With the dispute between ABC, ESPN, and YouTube TV continuing for a third week, Disney CEO Bob Iger explained why his company is taking a firm position in the ongoing talks.
For the past two weeks, the 10 million subscribers to YouTube TV haven’t been able to watch Disney channels or ABC. This is due to a disagreement between YouTube TV (owned by Google) and Disney over how much YouTube TV should pay to carry these channels.
It’s not clear when the two sides will reach a deal.
Disney’s CFO, Hugh Johnston, said during an earnings call with Wall Street analysts that the current conversations could take some time to resolve.
Hollywood Inc.
Increasing prices for sports broadcasting rights, along with other issues, have caused disagreements between YouTube and companies like Disney.
During the conversation, Iger explained that Disney wants Google to agree to similar terms as those in its recent deals with other cable and satellite companies.
Iger explained to analysts that their offer is as good as, or better than, deals already made with other major distributors. He emphasized they weren’t attempting to radically change the standard terms.
A Google representative declined to comment.
The tech company has resisted Disney’s requests, citing falling viewership on ABC and other networks. Both companies have been negotiating all week to create a new agreement to replace the previous one, which ended on October 30th, causing Disney channels to become unavailable.
Iger stated that while they’ve been working hard to reach an agreement and get their content back on the platform, it’s crucial that any deal fairly represents the value they provide.
Hollywood Inc.
Disney’s earnings for the last three months of the year were down somewhat because fewer people went to see its movies in theaters. However, its parks, experiences, and cruises – especially the cruise line – continued to do well.
As a movie critic, I’ve been watching this battle between cable companies and the networks that provide the shows for years, and this latest disagreement just underscores how much things are changing. It’s a clear sign of the friction happening as everyone navigates this move towards streaming – they’re really bumping heads over who controls what, and how much it all costs.
Disney and other content creators are increasing prices to make up for lost revenue from traditional cable and satellite TV customers who are canceling those services or opting for cheaper streaming options. With fewer traditional TV subscribers, those who remain are now paying more to cover the cost of the content.
The price of including popular channels like ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC, as well as sports networks such as ESPN, has increased dramatically. This is mainly because TV rights for major sports leagues have become much more expensive.
ESPN is the priciest channel offered in most basic cable packages, costing cable and satellite companies almost $10 per subscriber each month. ABC is also relatively expensive because it broadcasts sports, like “Monday Night Football.”
Hollywood Inc.
YouTube TV subscribers – around 10 million of them – are currently unable to watch ESPN, ABC, and other channels owned by Disney. This disruption happened during a busy time for sports, including college football and a Monday night game featuring the Cardinals and Cowboys.
As a huge fan of streaming, I’ve definitely noticed how prices keep creeping up! It’s good to see some distributors are aware of that, trying not to make things even more expensive for us viewers. I remember when YouTube TV first came out in 2017 – it was a steal at just $35 a month. Now, it’s $82.99, which is a pretty big jump, honestly.
“We’re trying really hard … working tirelessly to close this deal,” Iger said.
In a separate appearance on CNBC, Johnston suggested that Disney was buckled up for the slog.
“We’re ready to go as long as they want to,” Johnston said.
YouTube TV subscribers have also been unable to watch Univision’s Spanish-language channels since September 30th. The issue stems from YouTube’s proposal to move Univision channels to a separate, specialized package instead of including them in the standard channel lineup.
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2025-11-13 20:01