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YouTube TV, Paramount reach last-minute, 'short-term agreement' to temporarily settle carriage dispute

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•about 23 hours•

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TV AFI (1)

Just over a month before Selection Sunday, Paramount networks were getting ready to go dark on YouTube TV Thursday night. However, a last-minute deal saved the day.

YouTube TV announced it reached a “short-term agreement” with Paramount to keep its channels on its airwaves. Subscribers were getting ready to lose networks such as CBS and CBS Sports Network just over a month before the NCAA Tournament, but just before they were set to go dark, YouTube TV and Paramount struck a deal.

“An update for our members: We’ve reached a short-term extension with Paramount to keep their content on YouTube TV,” YouTube TV wrote late Thursday. “Subscribers continue to have access to Paramount channels, including CBS. We appreciate your patience as we continue to negotiate on your behalf.”

In a message to subscribers Wednesday night, YouTube TV warned Paramount channels would go dark if an agreement didn’t happen by Thursday night. Instead, they avoided that scenario.

The dispute came as CBS was getting ready for its biggest sports stretch of the calendar year. March Madness officially begins with the selection show March 16 on CBS and the First Four March 18-19, and runs through the national championship April 7. CBS will be the exclusive home of this year’s Final Four. Earlier rounds will also have games on TNT, TBS and truTV – all of which are owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.

CBS will then carry the last two rounds of The Masters April 13-14. ESPN airs the first two rounds April 11-12.

More on the Paramount, YouTube TV dispute

In an internal memo obtained by Deadline, Paramount said Google – YouTube TV’s parent company – was unable to come to terms on a “reasonable” agreement. As a result, the channels would be dropped.

“Paramount has been negotiating a renewal agreement with Google to provide YouTube TV subscribers with continued access to their favorite premium content from BET, CBS, CBS Sports Network, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network and more,” the memo read. “Unfortunately, Google is unwilling to agree to reasonable terms consistent with the market, choosing to jeopardize the entertainment experience at the expense of consumers.

“As a result, tonight we will begin warning subscribers that Google may drop all Paramount channels, in addition to Paramount+ and BET+ from YouTube Primetime Channels, when our contract expires on February 13. … We remain hopeful that we can reach an agreement that fairly recognizes the full power of our brands and popular programming. Thank you to everyone for your hard work, support and dedication to our audiences and partners. We’ll update you as this situation develops in the coming days.”

In its statement to its more than 8 million customers, which was also posted to its blog, YouTube TV said it engaged in “good faith negotiations” with Paramount to keep the networks on its airwaves. It also offered users to claim an $8 credit if the channels were removed.

“We’ve been working hard to reach 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 company said. “Unfortunately, despite our good faith negotiations, we haven’t been successful yet. … Paramount is an important partner for us and as you can imagine, this is not the outcome that we want. 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.”