YouTube TV and TelevisaUnivision end blackout with new carriage deal

Spanish-language media giant TelevisaUnivision has agreed a multi-year distribution deal with streaming multichannel video provider YouTube TV to bring its channels back to the platform, ending a blackout that lasted almost two months.

Daniel Alegre

The carriage agreement sees TelevisaUnivision US channels such as TUDN, Univision and Galavision restored to YouTube TV. The ViX streaming service will also be available through YouTube Primetime Channels in the US and Mexico.

TelevisaUnivision channels went dark on YouTube TV on September 30, when the Google-owned platform became embroiled in a public carriage dispute with some of its content partners.

Disney-owned channels including ABC, FX, National Geographic and ESPN disappeared from YouTube’s streaming TV platform when Mouse House bosses failed to agree new distribution terms with YouTube.

The channels went dark in roughly 10 million homes while Disney and YouTube were locked in contentious negotiations to resolve the matter.

The two companies eventually struck a deal to end the blackout in mid-November. Now TelevisaUnivision also appears to have settled its difference with YouTube TV, with the media giants planning to partner on new initiatives aimed at showcasing TelevisaUnivision’s content to a bigger audience on the flagship free YouTube offering.

Daniel Alegre, CEO of TelevisaUnivision, said: “We are pleased to have reached an agreement that restores Univision to YouTube TV, ensuring millions of Hispanics can access the news, sports and entertainment they care about and have relied on for over 70 years.”

“This agreement recognises the essential role our content plays in the daily lives of our viewers, as we fulfil our mission of reflecting the voice of Hispanics. We look forward to serving YouTube TV subscribers again.”

A YouTube spokesperson said: “We are happy to share that we’ve reached a new agreement with TelevisaUnivision across YouTube and YouTube TV.

“In addition to restoring [TelevisaUnivision] channels to YouTube TV, this new agreement will offer their streaming service, ViX, to more countries around the world through our Primetime Channels. We are also excited to partner with TelevisaUnivision to grow their presence across YouTube by bringing more content to YouTube’s global audiences and new bundled offers to the marketplace.”