Back in April of last year, YouTube TV raised its monthly fee to $49. The cord-cutting subscription will soon cost $64.99 for all, but Google is working on “new flexible models.”
That new price goes into effect today for new members. Existing subscribers will have “changes reflected in their subsequent billing cycle on or after July 30.” According to Google, this $15 jump reflects the “rising cost of content.”
We don’t take these decisions lightly, and realize how hard this is for our members. That said, this new price reflects the rising cost of content and we also believe it reflects the complete value of YouTube TV, from our breadth of content to the features that are changing how we watch live TV.
Acknowledging how this will upset people, the company said that it’s “working to build new flexible models for YouTube TV users, so we can continue to provide a robust and innovative experience for everyone in your household without the commitments of traditional TV.”
Most networks require that we include their full portfolio of channels to subscribers, which increases the overall price of the service. We’re committed to continuing to innovate our service and offer flexible options to members in the future.
— YouTube TV (@YouTubeTV) June 30, 2020
No further details or a timeline were provided today, but hopefully, this lets users pick and choose what channels they want and not deal with the rising bloat and price.
Meanwhile, to soften the blow, YouTube TV is adding ViacomCBS’s family of channels today: BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, TV Land, and VH1. BET Her, MTV2, MTV Classic, Nick Jr., NickToons, and TeenNick are coming at a “later date.”
Google also detailed work on a feature that lets you “jump to various segments within select news programs,” similar to key plays in sports. This is available now on TV screens and coming soon to mobile.
This comes as the service marks its three-year anniversary and now has over 85 channels in addition to add-ons like HBO Max.
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