Adam Birney / Android Authority
TL;DR YouTube TV and Disney are sparring over content distribution rights following the expiration of their contract last month.
Movies, TV shows, and 21 channels disappeared from YouTube TV as a result, but Disney content is also vanishing from more Google platforms.
Users can no longer buy or rent Disney content from YouTube, Google Play, or Google TV as the negotiations continue.
Google and Disney are amid a tense content rights battle that saw 21 channels disappear from YouTube TV last week. Disney is using its strong content portfolio, which includes ABC, ESPN, and National Geographic, as leverage in the negotiations. Now, it appears Disney is pulling its owned media from all of Google’s digital storefronts, not just YouTube TV’s live television service.
Movies and TV shows owned by Disney or its subsidiaries are no longer available for purchase or to rent on Google Play, YouTube, or Google TV, as spotted by 9to5Google. Users will only be able to watch Disney-owned content on those platforms if they previously purchased them or have an active Disney Plus subscription.
Landing pages for Disney media, such as the 2017 movie Coco, are still active. However, only the Add to wishlist and Play trailer buttons remain. Other films and series from different media companies and studies have Buy, Rent, and Family Library options available on their landing pages, like the 2011 movie Moneyball.
Google has three main arms for distributing movies and TV shows separate from YouTube TV. Digital content can be purchased from the Google Play Store, YouTube, or Google TV. These arms help Google compete with digital storefronts like Amazon’s Prime Video or Apple’s iTunes Store.
Don’t want to miss the best from Android Authority? Set us as a favorite source in Google Discover to never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more.
to never miss our latest exclusive reports, expert analysis, and much more. You can also set us as a preferred source in Google Search by clicking the button below.
... continue reading