The clock is ticking, again, on the potential exit of a major network from YouTube TV.
In August, it was Fox. In September, it’s NBC. (Next month? Disney.)
On Thursday night, NBC warned that its channels may be leaving the nation’s No. 4 platform, which currently has nearly 10 million customers.
“Google, with its $3 trillion market cap, already controls what Americans see online through search and ads — now it wants to control what we watch,” NBC said in a statement, via Eric Fisher of FrontOfficeSports.com. “YouTube TV has refused the best rates and terms in the market, demanding preferential treatment and seeking an unfair advantage over competitors to dominate the video marketplace — all under the false pretense of fighting for the consumer.”
YouTube TV responded with this, per Fisher: “NBCUniversal is asking us to pay more than what they charge consumers for the same content on Peacock, which would mean less flexibility and higher prices for our subscribers.”
If the NBC channels exit the platform “for an extended period of time,” YouTube TV will offer a $10 credit for consumers.
As a YouTube TV customer and an NBC employee, I just want the dispute to be resolved. In many of these fights, there’s a lot of mutual huffing and puffing, with the house never being blown down. Hopefully, that’ll happen in this case, with everyone being a little pissed about the outcome (which is usually the best evidence of a good deal) and the consumer’s interests served without interruption.
For football fans, it would mean the loss of Sunday Night Football and college games. For those who also have Peacock, it’s not an issue. For those who don’t, that $10 credit can go toward the base Peacock plan of $10.99 per month.
