CBS and Paramount to go dark in standoff with popular cable service
A slate of Paramount-owned channels is set to disappear from YouTube TV tonight.
That means viewers hoping to catch up on hit show Tracker via the fourth-largest cable TV provider have just a few hours left.
The affected channels include BET, CBS, CBS Sports Network, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, and Paramount Network — along with add-on services like Paramount+ with SHOWTIME and BET+.
All will disappear YouTube TV, which has 8 million customers, at 11PM EST tonight unless a new licensing deal is reached. This is looking unlikely.
Shows impacted by the potential blackout include Tracker, Elsbeth, Ghosts, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and Survivor.
The news comes just months after YouTube TV upped its monthly price by $10 in December to $82.99.
Customers vented their frustration on social media. 'We're losing 10+ channels after a price increase which is insane,' wrote a Reddit user.
YouTube TV says it will offer subscribers an $8 credit if no deal is reached — intended to help cover the cost of a Paramount+ subscription.
Paramount's media could be pulled from YouTube TV's streaming service in hours
Paramount in recent days alerted viewers of CBS, BET, and Comedy Central about a potential blackout as last-minute negotiations continue with YouTube TV.
But progress toward a deal between Paramount Global and YouTube TV has hit several snags.
CBS executives say YouTube is 'attempting to pressure Paramount to unfavorable and one-sided terms,' and 'prioritizing their own interests over a fair agreement.'
YouTube TV — a subsidiary of Google's Alphabet — has rapidly grown into one of the biggest multichannel video distributors. It sits behind only Charter, Comcast and DirectTV, having overtaken Dish last year.
The tech company framed its stance as an effort to prevent additional costs for its users.
'Paramount is an important partner for us and as you can imagine, this is not the outcome that we want,' YouTube executives said in a statement.
'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's streaming has built its subscriber base since 2023.
CBS' Elsbeth could be pulled from YouTube TV
Tracker, a surprise hit for CBS, could also go dark on YouTube TV
The changes come as streaming customers encounter a glut of options
The company secured exclusive rights to the NFL's Sunday Ticket that year for nearly $2 billion per year.
But the popular program increased Google's overhead for the streaming project.
Executives have been heavily scrutinizing carriage contracts with production companies since the deal.
YouTube TV's problem is similar to financial tensions plaguing traditional TV providers like DirecTV, Dish Network, Charter Spectrum, and Comcast Xfinity.
Dozens of companies are offering streaming subscriptions with similar catalogues. The busy market has confused customers and hasn't consistently generated profits for the streaming companies.
Google said in a blog it would offer customers $8 a month credits 'if we can't reach an agreement and [Paramount] content is unavailable for an extended period of time.'
Meanwhile, Paramount's long-term future remains uncertain.
The iconic media company has been in sales and merger talks that have failed to come to fruition for years.
The company's controlling shareholder, Shari Redstone, reached a $8-billion deal with David Ellison's Skydance Media. The partnership was struck down by the Federal Trade Commission.
If Paramount loses another streaming license, it risks accelerating the years-long decline of its traditional television assets.
