Google’s YouTube TV has dropped Univision‘s local TV stations along with other TelevisaUnivision networks after the two sides failed to come to terms on a contract renewal Tuesday.
If TelevisaUnivision’s programming remains unavailable to YouTube TV subs for an “extended period of time, we’ll offer our Spanish Base subscribers a $6 credit or refund depending on your billing provider,” according to Google.
Google separately Tuesday was squaring off with NBCUniversal in contract renewal talks for YouTube TV. NBCU’s current YouTube TV deal also is due to expire Sept. 30. As of this writing, talks between NBCU and Google continue.
“TelevisaUnivision has over 160 million subscribers and billions of views across YouTube, where they generate ad revenue from their content,” a YouTube spokesperson said in a statement. “On our paid live TV subscription service, YouTube TV, however, TelevisaUnivision only represents a tiny fraction of overall consumption. Since we have not reached a new agreement with them, their content is no longer available on YouTube TV.”
The YouTube rep added, “We encourage viewers to continue watching TelevisaUnivision’s content on their YouTube channels or on their streaming platform, ViX.”
Univision, the biggest Spanish-language broadcaster in the U.S., previously claimed that YouTube TV planned to remove Univision from its basic bundle and “will force Hispanics to pay another $15 a month – an 18 percent ‘Hispanic Tax’ – to access Univision.” TelevisaUnivision alleged that Google’s move to put Univision on a separately priced add-on tier was “discriminatory and an abuse of its market power.” A Google rep disputed the suggestion it was being “discriminatory” in the matter, saying that carriage renewal decisions for YouTube “are based on viewer consumption and pricing, and any suggestion to the contrary is false.”
In addition to Univision stations, other TelevisaUnivision channels affected are UniMas, TUDN, Galavision, FOROtv, De Película, De Película Clásico, Bandamax, Telehit, Telehit Música and tlnovelas. Customers who subscribe to ViX Premium through YouTube TV are also affected.
