Nexstar’s WGN America has reached a multi-year carriage deal with YouTube TV. The streaming service will carry the cable network beginning January 19, 2021.
WGN America is Nexstar’s only wholly owned, national cable-originated television channel. The channel is home to NewsNation, a live nationwide newscast that airs every night at 8 pm ET. WGN America is also known for airing syndicated sitcoms during its daytime schedule, including Married…With Children, Last Man Standing, Blue Bloods, and many more titles.
With the agreement, WGN America will reach an additional 3 million viewers, making the channel available in about 78 million households total.
“We are extremely happy to have WGN America joining YouTube TV and we expect to continue the strategic expansion of WGN America to even more viewers in the months ahead,” said Sean Compton, President of the Networks Division of Nexstar Inc. “We look forward to bringing WGN America’s programming and NewsNation’s fact-based, unbiased reporting to YouTube TV subscribers, including coverage of the Presidential inauguration, which takes place just after our partnership begins.”
While Nexstar looks forward to this new carriage agreement, the company is facing the largest TV blackout in history, with Dish potentially removing access to 164 local channels in 120 markets across 42 states. Nexstar is asking Dish to pay over $1 billion in fees for their television channels.