YouTube says open to deal with Disney to restore networks in US

(Reuters) -Google's YouTube said it is open to negotiating a fair deal with Disney to restore the entertainment giant's networks to its YouTube TV pay‑TV service, while it accused Disney of misrepresenting facts and seeking higher rates than rivals and its own smaller platforms. Disney said on Friday it continues talks with YouTube TV to bring back its networks, heading into "another sports-packed weekend without a deal in place." On Monday, YouTube TV proposed restoring ABC and ESPN, in response to Disney's request to bring back ABC for Election Day coverage. "Our team stands ready to make a fair agreement in line with their deals with other distributors and we encourage Disney to come to the table and do what's best for our mutual customers," YouTube said in a statement to Reuters. YouTube said Disney is seeking a rate above what Charter and DirecTV pay for the ABC networks. The video streaming service said it is not seeking better rates, as Disney claims. The dispute centers on carriage fees, the per‑subscriber rates distributors pay to carry broadcast and cable networks. "YouTube TV continues to insist on receiving preferential terms that are below market and has made few concessions," Disney Entertainment co-chairs Dana Walden and Alan Bergman and ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro had said in a memo to employees on Friday. Disney said it began talks by offering YouTube TV a "deal that would cost less overall than the terms of our recently expired license," and said it had offered fair terms in line with agreements reached by other distributors since last summer. YouTube TV, one of the largest U.S. pay‑TV distributors, has been negotiating this year with media companies that have threatened to pull their networks from the platform. Disney's networks went dark on YouTube TV late last Thursday after talks failed to produce a licensing deal, the companies said in separate statements. (Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico City and Anhata Rooprai in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid)

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