 Logo used since 2024 | |
Type of site | OTT platform |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | 901 Cherry Avenue,San Bruno, California, United States |
| Area served | United States |
| Owner | Alphabet Inc. |
| Industry | Pay television |
| Services | Streaming television |
| Parent | Google (throughYouTube) |
| URL | tv |
| Users |  8,000,000 subscribers (as of February 9, 2024[update])[1] |
| Launched | February 28, 2017; 8 years ago (2017-02-28) |
YouTube TV is an Americansubscriptionover-the-topstreaming television service operated byYouTube, a subsidiary ofGoogle, which in turn is a subsidiary ofAlphabet Inc., who announced YouTube TV on February 28, 2017.[2] The virtualmultichannel video programming distributor offers a selection of live linear channel feeds andon-demand content from more than 100 television networks (including affiliates of theBig Three broadcast networks (such asABC,NBC andCBS),Fox,The CW andPBS in most markets) and over 30 OTT-originated services, as well as acloud-basedDVR.
The service, which is aimed atcord cutters, is currently exclusively available in the United States, and can be streamed through its dedicated website andmobile app,smart TVs anddigital media players.[3][4] As of February 9, 2024, YouTube TV has over 8 million subscribers.[5]
YouTube TV launched on February 28, 2017, in five major U.S. markets—New York City,Los Angeles,Chicago,Philadelphia andSan Francisco.[2][6] In addition to carrying national broadcast networks, YouTube TV offers cable-originated channels owned by the corporate parents of the four major networks and other media companies. Other channels initially available on the service includedCNBC andMSNBC (owned byComcast throughNBCUniversal),BBC World News (owned by theBBC),Smithsonian Channel (owned byParamount Global),Sundance TV andBBC America (owned byAMC Networks), numerous sports channels,Disney Channel (owned byThe Walt Disney Company).[7]
YouTube TV members also received access toYouTube Premium’s original movies and series, though an additional subscription to Premium was required for customers to access ad-free content and additional app features;Showtime andFox Soccer Plus were also purchasable as optional premium add-ons for an extra fee.[7] Also in 2017, YouTube addedMLB Network, and entered into regional streaming rights deals with twoMajor League Soccer clubs,Seattle Sounders FC andLos Angeles FC.[8][9]
In February 2018, YouTube TV began carrying theTime Warner–ownedTurner Broadcasting System's cable networks (including, among others,TBS,TNT,CNN andCartoon Network). In addition, YouTube TV also announced a deal to addNBA TV andMLB Network. With these additional channels, the service increased its monthly price for the first time in March 2018, from $34.99 to $39.99, with nograndfathering or opt-out available.[10] On June 19, 2018, under an agreement withLionsgate, YouTube TV began offeringStarz as a premium add-on, containing linear feeds of the six Starz and eightStarz Encore channels.[11]
The service expanded to cover 98% of U.S. households by January 2019.[12] In March 2019, YouTube TV launched inGlendive, Montana, thus making the service available in all 210 American television markets.[13] On April 10, 2019, YouTube TV added nine networks owned byDiscovery, Inc. (includingDiscovery Channel,HGTV,Food Network,TLC,Animal Planet andOWN), were not absent after streamer lunch, bringing the service's lineup up to 70 channels.[14] The service concurrently announced a second monthly price increase, from $39.99 to $49.99, without grandfathering existing customers or allowing them to opt out.[15] On April 12 of that year, YouTube TV reached an agreement withMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer to offer itsEpix (now MGM+) premium service as an add-on.[16]
In July 2019, at theTelevision Critics Association Summer Press Tour inPasadena, California, YouTube TV announced it had signed a multi-year deal withPBS to allow carriage of live streams of the public broadcaster's member stations andPBS Kids Channel beginning as early as the fourth quarter of 2019.[17] On December 15, 2019, the first PBS affiliate stations were added to YouTube TV.[18] On February 20, 2020, YouTube TV reached an agreement withWarnerMedia (nowWarner Bros. Discovery) to carryHBO andCinemax as add-ons, and allowing access to the conglomerate'sHBO Max streaming service, which launched on May 20 of that year, with a containing HBO subscription. (Customers who subscribe to the HBO add-on can access content within the HBO Max app using their YouTube TV/Google account credentials.) The additions of HBO and Cinemax resulted in YouTube TV becoming the first American vMVPD service to offer all five major premium channels as add-ons.[19]
In May 2020, YouTube TV reached an expanded, multi-year deal with ViacomCBS (nowParamount Global) to add the company'smajor cable networks (includingMTV,Nickelodeon,BET andComedy Central) that were notably absent since the streamer's launch. The deal also entailed a continued commitment to distribute several other ViacomCBS-owned networks, includingCBS, Pop TV, The CW and Showtime, through YouTube TV, along with an extended partnership to distribute the media company's content on the broader YouTube platforms.[20] Eight of the channels were added on June 30, expanding YouTube TV's lineup to over 85 channels. The additions of the extra channels were accompanied by the service's third monthly price increase, from $49.99 to $64.99, which also had no grandfathering or opt-out provisions.[21] Some of its competitors, such asHulu + Live TV andFuboTV, have also implemented similar price increases over time.
In September 2020, YouTube TV added theNFL Network to its base lineup and announced the launch of a Sports Plus add-on package, which includes premium sports networks such asNFL RedZone,MavTV,GolTV,Fox Soccer Plus,Stadium andTVG for an additional cost.[22] On December 1, 2020, YouTube TV announced an agreement to carryNexstar Media Group'sNewsNation (the former WGN America) beginning in January 2021.[23] On March 16, 2021, YouTube TV announced that seven additional ViacomCBS-owned networks (includingMTV2,TeenNick,Nick Jr. Channel,Dabl andBET Her) that were not added as part of the May 7 renewal agreement would be added to the lineup.[24]
In February 2021, the service launched its “Entertainment Plus” add-on, an optional discount bundle (available for $29.99 per month) consisting of the HBO Max, Showtime and Starz premium add-ons.[25] On September 2, 2021, YouTube TV announced thatBeIN Sports,Outside TV,VSiN and several other niche sports channels would be added to its Sports Plus add-on tier, effective September 8.[26]
In May 2022, the service launched a secondary Spanish-language base plan aimed at Hispanic and Latino customers, and a complimentary "Spanish Plus" add-on; the "Spanish Plan", available for $34.99 per month, consists of 28 Spanish-language channels (includingESPN Deportes,CNN en Español,Cine Latino,Estrella TV,Nat Geo Mundo andCine Mexicano), while Spanish Plus, available for $14.99 per month, includes over 25 Spanish-language channels (including several that are offered as part of the main Spanish plan). The Spanish plan—which, unlike the Spanish Plus add-on, does not require a subscription to the main base plan—launched with a seven-day free trial.[27]
In September 2022, YouTube TV began allowing subscribers the option of purchasing its premium add-ons without requiring signing up for the 85-channel base plan (a concept similar to the streaming channel stores operated byApple,Prime Video andRoku), with around 20 add-ons initially being made available for purchase à la carte, including HBO Max; Cinemax; Showtime; Starz; Epix;Hallmark Movies Now;CuriosityStream;MLB.tv andNBA League Pass. (YouTube launched a standalone channel store, Primetime Channels, within the platform's Movies & TV hub on November 1 of that year.)[28][29]
In December 2022, YouTube TV was named the exclusive provider ofNFL Sunday Ticket beginning with the2023 NFL season. YouTube TV replacesDirecTV as the package's provider; DirecTV had carried the package since its 1994 inception, a 29-year run.[30]CNBC characterized this as a win for both YouTube TV as well as traditional television networks.[31] YouTube's chief product officer,Neal Mohan, said this was logical progression given how people consume sports content, and noted that subscriptions were a big part of the service's future. He also noted that "creators [would] have exclusive access to games, everything from the first game all the way through the Super Bowl, so that they can produce content on the NFL channel, but they can also produce their own content for YouTube shorts."[32] At the time of announcement, this move would not affect theNFL Network and RedZone on YouTube.[33] NFL Sunday Ticket officially launched as a standalone add-on on both YouTube TV and YouTube's Primetime Channels store on August 16, 2023.[34][35]
On January 31, 2023, YouTube TV notified subscribers that it was dropping MLB Network after the company was unable to reach a new agreement with the channel for continued carriage.[36] In a statement, a spokesperson for the channel said it was simply asking YouTube TV for a deal that was comparable to what around 300 other cable, satellite and streaming companies had agreed to in the past.[37]
On March 16, 2023, YouTube TV increased the price from $64.99 to $72.99 per month for new members, and April 18, 2023, for existing members who subscribed to YouTube TV.[38] The price of some add-on packages, like its 4K feature, was reduced to account for the price increase.
On May 17, 2023, YouTube TV received backlash after a glitch that made many channels unavailable for several hours, includingTNT, who were airing anNBA playoff game between theBoston Celtics &Miami Heat. The glitch made subscribers unable to watch the ending of the game.[39][40] The service received an unexpected boost froma carriage dispute between Disney andCharter Communications in August, in the advent of thecollege football andNFL season, with many users advising impacted Charter customers to consider switching to YouTube TV.[41][42]
On December 12, 2023, the separate HBO and HBO Max linear/VOD add-ons were converted into a singularMax offering that—in addition to featuring HBO's live linear feeds and VOD content—includes in-app library access to Max's ad-free tier, and live feeds of the service's streaming channels, CNN Max (offering a mix of programs simulcast from CNN andCNN International) andBleacher Report (a four-channel, gametime-only service that airs Max-exclusive andWarner Bros. Discovery-owned linear network simulcasts of sports events).[43][44][note 1]
On February 22, 2024, YouTube TV adds 18 channels fromZee Entertainment.[45]
On August 8, 2024, YouTube TV began offering Filipino Plus add-on packages featuringABS-CBN'sTFC along withGMA Network'sGMA Pinoy TV,GMA Life TV andGMA News TV.
On December 12, 2024 Google announced that it’s price has gone up again, this time from $72.99 to $82.99 a month effective immediately for new customers and beginning on January 13, 2025 for existing customers.[46]
YouTube TV offers a cloud-basedDVR service with unlimited storage that saves recordings for nine months; access to the DVR required a subscription to the service's base channel plan until September 2022, when YouTube TV expanded the feature to subscribers of its premium add-ons who do not have an accompanying subscription to the base package.[47][28] Each subscription can be shared among six accounts and allows up to three simultaneous streams.
Supported YouTube TV devices include:
In February 2020, YouTube TV announced thatSinclair Broadcast Group–ownedregional sports networks (includingFox Sports Networks andYES Network) would likely be pulled from the service on February 28, 2020, citing high carriage fees. On that day, YouTube TV announced that it had reached an interim agreement to continue offering the channels on the platform while negotiations are under way.[51] On March 5, 2020, YouTube TV and Sinclair reached a new deal to continue carrying all the Fox RSNs except three – the YES Network, Fox Sports Prime Ticket and Fox Sports West.[52] However, on October 1, 2020, the networks (one of which was carrying theBally Sports moniker now) were pulled off the service after the two sides could not come to a renegotiation agreement.[53][54] The same month, YouTube TV droppedNESN, which carries games for theBoston Red Sox and theBoston Bruins.[55]
In September 2021, YouTube TV entered into a dispute withNBCUniversal when negotiating a renewal of their contract, with the latter warning that its channels would be removed from the service if they failed to reach an agreement by the end of the month.[56] NBC had reportedly demanded YouTube TV bundle theirPeacock streaming service,[57] while YouTube TV announced that it would decrease their price by $10 if the contract is not renewed.[58] The two companies failed to reach an agreement by October 1, but agreed to a "short extension" to avoid the channels being taken down.[59] A deal was reached a day later.[60]
In December 2021, YouTube TV engaged in a dispute withThe Walt Disney Company over a renewal in their contract, warning customers about the possible removal ofABC,Disney Channel,ESPN,Freeform,FX,National Geographic, and other Disney-owned networks should the two fail to reach an agreement.[61] Google and Disney were unable to renew their contract by the expiration date, resulting in YouTube TV's first contract-related blackout.[62] This was resolved a day later, with the two companies reaching a new deal.[63]
In January 2023,MLB Network was pulled off YouTube TV after they failed to reach a contract renewal agreement.[64]
On November 18, 2023,Phoenix, Arizona television stationKTVK was pulled off YouTube TV as a local channel in the state ofArizona due to a dispute between YouTube TV and KTVK's parent company,Gray Television. This leaves viewers on that service unable to watch the majority of locally televisedPhoenix Suns andPhoenix Mercury basketball games not televised by TNT, ESPN, or ABC.[65][66]
On February 12, 2025, YouTube TV engaged in a dispute withParamount Global over a renewal in their contract, warning customers about the possible removal ofCBS,Nickelodeon,MTV,Paramount+ with Showtine,BET,Comedy Central, and other Paramount-owned networks should the two fail to reach an agreement on February 13.[67] A shutdown would have potentially made2025 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament games airing on CBS plus coverage of theMasters Tournament unavailable to YouTube TV subscribers. However, the two sides reached an agreement on the 13th.[68]
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