ESPN, ABC, other Disney networks go dark on YouTube TV after failed talks

Google’s YouTube TV said on Thursday Disney’s networks, including ESPN and ABC, have gone dark on its platform after the two companies failed to reach a new licensing deal.

“Our contract with Disney has reached its renewal date, and we’ll not agree to terms that disadvantage our members while benefiting Disney’s TV products,” YouTube TV said in a post on social media platform X.

YouTube TV, one of the biggest pay-TV distributors in the US, has been locked in a string of negotiations with legacy media companies this year.

Earlier this month, the company, after a difficult negotiation period, reached a deal with Comcast-owned NBCUniversal to keep NBC shows such as “Sunday Night Football” and “America’s Got Talent” on YouTube TV.

YouTube TV also struck deals with Fox and Paramount earlier this year after contract negotiations threatened networks from going dark on the Google-owned service.

“With a $3 trillion market cap, Google is using its market dominance to eliminate competition and undercut the industry-standard terms we’ve successfully negotiated with every other distributor,” a Disney spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson added that Disney was committed to working toward a resolution as quickly as possible.