After several days of intensive negotiations, YouTube TV and Paramount Global renewed their carriage deal for CBS stations nationwide, MTV, Comedy Central and 20 other channels on the service.
In addition, under the new agreement, YouTube TV has the right to bundle Paramount+ to “qualifying” customers.
The companies announced the multiyear pact Saturday evening, after Paramount began warning YouTube TV customers of the standoff and a potential blackout of its channels earlier this week. Talks continued after the previous deal expired Thursday evening and the two sides inked a temporary extension.
The renewal means YouTube TV customers will not miss the NCAA March Madness coverage on CBS or the network’s other programming. Other channels that will remain on YouTube TV include CBS Sports Network, BET, Nickelodeon, TV Land, Paramount Network, CMT, Nick Jr., Smithsonian Channel and VH1.
Financial terms of YouTube TV’s renewal with Paramount weren’t disclosed. Paramount had been seeking a rate hike, while YouTube said it was working to reach a “fair agreement” with Paramount “without passing on additional costs to our subscribers.”
A Paramount rep said Saturday, “We are pleased to announce a renewed Paramount-Google agreement for the continued carriage of Paramount’s leading portfolio of entertainment, news and sports networks across YouTube TV’s platform.” The multiyear deal also features “an expanded streaming relationship,” with the ongoing inclusion of Paramount+ with Showtime and BET+ among YouTube Primetime Channels and giving Google the right to make Paramount+ available to qualifying YouTube TV customers.
A YouTube rep said, “We’re happy to share that we’ve reached a deal to continue carrying Paramount channels, including CBS, CBS Sports, Nickelodeon and more. With this agreement, YouTube TV will continue to offer 100-plus channels and add-ons including Paramount+ and will enable more user choice in the future. To our subscribers, we appreciate your patience while we negotiated on your behalf.”
Pictured above: Kathy Bates in CBS’s “Matlock”
