YouTube TV Reaches Carriage Renewal With Paramount Global, Averting Blackout Of CBS And 22 Other Networks

deadline.com:

Paramount Global and YouTube TV have reached a carriage renewal, averting the blackout of 23 networks including CBS, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon.

The companies announced the multi-year deal Saturday night. The agreement includes the inclusion of Paramount+ With Showtime as well as BET+ on YouTube’s channel store and also allowing YouTube TV to offer Paramount+ in forthcoming packages. “With this agreement, YouTube TV will continue to offer 100+ channels and add-ons including Paramount+ and will enable more user choice in the future,” a YouTube spokesperson said in a statement provided to Deadline. “To our subscribers, we appreciate your patience while we negotiated on your behalf.” A Paramount spokesperson expressed similar sentiments in a statement. “We are pleased to announce a renewed Paramount-Google agreement,” the statement said., “We look forward to extending our long-standing partnership and giving audiences greater access to their favorite programming.” The companies had agreed to a short-term extension of their current contract on Thursday night, announcing it just minutes before the scheduled expiration at midnight ET.

With more than 8 million subscribers, the YouTube TV has grown into one of the largest pay-TV operators in the U.S. just eight years after its launch.

For Paramount, the showdown came during somewhat of a programming lull. After broadcasting the Grammys, the Golden Globes and several highly rated NFL playoff games in recent weeks, CBS will have its next wide-audience draws in March and April with the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament and The Masters.