U.S. Representative Mike Flood (R-NE) issued a public call on March 25, 2025, urging streaming giants YouTube TV and Hulu to add C-SPAN to their live TV lineups, spotlighting the network’s vital role in delivering non-partisan government coverage. In a statement released Today, Flood credited traditional cable and satellite providers—such as Comcast, Charter Communications, Dish Network, and DirecTV—for their decades-long financial backing of the nonprofit, public-service network, which has offered unfiltered access to Congress and the White House since 1979. The push comes as cord-cutting accelerates, with streaming now at 43.5% of U.S. TV viewing (February 2025), threatening C-SPAN’s funding model.
Founded by the cable industry, C-SPAN’s three channels—covering the House, Senate, and overflow events—rely on operator fees, not taxpayer dollars, delivering gavel-to-gavel coverage free of ads or commentary. Yet, only DirecTV Stream carries it among major streamers, tied to its parent’s funding role, leaving YouTube TV (over 8 million subscribers) and Hulu + Live TV (4.5 million) absent. Flood’s plea follows a January 2025 bipartisan letter with Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) to Fubo, Hulu, and YouTube, unanswered thus far.
Cable’s support—once yielding $70 million annually—has shrunk to under $50 million as subscribers flee, per Politico, yet Flood lauded their commitment: It has been argued that Comcast, Dish, and others have kept C-SPAN alive for decades—streaming should follow suit. Alternatives exist—House and Senate websites stream sessions, and C-SPAN’s YouTube channel (1 million subscribers) offers free access to major events but not a 24/7 feed of the channel—but Flood argues live TV inclusion ensures broader reach.
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