YouTube TV lost ABC in most markets on December 31, 2022, after contract negotiations between Google and Disney broke down

YouTube TV and Disney, which owns ABC, could not agree on the price Google would pay to carry ABC, ESPN, and other Disney channels. When the important date passed, ABC went dark on YouTube TV. The blackout lasted until March 2023, when the two companies reached a new deal. ABC returned to YouTube TV on March 1, 2023, and has remained available since then.

If you were a YouTube TV subscriber during that blackout, you saw ABC disappear from your channel list without warning. The same thing happened to ESPN and Disney Channel. This kind of dispute happens regularly in streaming—it is how cable and streaming services negotiate the cost of carrying channels—but it is disruptive when it affects channels you watch regularly.

Key Takeaways

  • ABC left YouTube TV on December 31, 2022, because Google and Disney could not agree on contract terms, and returned on March 1, 2023.
  • During the blackout, ESPN and Disney Channel also disappeared from YouTube TV, since Disney owns all three.
  • YouTube TV subscribers who had recorded ABC shows lost access to those recordings during the blackout.
  • These disputes happen because streaming services and networks must renegotiate contracts every few years, and prices often increase.

Why YouTube TV and Disney fought over price

Google pays Disney a fee for every YouTube TV subscriber who can watch ABC, ESPN, and the other Disney-owned channels. When the contract came up for renewal in late 2022, Disney asked for more money per subscriber than Google wanted to pay. Google said the price was too high; Disney said it would not lower the price. Neither side would budge, so the channels went off the air.

This is standard in the streaming and cable world. Networks own their channels and license them to services like YouTube TV. Every few years, the license expires and both sides have to agree on new terms. If they cannot agree, the channel disappears until they do. The same dispute happened between YouTube TV and Roku in 2022, between Dish Network and Disney in 2015, and between many other pairs of companies over the years.

The cost matters because YouTube TV passes it along to you. When Disney demands higher fees, YouTube TV either raises its subscription price or drops the channels. In this case, Google chose to drop them rather than raise prices when ready, but the dispute was resolved before that became permanent.

What happened to your recordings during the blackout

If you had recorded ABC shows before the blackout, those recordings became unavailable on December 31, 2022. You could not watch them, and you could not delete them—they were straightforward locked. When ABC returned on March 1, 2023, your recordings came back and you could watch them again.

YouTube TV does not delete your recordings during a blackout, but it does prevent you from accessing them. This is part of the licensing agreement: Disney controls the content, and when the license expires, Disney can prevent YouTube TV from showing it, even if you recorded it yourself. Once the new contract was signed, Disney allowed access to resume.

How to know if ABC is currently on YouTube TV

ABC is on YouTube TV now and has been since March 2023. You can find it in your channel list by searching for "ABC" or scrolling to the network section. If you have YouTube TV, you can watch ABC live and on-demand without any extra step.

If you are considering signing up for YouTube TV and want to confirm ABC is available, you can check the YouTube TV website, which lists all available channels by your zip code. Channel availability varies slightly by location, but ABC is available in all major markets.

What to do if a channel disappears from YouTube TV

If a channel you watch suddenly vanishes from YouTube TV, it usually means a contract dispute is happening. YouTube TV typically sends an email to subscribers explaining the situation and naming the network involved. The email usually says whether the service is working on a resolution.

While a channel is blacked out, you have a few options. You can watch that network's shows on its own website or app if you have a cable or streaming login. Many networks offer free, ad-supported streaming of recent episodes on their websites. You can also pause your YouTube TV subscription until the dispute is resolved, and YouTube TV will credit you for the time you do not use it.

If the blackout lasts more than a few days, contact YouTube TV support through the app or website. They cannot force the network to return, but they can tell you the status of negotiations and may offer a credit if the blackout lasts a long time.

Why these disputes keep happening

Networks and streaming services will keep having these fights because the business model requires constant renegotiation. ABC is not owned by YouTube TV—Disney is. Disney licenses ABC to YouTube TV for a set period, usually three to five years. When that period ends, both sides have to agree on new terms or the channel goes away.

The price Disney charges has generally gone up over time, which is why YouTube TV and other services have raised their subscription prices. Streaming services want to keep prices low to attract customers; networks want higher fees to offset the decline in cable subscribers. When the gap between what they want and what they will accept is too wide, you see a blackout.

These disputes are less common now than they were in 2022 and 2023, when several major blackouts happened. But they will happen again, and when they do, the same channels usually disappear first because they are owned by the same parent company.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a refund if a channel I watch is blacked out?

YouTube TV does not automatically refund you, but if a blackout lasts more than a few days, you can contact support and ask for a credit. The amount depends on how long the blackout lasted and YouTube TV's policy at the time. It is worth asking, especially if the channel was a main reason you subscribed.

Will ABC ever leave YouTube TV again?

It is possible, but unlikely in the near term. The current contract between Google and Disney runs through at least 2025, so ABC should remain available through then. When that contract comes up for renewal, another dispute could happen, but both companies have shown they prefer to reach a deal rather than go dark for months.

What other channels are owned by Disney?

Disney owns ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, FX, FXX, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, and National Geographic, among others. If a dispute happens between Google and Disney, all of these channels disappear at the same time. This is why the 2022 blackout affected so many channels at once.

Can I watch ABC on YouTube TV if I live outside the United States?

YouTube TV is only available in the United States, so ABC through YouTube TV is not an option outside the country. You would need to use a VPN or find a local streaming service that carries ABC content, though availability varies by country.