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Google and NBCUniversal Seal Multi-Year Deal to Keep Popular Shows on YouTube TV

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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.

Spotify Founder Daniel Ek Shifts Focus from Music to European Tech “Moonshots”

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When Daniel Ek launched Spotify in 2006, the music world was in turmoil — piracy was rampant, CD sales were collapsing, and even Apple’s iTunes was struggling to convince listeners to pay per song. Ek, a 23-year-old coder from Stockholm, bet on a radical idea: that streaming, not downloading, would save the industry. Nearly two decades later, Spotify is used by almost 750 million people worldwide, valued at $140 billion, and credited with reshaping how the world listens to music.

Now, Ek says it’s time for his next act. The entrepreneur, who will step down as Spotify’s CEO in 2026, told Reuters that he wants to devote himself to deep technology, AI, and health innovation — sectors he believes can redefine Europe’s role in global tech.

“Big challenges often appear impossible until someone decides to tackle them,” Ek said. “At Spotify, we started with what felt like an impossible idea. Nearly 20 years later, what once looked unreasonable is now obvious.”

Ek plans to focus on early-stage European startups through his investment firm Prima Materia, pledging €1 billion ($1.18 billion) of his personal wealth to fund what he calls “moonshot projects” — companies tackling major problems like climate change, healthcare, and artificial intelligence.

TECH ENTREPRENEUR TURNED HEALTH AND DEFENCE INVESTOR

Ek already has a foothold in those areas. In 2018, he co-founded Neko Health, a preventive health-tech firm focused on early detection through AI scanning systems. The company has raised $325 million to date.

He has also invested in Helsing, Europe’s largest defence startup, valued at $12 billion after securing over $1 billion in funding to develop AI-controlled military systems. Helsing says its technology is used for defence purposes in Ukraine and Europe, not for offensive warfare.

The Helsing investment has stirred controversy in the music world. Bands such as Massive Attack and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard have removed their music from Spotify, saying Ek’s involvement in war technology undermines the platform’s artistic mission.

“Music and weapons are not a good mix,” said Simon Dyson, analyst at Omdia, adding that the backlash could become “a distraction” for Spotify’s brand.

Spotify declined to comment directly on Ek’s defence investments.

FROM CODER TO INDUSTRY DISRUPTOR

Raised in a Stockholm suburb, Ek began coding in his teens and built several startups before teaming up with Martin Lorentzon to found Spotify. His model — a mix of paid subscriptions and ad-supported streaming — lured users away from piracy and reshaped the global music economy.

Under Ek’s leadership, Spotify became not just a streaming service but a cultural platform: algorithmic playlists created overnight stars, podcasts expanded the company’s reach, and its subscription model became a blueprint for digital media worldwide.

Ek’s influence extends beyond business. Supporters hail him as the visionary who saved the music industry; critics argue that Spotify’s economics still favor major labels over independent artists. But few dispute his impact.

LOOKING BEYOND SPOTIFY

Ek, now 42, says he will remain executive chair of Spotify, guiding strategy while pursuing his new ventures.

“My co-founder likes to say that the value of a company is the sum of all problems solved,” he said. “Progress often comes from those willing to go against conventional wisdom.”

For the man who turned music into a utility, the next challenge is to turn Europe into a hub for world-changing technology — and perhaps create another “impossible idea” that becomes obvious in hindsight.

Universal and Warner Music Close to Striking Landmark AI Licensing Deals

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Universal Music Group (UMG) and Warner Music Group (WMG) are reportedly on the verge of signing major artificial intelligence licensing agreements that could reshape how music is used and monetized in the AI era, according to a Financial Times report published Thursday.

Sources familiar with the discussions said that both music giants could finalize their deals within weeks, as they negotiate with a mix of AI start-ups and major tech companies.

Among the start-ups in talks are ElevenLabs, Stability AI, Suno, Udio, and Klay Vision. The labels are also in advanced discussions with industry heavyweights such as Alphabet’s Google and Spotify, according to the report.

Neither Universal, Warner, Google, nor Spotify immediately responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.

TOWARD A NEW MUSIC-AI BUSINESS MODEL

The potential deals represent a pivotal moment for the music industry, which has long battled unauthorized AI-generated content and the use of copyrighted works to train generative models. If completed, the agreements would establish a formal licensing framework allowing AI firms to access and use songs legally — for both music generation and AI model training.

Negotiations have reportedly focused on creating a payment system modeled after music streaming royalties, where every use or AI-generated playback of a song would trigger a micropayment to rights holders.

LEGAL AND ETHICAL PRESSURES ON AI FIRMS

The rise of generative AI has fueled a surge in lawsuits from artists and rights holders, accusing companies of using copyrighted material without consent or compensation. These potential licensing deals could help defuse legal tensions while providing a new revenue stream for record labels.

AI companies like ElevenLabs and Suno have been pushing the boundaries of voice synthesis and music generation, raising ethical questions about authorship and originality. By formalizing partnerships with major labels, these firms could legitimize AI-created music and ensure artists receive compensation.

A LANDMARK SHIFT FOR THE INDUSTRY

If finalized, these agreements would mark the first large-scale AI licensing model in the global music industry — a step that could influence how other creative sectors handle the intersection between AI and copyright.

Music industry observers say such deals could become a template for balancing innovation with intellectual property protection, ensuring that the creative ecosystem adapts rather than resists AI’s growing influence.