After a public campaign to address its financial crisis, C-SPAN has secured deals to bring its three public affairs channels to YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV, ensuring the nonprofit network a future in the streaming era. The agreements provide a vital lifeline, expanding C-SPAN's reach to millions of viewers who have cut the cord on traditional cable.
A financial SOS: The network’s revenue had cratered by more than a third since 2015 as the carriage fees that funded it for decades dried up, according to the \*Los Angeles Times\*. The financial pressure grew so dire that D.C. lawmakers, whose proceedings are the network's bread and butter, even passed a resolution urging streaming services to carry the channels.
Streaming to the rescue: This fall, the three C-SPAN channels will land in the base packages of both streaming giants. The partnership with Google-owned YouTube also includes a sponsorship of C-SPAN’s “America 250” coverage and dedicated work to grow its audience on the main YouTube platform.
An eight-cent question: The move marks a turnaround for the public affairs network. YouTube TV had previously indicated that its subscribers showed insufficient interest—a stance it held despite the network costing distributors as little as eight cents per subscriber per month, according to Deadline.
The deals ensure C-SPAN’s non-partisan coverage remains accessible to a new generation of viewers beyond traditional cable, securing its public service mission in the streaming age. With a more stable financial footing, C-SPAN is now looking to launch new programming, including a debate series called "Ceasefire." The new agreements with YouTube and Hulu aren't the only recent distribution push, following a smaller deal with DirecTV earlier this year. The deals stand to add a potential audience of over 13 million subscribers across both platforms.
