- The reinstated networks — Univision, UniMás, Galavisión and TUDN — are now back on YouTube TV’s Base Plan and Spanish Plan.
- Subscriber streaming service ViX will also be available via YouTube’s Primetime Channels.
What happened: Spanish-language networks restored after deal
After a blackout lasting nearly two months, the Spanish-language broadcaster TelevisaUnivision has reached a multi-year distribution agreement with YouTube TV, restoring its U.S. networks to the platform as of 26 November 2025. Key channels reinstated under the deal include Univision, UniMás, Galavisión and the sports network TUDN. These will now appear on YouTube TV’s Base Plan and Spanish Plan. The company’s streaming-only service, ViX, is also coming to YouTube’s Primetime Channels for the first time.
The blackout began on 30 September 2025, after YouTube TV proposed moving TelevisaUnivision’s networks to a higher-cost tier — a move the broadcaster criticised as an 18 per cent “Hispanic tax.” The dispute sparked widespread viewer frustration, especially among Spanish-speaking communities who rely on these channels for news, sports and entertainment. Negotiations subsequently resumed, culminating in the new carriage agreement that restores access.
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Why it’s important
The reinstatement of TelevisaUnivision’s channels underscores the importance of Spanish-language content in the U.S. streaming market. For YouTube TV, restoring these channels helps retain a significant subscriber base — more than 10 million — many of whom value access to Latino-oriented news, entertainment and sports.
Bringing ViX to YouTube’s Primetime Channel store for the first time also indicates a strategic step: bundling linear broadcast channels with on-demand streaming under one platform. This hybrid model could appeal to viewers seeking both live and on-demand content, potentially setting a pattern for future deals with other content providers.
For TelevisaUnivision, the agreement restores visibility and revenue streams while reaffirming its role as a leading provider of Spanish-language media in the U.S. The swift resolution after almost two months of blackout demonstrates that, for large-scale cultural and linguistic audiences, carriage negotiations must accommodate broader social dynamics — not just bottom-line calculations.
