Univision CEO calls Google ‘tone-deaf’ after it drops network from YouTube TV

TelevisaUnivision CEO Daniel Alegre accused Google on Monday of being “tone-deaf” for dropping Univision from YouTube TV and urged the tech giant to restore its access. 

“The message that they’ve been sending to the Hispanic community is, going forward, if you want to access the news that is so important to you, you’re going to have to pay a la carte and pay extra, which, we fundamentally believe… that it is unfair and not the right thing to do,” Alegre said during an interview on FOX Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria.”

Viewers who watch YouTube TV’s main bundle will not have access to Univision and will be required to pay an additional $14.99 per month on top of the $82.99 for the service, a move Alegre coined a “Hispanic tax.”

FOX Business reached out to YouTube for comment.

Alegre issued a campaign last month warning about the dangers of limiting information for Hispanics, and penned an open letter entitled “Do the Right Thing Google.” Univision was dropped from YouTube TV about a week ago, after the parties did not reach a deal on a new contract.

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When asked about the reason behind the move, Alegre said the company was told that “the usage wasn’t there.” However, Alegre disputed this, saying tech companies “can actually twist the data to show whatever way they want. What usage is or what usage is not.” 

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Alegre said 9% of YouTube TV subscribers are Spanish speakers, and they turn to Univision for their content. He also said Hispanics are passionate about soccer and three-quarters of all prime-time soccer broadcasts air on Univision.

“So for Google to say that Hispanics are not tuning in to YouTube TV to watch our content or tuning in to our news broadcast, which is the No. 1 news broadcast for Hispanics in most major, large cities… the data doesn’t add up,” he said.

Univision reaches more Hispanics in the U.S. than any other television network. 

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President Donald Trump weighed in over the weekend on Truth Social, saying he hopes the “great and very popular Hispanic Network, can get BACK onto the very amazing Google/YouTube.” 

“It has been taken out of their package, which is VERY BAD for Republicans in the upcoming Midterms. They were so good to me with their highest rated ever political Special, and I set a Republican Record in Hispanic voting. Google, for the purpose of FAIRNESS, please let Univision back,” Trump wrote. 

YouTube previously pushed back on the allegations, telling FOX Business last month that TelevisaUnivision’s demands aren’t supported by the network’s performance on YouTube TV over the last four years.

“While we value our partnership with them, our carriage renewal decisions are based on viewer consumption and pricing, and any suggestion to the contrary is false,” the company said.