YouTube TV keeps NBC, won’t have to bundle Peacock as companies strike new deal

Enlarge / NBC's logo on the NBC Tower in Chicago on March 25, 2011. (credit: Getty Images | Raymond Boyd )

Update 10/2/2021 YouTube TV and NBC today announced a new contract that will let NBC channels remain on YouTube TV. "We're thrilled to share that we've reached a deal to continue carrying the full NBCUniversal portfolio of channels. That means you won't lose access to any of their channels, and YouTube TV will continue to offer 85+ networks for $64.99," YouTube said. NBC confirmed the deal in a statement to Ars.

YouTube confirmed to Ars that the new contract is a multiyear deal, but neither company revealed the exact length. The sides previously agreed to a short extension of the old contract to avoid a blackout and were then able to finalize a new channel-carriage agreement.

The new contract does not require YouTube TV to bundle NBC's Peacock online service, an NBC source confirmed to Ars. NBC previously sought a YouTube TV/Peacock bundle but dropped the demand earlier in the negotiations. The NBC source said that Peacock was not a "major part" of the negotiations with YouTube TV. Instead, the source said, Peacock is "a part of the conversation" in all negotiations with partners.

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