Disney Urges YouTube TV to Restore ABC, Disney Channels for US Election Day Amid Carriage Dispute

Disney and YouTube TV are in a carriage dispute that led to the removal of Disney-owned channels, including ESPN, ABC, and FX, from the live-streaming platform, affecting over 9 million subscribers. Despite ongoing negotiations, Disney has requested YouTube TV to temporarily restore ABC access for Election Day, emphasizing the importance of public interest and access to unbiased election coverage. YouTube TV has not yet responded to this request, and it appears the restoration would be limited to ABC alone, with other Disney channels remaining unavailable. The dispute centers on disagreements over licensing fees, with YouTube TV accusing Disney of demanding unfair rate increases that could raise subscriber costs, while Disney accuses Google of leveraging its market dominance to undercut standard industry terms. This blackout affects major sports and entertainment programming, increasing pressure on both companies as the negotiation outcome could influence broader industry dynamics involving content owners and streaming platforms. Disney's move to restore ABC temporarily for Election Day echoes a similar request made during a previous carriage dispute with DIRECTV in 2024.