Google's plan to remove Spanish-language network Univision from its core bundle of channels on YouTube TV at the end of this month is drawing pushback from a Republican attorney general in a politically significant state.
Alphabet, the parent company of Google and YouTube, is planning to shift Univision from its basic package to a Spanish-language tier that will require customers to pay an extra $14.99 per month in addition to the $82.99 per month base package. The move is expected to occur after the current carriage agreement for Univision expires on Sept. 30.
Georgia Attorney General Christopher Carr on Tuesday sent a letter to Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai asking him to review the decision before and urging the company "not to abuse its position and act fairly with consumers."
"While the methods by which people watch television have changed over the years and will no doubt continue to evolve, one thing has remained constant – the critical role it serves in providing news and other information affecting the daily lives of all Georgians," Carr wrote. "This is one of the many reasons that I am concerned about Google's apparent plan to eliminate Univision from YouTube TV Live's basic television package."
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Carr said that Univision is the leading Spanish-language television network and serves a primarily Hispanic audience, noting that Univision has a local affiliate in Georgia and the Peach State's population is nearly 11% Hispanic and growing.
"Univision regularly outperforms the most popular English-language networks in ratings. Of particular importance, Univision is a critical source of news and public service information to the Hispanic community," Carr wrote, adding that it's the No. 1 or No. 2 destination for local news, regardless of language in major U.S. markets.
"Consumers, in particular Hispanic households, expect Univision to be among the core television networks available in general market pay television subscriptions," Carr wrote. "That has been, and remains, the standard practice of major pay television distributors and has long been the case on YouTube TV until now."
"This decision raises significant concerns about YouTube TV's treatment of consumers and whether Google appreciates the significance of this segment of the population to the State of Georgia and to our nation," Carr wrote. "I am concerned that Google's decision is harmful to a significant portion of Georgia's population and will reduce access to important news coverage."
FOX Business reached out to Alphabet for comment on Carr's letter.
Carr added that YouTube TV's emergence as the dominant offering in the virtual cable market with an estimated 50% share carries a "responsibility not to abuse its position and act fairly with consumers."
TelevisaUnivision CEO Daniel Alegre told FOX Business in an exclusive interview that the move comes in advance of critical elections as Hispanic voters have become an increasingly important segment of the electorate to both major political parties.
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"I honestly don't know what their rationale is. The only thing I can tell you is they're doing this at a time right around the midterm elections and the key gubernatorial elections. And they did this at a time where the Hispanic audience is no longer a party vote. It is really is an issues vote. And they will be swayed by the messages that politicians make to them and they make through us," Alegre said.
YouTube pushed back on Univision's argument and told FOX Business, "TelevisaUnivision's demands aren't supported by their performance on YouTube TV over the last four years. If we cannot reach a fair deal by September 30th, their programming will no longer be available on YouTube TV."
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"While we value our partnership with them, our carriage renewal discussions are based on viewer consumption and pricing, and any suggestion to the contrary is false," YouTube added.
