YouTube TV and Disney appear close on ESPN and ABC deal, but other channels could stay dark

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Another day, another development in the stalemate

YouTube TV vs Disney
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The battle between Google and Disney hasn't slowed down, leaving YouTube TV subscribers to decide whether to wait it out or switch to one of the best live TV streaming services.

There could be a light at the end of the tunnel, though, as a new report from The New York Times suggests that ESPN and ABC may be close to returning to YouTube TV. However, the report indicates that the rest of Disney's channels could remain unavailable on the Google-owned service. There's no dispute that YouTube TV wants those two major channels, but the rest seem less desirable.

Disney may be willing to hold out longer

Youtube TV

(Image credit: Getty Images)

At the same time, Disney chief financial officer Hugh Johnston went on CNBC and said, "We’re in the middle of negotiations right now. Things are live. They’re happening. Obviously, as we entered the year, we knew this was going to be a challenging battle, and we prepared ourselves for it, and we’re ready to go as long as they want to."

While some progress may have been made on at least the two major channels, it also appears that Disney is willing to hold out until it secures the deal it wants on all of its channels.

Disney thinks its deal is good, as reported by Deadline. According to CEO Bob Iger, "The offer that’s on the table is commensurate with deals that we’ve already struck with, actually, distributors that are larger than they are. We’re trying really hard, working tirelessly to close this deal, and we’re hopeful that we’ll be able to do so on a timely enough basis to at least give consumers the opportunity to access our content over their platform."

As it stands, nothing is official regarding forward movement. The NYT is reporting based on sources it has spoken with, but officially, Disney sounds like it's willing to go the long haul with this fight, which has already raged on for around two weeks.

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Dave LeClair
Dave LeClair
Senior News Editor

Dave LeClair is the Senior News Editor for Tom's Guide, keeping his finger on the pulse of all things technology. He loves taking the complicated happenings in the tech world and explaining why they matter. Whether Apple is announcing the next big thing in the mobile space or a small startup advancing generative AI, Dave will apply his experience to help you figure out what's happening and why it's relevant to your life.

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