Northern Minnesotans Surprised by Sudden TV Blackout

YouTube TV and Disney are locked in a heated dispute over money, and that is leaving many Minnesota viewers surprised to find their favorite channels missing from the streaming lineup.

YouTube TV and Disney’s Showdown Hits Minnesota Viewers

The argument between these media giants centers on licensing fees for Disney owned content, which includes ABC, ESPN, FX, National Geographic, The Disney Channel, and others, including local stations like Duluth's WDIO/WIRT TV.

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In a statement about the blackout, WDIO management said, “Neither WDIO/WIRT nor its parent company, Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc., are involved in this negotiation and had no say or involvement in this decision. We hope that Disney and Google will quickly conclude a successful negotiation.”

Blackout Continues Despite Election Coverage Concerns

The blackout began on October 30, and despite ABC requesting that YouTube TV restore service for election day coverage, Google denied the request and the outage continues. The blackout is affecting over 10 million subscribers across the United States.

YouTube says Disney’s fee increase would force them to raise subscription prices, which they argue would give Disney owned services, such as Hulu + Live TV and FuboTV, a competitive advantage.

How to Keep Watching Local Programming

For now, WDIO reminds viewers they can still watch locally produced newscasts online and continue viewing ABC programming through over the air broadcasts. It might be time to dust off that TV antenna in Duluth and across the Northland while the companies work through the dispute.