to lose these popular channels. The company said that it is committed to continuing negotiations with Disney to reach an agreement.

YouTube TV subscribers had been warned about the impending blackout over the last week when Disney launched an information campaign about the issue. Disney is asking for higher carriage fees that are more reflective of what they say is the value of their networks. Conversely, YouTube has gone on record to say that Disney's asking price would increase prices on YouTubeTV customers, giving them fewer choices.

The Disney and YouTube battle is not the only showdown in the media space this year. YouTube was previously involved in disputes with Paramount, Fox, and NBCUniversal, all resulting in deals made at the last minute. Televisa Univision was also involved in a dispute with YouTube that triggered a blackout.

Workarounds Until the Problem is Solved

YouTube TV said that its customers will receive a $20 monthly credit should the Disney channels not air for an extended period. While the gesture is surely appreciated by customers, it does nothing for sports fans wanting to tune into the big games this weekend. One quick solution is to subscribe to the ESPN unlimited package, a comprehensive family of all of the sports giant's linear networks. These include access to ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNews, and ESPN Deportes, as well as access to programming on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNX.

Customers can also choose to subscribe to a Disney+ and Hulu bundle, a group that also includes ESPN+.

Experts advise that the best bet is to be patient and avoid making any major subscription decisions in the short term. These negotiations tend to resolve themselves quickly, offering hope that YouTube and Disney will come to an agreement soon.

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