Google declined a request from Disney to allow ABC back on YouTube TV for election coverage as the two giants are negotiating streaming rights.

Disney has asked Google's YouTube TV to restore ABC for Election Day coverage in service of public interest, just days after its networks went dark on the pay-TV platform. Disney's networks went dark on YouTube TV after negotiations to reach a licensing deal failed,

YouTube TV users lost over 20 Disney-owned channels — including ESPN, ABC, and FX — after contract talks between Google and Disney collapsed without a deal.

The current mess battle between YouTube TV and the Walt Disney Co. provides an opportunity to rethink having paid live television.

The battle for streaming dominance has intensified after The Walt Disney Company and Google's YouTube TV failed to renew a key carriage agreement, resulting in a blackout of Disney-owned channels. From 30 October 2025,

It's Day 7 of the blackout of ESPN, ABC and other Disney networks on YouTube TV - and the patience of the internet TV service's subscribers is wearing thin. Disney's nets went dark on YouTube TV service just before midnight ET on Thursday,