YouTube TV and NBCUniversal are close to signing a long-term carriage agreement that would keep NBC’s channels on the live streaming service, according to WRAL-TV, a NBC affiliate in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Update: YouTube TV and NBC sign permanent deal.
The local station has posted an update at its web site that says the two companies have signed a short-term extension, and that they are working to make it long term. The previous carriage agreement was set to expire on Thursday night which triggered fears that YouTube TV could lose the entire NBC lineup.
“YouTube TV and NBC have reached an agreement and are finalizing details as of Friday night. The move will keep WRAL and other NBC stations on the YouTube TV lineup,” the WRAL notice states.
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WRAL-TV is one of the NBC affiliates that would be included in the new agreement and therefore is well positioned to know the status of negotiations.
NBC has also taken down a web site, Youneedchannels.com, which it established earlier this week to warn YouTube TV viewers that they could lose all NBC programming.
The channels that now seem likely to remain on YouTube TV are: NBC (all network affiliates), USA Network, Golf Channel, Bravo, MSNBC, E!, CNBC, Telemundo, Syfy, Oxygen, The Olympic Channel, Universal Kids, Universo, and the NBC sports regional networks in markets where they are available.
Earlier in the week, YouTube TV said if it lost the NBC channels, it would lower its monthly subscriber price from $64.99 to $54.99 for the duration of the blackout. However, it appears the streamer will no longer need to do that.
Note: YouTube TV is available for $54.99 a month to new customers for the first three months of service.
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— Phillip Swann