30 Sep In YouTube TV Carriage Battles, Media Companies Say Tech Giant Is After Their Streaming Lunch Money [Deadline]
BY DADE HAYES
September 30, 2025 | Having rapidly grown from startup to dominant pay-TV operator, YouTube TV now appears to be looking to level up again by incorporating partners’ streaming programming directly into its user interface.
This drive to “ingest” content, as opposed to merely “integrating” third-party services as many operators already do, has become a point of contention in a carriage standoff with NBCUniversal. In the model preferred by YouTube, even streaming exclusives (like Premier League soccer on Peacock, for example) would be accessible directly via YouTube TV as opposed to having to leave the app. The result for the tech giant is better engagement and improved advertising and subscriber metrics, though media companies trying to goose direct-to-subscriptions would have a tougher time attracting and keeping subscribers.
The current NBCU deal, as well as one with TelevisaUnivision, are both set to expire Tuesday night at midnight ET.
NBCU last week claimed that YouTube TV “has refused the best rates and terms in the market, demanding preferential treatment and seeking an unfair advantage over competitors.” YouTube TV countered that NBCU is “asking us to pay more than what they charge consumers for the same content on Peacock.” Asked directly about the issue of ingesting content, a spokesperson said, “We’re all about user choice and finding simpler ways for consumers to access the content they love. That flexibility is a win-win: it’s better for consumers, and it presents more business opportunities for us and our partners.”
The NBCU and TelevisaUnivision disputes followed battles earlier this year pitting Paramount Global and Fox Corp. against YouTube TV, which has hit 10 million subscribers since its 2017 launch. Disney and ESPN, meanwhile, are just weeks away from a fall renewal deadline, with arguably even more at stake given the recent launch of ESPN’s comprehensive direct-to-consumer service.