YouTube TV Could Lose CBS, Comedy Central, MTV and More in Contract Dispute With Paramount
By Todd Spangler
Paramount Global is notifying YouTube TV subscribers that more than 20 channels including CBS, BET, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon could go dark on the service as soon as Thursday, Feb. 13.
Other Paramount channels in danger of being removed from YouTube TV include CBS Sports Network, Paramount Network, CMT, Nick Jr., Smithsonian Channel, TV Land and VH1. In addition, the dispute threatens to pull the Paramount+ and BET+ subscription services from YouTube TV Primetime Channels.
CBS stations nationwide would be dropped from YouTube TV if the two sides can’t reach a deal. In addition, 10 other local stations that are part of the CBS News and Stations division could go dark in Atlanta (WUPA), Boston (WSBK), Dallas-Fort Worth (KTXA), New York (WLNY), Philadelphia (WPSG), Pittsburgh (WPCW), Sacramento (KMAX), San Francisco (KPYX), Seattle (KSTW) and Tampa Bay (WTOG).
In the event of a Paramount blackout on YouTube TV, customers also would lose their DVR recordings of Paramount content.
“YouTube TV is attempting to pressure Paramount to agree to one-sided terms, and these non-market demands may lead to an avoidable loss of Paramount’s networks on YouTube TV, in addition to the removal of Paramount+ and BET+ from YouTube’s Primetime Channels, on February 13,” a Paramount spokesperson said.
In a blog post, YouTube said in part, “We’ve been working hard to reach a fair agreement with Paramount that allows us to keep their channels, including CBS and CBS Sports, on YouTube TV without passing on additional costs to our subscribers. Unfortunately, despite our good faith negotiations, we haven’t been successful yet.” It continued, “Paramount is an important partner for us and as you can imagine, this is not the outcome that we want. We’re still in active conversations with Paramount and are hopeful we can come to an agreement to keep their content available on YouTube TV.”
YouTube said that if it can’t reach an agreement with Paramount “and their content is unavailable for an extended period of time,” YouTube TV subscribers will be able to claim an $8 credit at tv.youtube.com. The company noted that users can watch Paramount shows and movies by signing up for Paramount+, which starts at $7.99/month.
The carriage dispute has flared up after YouTube TV hiked its baseline price by $10/month effective Jan. 13, 2025 — rising from $72.99 to $82.99 per month.
According to the Paramount rep, “We have made a series of fair offers to continue our long-standing relationship with Google’s YouTube TV, providing subscribers access to the full array of Paramount’s entertainment, news and sports programming,” a Paramount rep said in a statement. “Paramount has become an essential partner with a leading portfolio of channels among YouTube TV households, including CBS — America’s most-watched network — and hit franchises like Paramount Network’s Yellowstone, the top entertainment show on cable.”
Paramount claimed it has a “long track record of successfully and amicably renewing partnerships with every major distributor” and that it will “continue our efforts to reach a new agreement with YouTube TV.”
YouTube TV, which was launched in February 2017, has more than 8 million subscribers, according to Google. That makes it the biggest internet-delivered pay-TV service in the U.S.
In a memo to all employees about the YouTube TV standoff, Paramount Global co-CEOs George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy and Brian Robbins wrote that the company is continuing “to modernize and broaden our relationships with distributors to create mutually beneficial value — driving not only our own business forward but also helping to transform the industry to better serve audiences.”
“We remain hopeful that we can reach an agreement [with YouTube] that fairly recognizes the full power of our brands and popular programming,” the CEOs said in the memo. “Thank you to everyone for your hard work, support and dedication to our audiences and partners. We’ll update you as this situation develops in the coming days.”
The co-CEOs also noted that “Many of you, your families and friends may be YouTube TV subscribers, so please feel free to share a link to KeepParamount.com, which will be updated with relevant news and information.”
Like virtually every other pay-TV provider, YouTube TV has clashed in contract disputes with programmers before. In 2021, it experienced a two-day blackout of Disney channels before the parties reached an agreement. That same year, NBCUniversal’s distribution deal for YouTube TV expired but the companies reached a short-term extension before inking a long-term pact.
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You tub tv sucks who cares but young brainless shmucks
To Whom it concerns. I am a You tube subscriber that watches CBS about 80% of the time. If an agreement can’t be reached- I will most likely drop You Tube TV.
Please both parties be equitable!!
To Whom it concerns. I am a You- tube subscriber that watches CBS about 80% of the time. If an agreement can’t be reached- I will most likely drop You- Tube TV.
Please both parties be equitable!!
Keep CBS ON YOUTUBETV.
Not to drop CBS , and all the other channels
Keep all the channel’s Paramount nickelodeon CBS and all others
No did not cut the networks
Looks like it is time to dump YouTubeTV. Maybe one of those android boxes would be a good idea?
only thing i’d miss is cbs–guess i can go back to an antenna
Please don’t drop CBS. If you do, we will have to switch TV carriers.
Good.
Evening, I am a new customer. I do not want to lose these channels. Because I do not want to switch to nobody else’s app. Thank you.
Keep all channels
Keep all channels CBS, Paramount, Nickelodeon and all others
Please keep CBS I really don’t want to go back another cable company , PzlEASE🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I left ultrafiber because they took away. The same channels, please do not take these channels away. I’ve only been with spectrum since October of 2024. It is so important that people like me be able to have entertainment in a world of today.
Which is through TV.
Please keep all the channels.
This is a constant issue with content providers wanting more and more money. They hold the consumers hostage while trying to blame it on the delivery service. Cutting the cable used to save money but it starting to look like cable or antenna might be the way to go again do to all the greed. We consumers need to stick together and just say if CBS wants to loose 8 million viewers, oh well. The loss of us will force them to lower their rates for commercials which will hurt their bottom line twice. And the same goes for all the other delivery methods. These networks are all greedy. First we were told if we subscribe to netflix there would be no commercials. You see how that went. Now you pay and they have commercials and restrict some movies from the lower tier. The same with Paramount. You can spend way over 200.00 a month and still see commercials. What a game, we are all being played.
YouTube TV
We recently gave up our cable service to go to YouTube TV because
Of ALL THE channels you offered. If these channels are not kept there really is on reason to keep YouTube TV. Get your acts together and make a deal that is best for all!!!!!!
Do not cut Youtube channels !
We watch CBS the most…don’t know why someone has to mess with this, isn’t right. Fine a way to solve this…we pay for this service…
I just signed up for YouTube tv less than a month ago. If they loose paramount I will be dropping the service altogether. I can’t see myself paying $80+ each month without it. And a $8 credit (is that every month?) will not make up for the fact that I’m now inconvenienced and have to use yet ANOTHER app to watch tv!!! Both parties need to consider the subscribers that will be affected especially YouTube tv.
No way to watch Jeopardy without CBS. Will cancel You tube TV.
Love YouTube TV. If they lose CBS I will just hook up my antennae and watch CBS for free.
Do not drop CBS or any other channels. You already screwed us out of Jeopardy. Next cut and we will be gone.
I’ll get rid of YouTube Tv if they start this crap.
keep all channels
L
Please don’t get rid of cbs also 29 57 abc and the other 22 channel I will have to drop you. Tv cause I watch all of the channels if y’all can come to some kind of agreement
Please keep CBS on You Tube TV.
Keep the channels I watch as a YouTube subscriber.
What do you expect, this is capitalism. Forget YoutubeTV I won’t renew Paramount Plus and I pay yearly not monthly. That will end if an agreement is not reached.
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YOUTUBE TV AT RISK OF LOSING RIGHTS TO MARCH MADNESS CHANNEL
BY JACOB FELDMAN
Paramount
properties, including
CBS
and CBS Sports Network, “will likely become unavailable” on
YouTube TV
starting Thursday, the digital cable service said in a message to customers Wednesday.
The carriage dispute comes only weeks before Paramount begins airing
March Madness
—one of its most popular offerings outside of football season. If the blackout extends far enough, the missing palette could include seven men’s basketball conference championship games and numerous
NCAA
Tournament matchups leading up to the Final Four and ultimately the national championship on April 7. CBS broadcasts weekend action at the Masters golf tournament a few days later.
CBS will also cover the conclusion of the 2025 Genesis Invitational this weekend.
In the past, YouTube TV has resolved network disputes within days, and such a resolution is possible here, too. Google and Disney ended a
standoff
two days after ESPN and other channels went dark in 2021, for example.
“It’s our goal to restore Paramount content,” YouTube TV said in its message to subscribers. It is promising an $8 credit if Paramount content is unavailable “for an extended period of time”—notably the same amount it costs for a month of access to the Paramount+
streaming
service. The linear feed of CBS Sports Network, which will show several conference title contests, is not available through Paramount+, however.
“Paramount has been negotiating a renewal agreement with Google to provide YouTube TV subscribers with continued access to their favorite premium content from BET, CBS, CBS Sports Network, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network and more,” Paramount executives wrote in a
memo to employees
, according to Deadline. “Unfortunately, Google is unwilling to agree to reasonable terms consistent with the market, choosing to jeopardize the entertainment experience at the expense of consumers.”
A Paramount representative told Variety that the company would “continue our efforts to reach a new agreement with YouTube TV.” Paramount is encouraging YouTube TV users to contact the service or express their thoughts via X in the meantime. CBS Sports did not respond to a request for comment by press time.
“We’ve been working hard to reach a fair agreement with Paramount that allows us to keep their channels, including CBS and CBS Sports, on YouTube TV without passing on additional costs to our subscribers,” YouTube wrote in a blog post. “Unfortunately, despite our good faith negotiations, we haven’t been successful yet.”
The carriage battle comes at a critical juncture for both companies. Paramount wrote down the value of its cable networks by nearly $6 billion last summer and cut 15% of its U.S. workforce as it continued a still-incomplete attempt to merge with Skydance Media. It will announce its fourth quarter financial results on Feb. 27. Paramount recently announced a new multi-year carriage agreement with Comcast.
“YouTube TV is attempting to pressure Paramount to agree to one-sided terms, and these non-market demands may lead to an avoidable loss,” a Paramount spokesperson said.
YouTube TV, meanwhile, has grown to become one of the country’s largest cable providers in recent years, largely by attracting sports fans with NFL Sunday Ticket rights and
unique streaming features
. However, the service received criticism in December when it announced a
$10 monthly price increase
, to $83. YouTube TV also faces growing competition from “skinny bundle”
alternatives
geared toward sports consumers.
If Google and Paramount are unable to come to terms, it could become more difficult for fans to find a single online cable service that offered access to all March Madness action across CBS, TNT Sports, and ESPN channels. DirecTV’s recently launched MySports bundle does not include nationwide access to CBS, while Fubo does not carry Warner Bros. Discovery networks. Disney-owned Hulu + Live TV currently offers all the necessary channels in its lineup, with a starting price of $83/month.
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