YouTube TV Adds Viacom Channels, Jacks Up Price to $65

YouTube TV subscribers are going to have to take a serious look at whether or not this cutting-the-cord experiment is still worth it. I say that because today, the company announced that another price increase is coming as new channels have been added.

Starting today for new customers, YouTube TV will jump from $49.99/mo to $64.99/mo. Current customers will see that increase reflected on their bills on or after their July 30 bill.

Why the big price increase? YouTube TV added the Viacom channels, as was previously reported, which includes BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, TV Land and VH1. That group of channels has been missing from the start, has likely been requested by customers, and is now here with a price attached. Those channels are available starting today.

This is the latest significant price increase to the streaming TV service in a year. We saw a jump from $40/mo to $50/mo a little over a year ago, and that price pulled in current customers too, unlike the previous increase from the original $35 to $40.

As an early YouTube TV subscriber, this is pretty frustrating to see happen. I loved the $35/mo price, begrudgingly accepted the increase to $50 because I like the service, but this is going to make me re-evaluate. I do not care about the Viacom channels. I’ve lived without them this entire time. YouTube TV should have made them an optional bundle, not just forced us all to pay for them.

Ugh.

// YouTube TV