Google threatens to remove Fox channels from YouTube TV amid carriage dispute
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Google on Monday warned customers that it may remove Fox Corp.-owned channels, such as Fox Sports, Fox News and Fox Business, from YouTube TV if it doesn't resolve a carriage dispute by 5pm ET on Wednesday.
Why it matters: These types of fights are common between TV carriers and networks ahead of football season, and contracts are typically designed to expire in August for that reason.
- Both parties typically find a way to resolve their disputes within a matter of days or weeks.
- The 2025 NFL season kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 4. Most of the country's top Division I programs begin their college football seasons this week.
Zoom in: In a statement posted Monday, YouTube said Fox "is asking for payments that are far higher than what partners with comparable content offerings receive."
- The other side: Fox argues that while it remains committed to reaching a "fair" agreement, "we are disappointed that Google continually exploits its outsized influence by proposing terms that are out of step with the marketplace."
Between the lines: YouTube said it will provide subscribers with a $10 credit "if Fox content becomes unavailable for an extended period of time."
- In the event that the network does go dark, it has advised that its members subscribe to Fox's new streaming service Fox One, which houses all of Fox's live programming.
Zoom out: Google launched YouTube TV in five cities in 2017 and has since expanded the offering nationally.
- The digital live TV bundle now has more than 8 million subscribers, making it one of the largest TV providers in the country.
The big picture: Typically, these disputes occur between major cable companies and networks, but as digital live TV providers like YouTube TV get bigger, these fights are becoming more frequent with streamers.
- The last time a major disagreement like this took place ahead of football season was in 2023 between Disney and Charter. The two parties struck a last-minute distribution deal to avert a blackout of "Monday Night Football" on ESPN for nearly 15 million Charter Spectrum customers.
