After almost two months of absence on the platform, TelevisaUnivision announced the signing of a multi-year distribution agreement with YouTube TV, which will allow several of its networks to return to the most popular pay-TV service in the United States. The agreement represents a significant step forward in the public dispute between the two companies since late September.
With this new agreement, Univision, UniMás, Galavisión and TUDN return to YouTube TV’s U.S. base plan, as well as to the Hispanic-targeted package (“Spanish Plan”). This means that millions of subscribers will once again have access to news, sports, telenovelas, entertainment and live sports broadcasts produced by the leading Spanish-language broadcaster.
On September 30, TelevisaUnivision withdrew its channels from YouTube TV following disagreements over the distribution model and fees. The company accused the platform of trying to move its channels to the premium Spanish-language package, which would imply an additional charge of US$15 per month for users. It publicly called this strategy a “Hispanic tax”.
The TV station then initiated the “Do the Right Thing, Google” campaign, which sought to pressure YouTube TV’s parent company to maintain access at no additional cost. The protest was widely supported by political figures, Latino community advocates and even then-President Donald Trump, generating significant media impact.
Televisa-Univision: Political Support and Criticism of YouTube TV
Among TelevisaUnivision’s defenders were lawmakers such as Mario Diaz-Balart and Senator Bernie Moreno, who sent letters to Google asking it to desist from moving the Hispanic channels to a more expensive plan. In one of those communications, addressed to Sundar Pichai, Moreno warned that the move would affect nearly ten million subscribers.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also intervened and publicly accused YouTube of “punishing” Univision for political reasons, adding further pressure amid a tense electoral climate in the United States.
The controversy came as Alphabet-backed YouTube TV continues to position itself as one of the fastest-growing streaming TV services. In recent months it has managed to negotiate from a favorable position with giants such as Comcast, NBCUniversal, Fox and Paramount.
The reinstatement of TelevisaUnivision comes weeks after YouTube TV reached a similar agreement with Disney, following a dispute that left millions without a signal during an election day.
As part of the new agreement, YouTube TV will also include ViX, TelevisaUnivision’s streaming service, within its “Primetime Channels” offering. The company also confirmed that this integration will expand for the first time to Mexico, representing an important milestone in its digital strategy.
TelevisaUnivision CEO Daniel Alegre celebrated the agreement and highlighted the importance of Hispanic content: “This agreement recognizes the essential role that our content plays in the daily lives of Latino audiences.
Alegre also thanked the Latino community for its support during the controversy and underscored the historical significance of maintaining free access to these networks: “We are pleased to have reached an agreement that ensures that millions of people can access the news, sports and entertainment they care about and have depended on for more than 70 years.
With this agreement, TelevisaUnivision consolidates its presence on one of the most influential platforms in the market while recapturing millions of Hispanic viewers who depend on its content.
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