Other PBS stations are reporting they hope to be live by the end of 2019, but some have elected to offer a national PBS feed instead of a local one. This comes down to the cost of setting up a live feed to YouTube TV.
“We’re excited to launch our very first local livestream on YouTube TV,” PBS Chief Digital and Marketing Officer Ira Rubenstein said when this deal was first announced. “Our goal is to reach as many Americans as possible with content that educates, inspires and entertains. As a broadcaster that is rooted in communities, we appreciate YouTube’s commitment to local content, and we are pleased that this service provides audiences with access to programming that is produced and distributed by our member stations.”
“We’re thrilled to partner with PBS to introduce both the PBS and PBS KIDS channels to YouTube TV,” Lori Conkling, Global Head of Partnerships at YouTube said when this deal was first announced. “Audiences of all ages love and trust PBS, and today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to delivering the best possible lineup for our subscribers.”
Right now most PBS stations in major markets have reported that they hope to go live on November 4th, 2019. It seems that the smaller PBS stations are the ones that will more likely be added at a later date. Google has not confirmed plans to add PBS on November 4th, 2019 but did say they plan to add PBS stations by the end of 2019.
Did you know we have a YouTube Channel? Every week we have a live Cord Cutting Q&A, and weekly Cord Cutting recap shows exclusively on our YouTube Channel!
Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more news, tips, and reviews. Need cord cutting tech support? Join our Cord Cutting Tech Support Facebook Group for help.