YouTube TV subscribers may soon lose access to more than 20 Paramount Global channels, including CBS, Nickelodeon, and MTV, if the two companies fail to reach a new agreement.
The contract between Paramount and YouTube TV is set to expire on Thursday, Feb. 13, and negotiations remain deadlocked.
Paramount claims YouTube TV is pushing for "one-sided terms" and "non-market demands," making it difficult to finalize a fair deal.
"We have made a series of fair offers to continue our long-standing relationship with Google's YouTube TV," a Paramount spokesperson said, per Variety.
YouTube TV, owned by Google's parent company Alphabet, says it is working to keep the channels on its platform without raising prices for subscribers.
"We've been working hard to reach a fair agreement with Paramount," YouTube said in a blog post. "Unfortunately, despite our good faith negotiations, we haven't been successful yet."
If no deal is reached, Paramount's popular channels—BET, Comedy Central, CBS Sports Network, Paramount Network, and more—will be removed. Additionally, Paramount+ and BET+ may no longer be available on YouTube TV's Primetime Channels.
Potential Blackout Could Impact Stations, Coverage, and Subscriber Costs
The blackout would also affect local CBS stations in major cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Philadelphia.
Losing CBS could have a significant impact, as it carries major sports events, including NFL games and March Madness. A blackout would also mean that users would lose any DVR recordings of Paramount content stored on YouTube TV.
In response to the possible blackout, YouTube TV announced that if the dispute lasts for an extended period, subscribers will receive an $8 credit. The company also reminded customers that Paramount+ remains an alternative option, starting at $7.99 per month.
The dispute comes just weeks after YouTube TV raised its monthly subscription price by $10, bringing the cost to $82.99 per month. Many subscribers have voiced concerns over rising costs, and a loss of major channels could add to frustrations.
Pr Reuters, both companies say they are still negotiating, but if no agreement is reached by the deadline, YouTube TV users could wake up to a significantly smaller channel lineup.
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