This week saw YouTube TV and NBCUniversal engaged in some lively talks as their carriage agreement neared its end. We also learned of other carriage disputes coming to a head as the month of September came to a close. Elsewhere, we learned of new content options for The Roku Channel and Frndly TV and Netflix picked up its first-ever game developer.
Here’s what happened in the world of cord cutting and streaming.
Breaking News
Here are some of the top streaming stories from the past week.
YouTube TV and NBC Have Agreed to an Extension, Channels Will Stay on YouTube TV for Now
Just before their existing carriage agreement was about to expire, YouTube TV and NBCUniversal agreed to a short-term extension that kept NBCU channels on the live TV streaming service in the short term while renewal talks continued. We’re continuing to monitor the ongoing story and will post updates on our site as they happen.
See the latest on YouTube TV’s dispute with NBCUniversal here.
YouTube TV Subscribers Could Lose 14 NBCUniversal Channels
The week started with warnings that YouTube TV users could lose 14 NBCU channels if the two sides could not renew their carriage agreement. We’ve been following the story all week long, but you can check out how the saga kicked off in this post.
Learn how the current dispute started here.
Comcast Xfinity Drops MSG Networks
In other carriage dispute news, Comcast has dropped MSG Networks channels after the two sides could not reach an agreement before their carriage deal expired this week. We have statements from both companies in our post linked below.
Check out the newest updates on Comcast’s dispute with MSG Networks here.
Frndly TV is Adding a Hallmark Movies Now Add-On on October 1
Family-focused streaming service Frndly TV has added Hallmark Movies Now as an add-on for $5.99 per month. The new option offers a selection of Hallmark movies and shows commercial-free.
Learn more about Frndly TV’s newest addition here.
The Roku Channel Will Add Three Roku Originals in October
Just in time for Halloween, Roku is adding a trio of horror movies to its free streaming platform, The Roku Channel. You can check out descriptions of each new title in our full post linked below.
Read more about The Roku Channel’s October additions here.
Hardware Spotlight
A look at the latest streaming and cord-cutting gear.
The Vizio P-Series Quantum 65″ 4K HDR TV Offers Picture & Performance Without the OLED Price Tag
This week, we also took a close look at Vizio’s P-Series Quantum TVs. We found the series offers impressive specs at a competitive price, including support for newer features like HDMI 2.1.
Read more about our impressions here.
Industry Report
What’s the latest on the industry?
Netflix Picks Up its First Game Studio: ‘Oxenfree’ Developer Night School Studio
Netflix’s continued push into gaming took another significant step this week when the streaming studio acquired its first game studio: Oxenfree developer Night School Studio.
Learn more about Netflix’s first game developer acquisition here.
Netflix Finally Reveals Viewership Data on its Top Titles
Netflix offered a rare glimpse at its viewership stats this week, revealing what shows and movies are among its most popular options. Season 1 of Bridgerton topped the charts as far as shows go, while Extraction ruled the movie side.
Check out some of Netflix’s viewership data here.
Deal Alert
Save some cash with these current and upcoming deals.
Save 40% on One Year of Discovery+ for a Limited Time
Streaming service Discovery+ is offering 40 percent off of their regular monthly price when you pay for a year in advance. At $35.99, the monthly rate comes out to about $2.99 instead of the regular $4.99.