Is YouTube TV Dropping Channels? Why Subscribers Could Lose CBS, Comedy Central, BET And More
YouTube TV subscribers may lose access to over 20 Paramount channels — including CBS, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon — amid the companies’ ongoing contract dispute.
YouTube TV notified subscribers of the changes in a blog post, noting that the company hasn’t “been successful yet” in reaching “a fair agreement with Paramount that allows us to keep their channels, including CBS and CBS Sports, on YouTube TV without passing on additional costs to our subscribers.”
The announcement states that “all Paramount content” will no longer be available on YouTube TV after today (Feb. 13), including previously saved recordings and add-on services such as Paramount+, Showtime and BET+.
The company notes it is still “actively negotiating with Paramount.” But if an agreement is not reached and the content is unavailable for an extended amount of time, YouTube TV vowed to give subscribers an $8 credit.
This means subscribers will not be able to tune into network staples such as South Park, Paw Patrol, Tyler Perry’s Sistas, Fire Country and more.
“Paramount is an important partner for us and as you can imagine, this is not the outcome that we want,” YouTube TV’s statement concludes. “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.”
In a statement shared with Variety, a Paramount spokesperson said, “YouTube TV is attempting to pressure Paramount to agree to one-sided terms, and these non-market demands may lead to an avoidable loss of Paramount’s networks on YouTube TV, in addition to the removal of Paramount+ and BET+ from YouTube’s Primetime Channels, on February 13.”
The following national channels will be impacted by the changes:
- BET
- BET Her
- CBS
- CBS Sports Network
- CMT
- Comedy Central
- Comet TV
- Dabl
- MTV
- MTV Classic
- MTV2
- MyNetwork TV
- NewsNation
- Nick Jr.
- Nick Toons
- Nickelodeon
- Paramount
- Pop
- Smithsonian Channel
- Start TV
- Teen Nick
- Tr3s: MTV, Musica y Mas
- TV Land
- VH1
Local CBS stations in Atlanta (WUPA), New York (WLNY), Boston (WSBK), Philadelphia (WPSG), Dallas-Fort Worth (KTXA), Pittsburgh (WPCW), Seattle (KSTW), Sacramento (KMAX), San Francisco (KPYX), and Tampa Bay (WTOG) may also go dark on YouTube TV if an agreement is not met in time.
Subscribers looking to access Paramount content will have to subscribe to Paramount+, which is available beginning at $7.99 a month.
YouTube TV subscribers looking to claim their $8 credit can go to tv.youtube.com.
