Disney and YouTube have concluded a deal and Disney channels that was removed from YouTube TV have been reinstalled. A couple of weeks ago, Disney pulled its channels from YouTube TV’s lineup, and millions of its subscribers are denied access to their favorite sports, shows, news, and live events.
The Disney's action was due to the point that the carriage agreement that allowed YouTube TV to stream Disney-owned channels expired at the end of October 2025, and both parties falled to reach an agreement for renewal.
Disney demanded an increment in carriage rates for its content, arguing that its networks drive significant value and viewership for YouTube TV. In contrast, YouTube TV pushed back, claiming Disney’s proposed increases were excessive and would force the platform to raise subscription prices.
The licensing fees renewal led to disagreement between the two platforms and as no deal was concluded before the expiration of the initial carriage's contract, many YouTube TV subscribers—who love Disney channels like ESPN, ABC, FX, Freeform, and National Geographic—where left into a complete blackout.
Many couldn't watch their favorite TV shows, Live News, and even Live Sports. However, as the disagreement begins to extend and YouTube sees that no deal will be concluded sooner, the platform decided to offers subscribers a $20 credit after losing the Disney-owned channels.
While the platform was doing that, it said "we've been working in good faith to negotiate a deal with Disney that pays them fairly for their content and returns their programming to YouTube TV." Now, a statement YouTube tweeted on X signifies that a new agreement has been reached that reinstalled the Disney-owned channels on YouTube TV.
We’re happy to share that we’ve reached an agreement with Disney that preserves the value of our service for our subscribers and future flexibility in our offers. Subscribers should see channels including ABC, ESPN and FX returning to their service over the course of the day, as…
— Updates From YouTube (@UpdatesFromYT) November 15, 2025
The company apologize for the disruption the disagreement has caused its subscribers and appreciate the subscribers’ patience as the negotiation was underway before it's finally concluded.
In a joint statement made by Disney Entertainment co-chairs Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro, the new agreement with YouTube TV is the significant worth of Disney’s content that gives YouTube TV viewers greater choice and flexibility.
They expressed satisfaction that the channels are back up ahead of a busy weekend of programming, noting that fans will now be able to enjoy events like college football. Not only that, many people who love live sport, news, and TV shows and series can now enjoy their favorite channels on the YouTube TV.
The Disney-YouTube TV dispute signals another standoff that reflects a growing trend in the streaming industry, where content owners and distributors struggle to balance fair compensation with affordable pricing. Most times, it's their customers that bear the burdens and are caught in the middle.
During the dispute, YouTube TV explained that agreeing to Disney’s increased licensing fees would force the service to raise subscription prices for its subscribers. What remains unclear now is the nature of the new agreement—whether YouTube ultimately accepted Disney’s higher rates and whether subscription prices will still go up in the near future.
