YouTube TV Subs: If You Lose CBS & Paramount, Do 1 Of These 3 Things

Paramount Plus, the home of March Madness.

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Follow me on X.

TV Answer Man, any suggestions for YouTube TV subscribers if we lose CBS and all the Paramount channels today? – Pete, Worcester, Massachusetts. 

Pete, YouTube TV and Paramount Global revealed last night that the live streamer today could lose more than 20 Paramount channels, including CBS and Nickelodeon, if they don’t reach a new carriage agreement.

Update: YouTube TV & Paramount Sign Short-Term Extension

Update: YouTube TV and Paramount sign multi-year deal. No blackout.

Which Channels Could Be Removed?

The list of channels that could be removed today include CBS, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, BET, MTV, MTV2, CBS Sports Network, Paramount Network, CMT, Nick Jr., TV Land, VH1, Smithsonian Channel. YouTube TV has a complete list of affected channels here.

Is a Deal Likely Today?

By the tone of their arguments, it would appear unlikely that a settlement is imminent. So, what should you do if you lose the Paramount channels today? The TV Answer Man suggests one of three things:

1. Subscribe to Paramount Plus With Showtime Plan
If losing CBS is your biggest concern, the $12.99 a month Paramount Plus With Showtime plan comes with a live feed of your local CBS affiliate. The plan also includes a significant amount of programming from the other Paramount channels, including Nickelodeon, although there are not live feeds of those. Take note that Paramount Plus has a seven-day free trial so if the blackout is short-term, you might not have to pay anything to continue your CBS/Paramount fix. (YouTube TV says it will offer an $8 credit if the dispute lasts “an extended time. That would help, too.)

2. Set Up a TV Antenna
You can keep watching CBS by simply setting up an indoor or outdoor antenna, assuming you live in an area that can capture the signal of your local CBS affiliate. Of course, this won’t help with the other 20 plus Paramount channels, but at least you won’t miss the big games (March Madness is four weeks away!), local news and primetime shows on CBS.

3. Switch TV Providers
One of the advantages of subscribing to a live streaming service is that it’s easy to cancel. If you are afraid that YouTube TV will be without Paramount for an extended period of time, just cancel it and sign up with another service. Hulu Live, DIRECTV Stream and Fubo all have CBS and the Paramount channels.

Pete, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!

Have a question about a favorite show, streaming service or new TV product? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com. Please include your first name and hometown in your message.

The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered  television for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.