Viewers of Good Morning America and other ABC programs were left fuming this week after YouTube TV abruptly dropped all Disney-owned channels, including ABC and ESPN, following a breakdown in contract negotiations between the two companies.
The removal has sparked a wave of backlash from subscribers, many of whom took to social media to express frustration — and threaten to switch to rival streaming or broadcast options.
“Interesting that @Disney doesn’t care that all its @GMA viewers are being forced to watch the @TODAYshow every morning,” one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Another added, “@YouTubeTV if you lose ABC/ESPN you've lost me. I need my @GMA and ESPN. Make it happen or I’m out.”
The dispute, reportedly over carriage fees and streaming rights, has resulted in YouTube TV customers across the U.S. losing access to popular Disney-owned networks, including Good Morning America, The View, and ESPN’s sports coverage.
For GMA fans, the timing was particularly frustrating, as the long-running morning program — first launched in November 1975 — marked its 50th anniversary this month. The current anchor team of Robin Roberts, George Stephanopoulos, and Michael Strahan has led the show through one of its most successful eras.
Fans of The View were equally vocal, lamenting their inability to watch recent episodes, including a high-profile interview with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). During that appearance, Greene criticized the ongoing gridlock in Washington, saying she was “tired of the pissing contest between the men” in Congress.
YouTube TV and Disney have yet to announce when, or if, their dispute will be resolved. The stalemate mirrors similar recent clashes between media conglomerates and streaming providers, as both sides battle over rising costs and shifting viewership patterns in the streaming era.
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