YouTube just took another step toward becoming a full-scale streaming television service with the launch of a new offering more focused on dedicated TV channel plans. Announced last week on December 10th, the initiative introduces subscription packages organized by content genre and is currently available in the U.S..
Under the YouTube TV branding, the platform plans to offer more than 10 genre-specific packages, covering areas such as sports, news, family programming, and entertainment; In total, YouTube TV is expected to provide access to more than 100 television channels, but for now, the full channel lineup has not yet been disclosed.
At launch, the Sports Plan is the first package available to subscribers. It includes FS1, NBC Sports Network, all ESPN channels, and ESPN Unlimited. Additional premium sports content, such as NFL Sunday Ticket and RedZone, can be added separately through an à la carte subscription model, giving users more flexibility to customize their viewing experience.
Subscribers will also have access to advanced viewing features designed to enhance usability and engagement. These include unlimited DVR, allowing users to record programs without storage limits; multiview, which enables watching multiple streams at the same time; access to key plays and highlights; and fantasy sports integration.
The announcement comes after a recent dispute between Google and Disney, which temporarily caused around twenty Disney-owned channels to be removed from YouTube TV; The companies have since reached a new agreement, restoring those channels and ensuring their continued availability on the platform.
With this new offering, YouTube is trying to position itself closer to a traditional cable TV provider, while still keeping the flexibility and digital-first approach of the streaming services.
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