Author: admin

by Julia Pierrepont III

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 15 (Xinhua) — “Disney is prepared for a challenging battle,” said Disney CFO Hugh Johnston in a CNBC interview Thursday, referring to the YouTube TV blackout of Disney-owned networks, including ESPN and ABC.

“This is a disaster,” football addict Chuck H. told Xinhua Friday. “While these gigantic companies duke it out for every last dime, the sports fans and the athletes are the ones who suffer.”

Now in its second week, the blackout — though Alex Sherman of CNBC delivered potential good news on Friday night, saying a deal “could happen soon” — has left more than 10 million subscribers cut off from some of television’s most essential channels just as the NFL season heads toward the playoffs and the Super Bowl.

The standoff between Disney and Google, which began on Oct. 30, has hardened into a protracted battle of attrition, with both sides signaling they are prepared to hold out indefinitely.

What began as a dispute over carriage fees — the payments streaming distributors make to carry a company’s channels — has grown into a high-stakes test of leverage in the rapidly shifting media landscape.

Disney CEO Bob Iger said during the company’s earnings call Thursday that Disney’s goal was to remain available to viewers without interruption, but that it could not accept a deal that undervalued its content.

Google, which owns YouTube TV, has accused Disney of seeking higher rates than major competitors such as Comcast and Charter.

Analysts estimated the blackout is costing Disney about 30 million U.S. dollars per week — roughly 4 million dollars per day — in lost revenue. The absence of ESPN and ABC from YouTube TV’s lineup has already dented ratings and advertising income.

For Google, the fallout includes customer frustration and potential cancellations. Surveys suggest nearly one in four subscribers is considering leaving or has already canceled the service, despite YouTube TV offering a one-time 20-dollar credit to ease the impact.

At the core of the dispute lies a familiar pay-TV conflict: price. Google contends Disney is pushing for an unprecedented rate hike that would “reset” the market, while Disney argues it is merely asking for “fair rates.”

Subscribers have already missed two “Monday Night Football” broadcasts, multiple college football matchups, and weeks of ABC primetime programming. While some fans have turned to antennas or other streaming platforms, many remain stuck in uncertainty.

“I might cancel both Disney and YouTube TV!” irate subscriber Tyler B. told Xinhua. “I’m not getting my fan fix!”

The timing is particularly challenging. Disney is pushing toward profitability in its streaming division and preparing to launch a standalone ESPN streaming service next year, making every lost dollar significant.

Google, meanwhile, faces mounting consumer backlash that threatens the trust it has cultivated since YouTube TV launched in 2017 as a cheaper, more flexible alternative to cable.

Behind the corporate statements lie the hard realities of sports economics. Sports broadcasting is the most expensive content in television, and rights fees continue to soar.

When distributors resist rising fees, blackouts follow — but when they eventually settle, subscription prices often increase. For viewers, it is a lose-lose scenario: either lose access to key channels or pay more to restore them.

For now, fans remain the primary collateral damage. College football weekends and “Monday Night Football” broadcasts — traditionally moments of shared excitement — have instead become sources of anger and inconvenience.

Both sides understand the stakes. Disney needs YouTube TV’s reach to maintain its position in U.S. streaming households. Google needs Disney’s content to keep sports fans engaged. While the blackout may eventually be resolved, the underlying tensions suggest future clashes are inevitable — a symptom of an industry struggling to adapt to its own transformation.

Until then, millions of viewers remain on the sidelines, refreshing their apps and waiting for the next kickoff to return to their screens. ■