Alphabet’s Google and Comcast-owned NBCUniversal have reached a multi-year agreement ensuring that hit programs like “Sunday Night Football” and “America’s Got Talent” will remain available on YouTube TV, one of the largest pay-TV services in the United States.
The deal, announced Thursday, concludes a tense negotiation over carriage fees and preserves YouTube TV’s access to NBCUniversal’s full portfolio, including networks such as NBC, CNBC, and MSNBC. The companies also confirmed that NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service will continue to be available through YouTube’s Primetime Channels, a marketplace where users can subscribe to third-party streaming platforms directly via the YouTube app.
“This deal builds on our longstanding partnership with NBCU while addressing the evolving media landscape and recognizing the importance of making content available where and how viewers want to watch it,” said Justin Connolly, YouTube’s global head of media and sports.
The new agreement includes an extension of Peacock’s availability across Google’s Android platforms, including Google Play and Google TV. The partnership underscores Google’s growing influence in television distribution—YouTube now represents the largest share of TV viewing in the U.S., surpassing both Netflix and traditional networks like Disney, according to Nielsen data.
Earlier in the week, the two companies had signed a short-term extension to prevent a blackout while negotiations continued. The resolution ensures uninterrupted access to NBC content for YouTube TV subscribers, who had faced uncertainty over potential programming losses.
YouTube TV, now among the top four U.S. pay-TV distributors, has leveraged Alphabet’s vast financial resources to strengthen its bargaining position in similar talks with Paramount Skydance and Fox Corporation—a sign of its expanding clout in the rapidly consolidating media ecosystem.
The agreement reflects a broader shift in the entertainment industry, where tech platforms are becoming the new cable giants, dictating how and where millions of viewers watch television.