Chuck Grassley of Iowa Applauds YouTubeTV and Hulu Agreement to Air C-SPAN

Last week, C-SPAN announced a game-changing deal with YouTube TV and Hulu to bring their three channels to the streaming services’ live television feed. This agreement resolves a dispute that had put a financial strain on C-SPAN in the age of cord-cutting.

Under this deal, YouTube TV and Hulu will pay the same fee as traditional cable and satellite companies, ensuring C-SPAN’s continued revenue stream. Importantly, C-SPAN will uphold its no-advertising policy on television.

The move comes after Congress intervened by passing a resolution this spring, urging YouTube’s parent company, Alphabet, and Hulu’s parent company, Disney, to include C-SPAN in their programming. Without this deal, C-SPAN faced a potential reduction in airtime since congressional sessions make up a significant portion of their coverage.

Iowa’s U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley played a key role in championing this resolution alongside Minnesota’s U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Grassley emphasized the importance of live C-SPAN coverage on all platforms, allowing Americans to watch Congress in real-time and observe democracy through a nonpartisan lens.

When the resolution passed in June, Grassley underscored how adding C-SPAN to major streaming platforms enhances transparency and accountability in Congress. This move is a win for civic engagement and strengthens our system of self-government.

C-SPAN, once available in 100 million homes, has seen a decline in viewership due to changing TV consumption habits. With this new deal, C-SPAN hopes to reach millions more Americans with its unfiltered coverage of the political process. The agreement also paves the way for new nonprocedural programming, including a series called “Ceasefire” and coverage of the nation’s upcoming 250th birthday celebrations.

Both C-SPAN and YouTube look forward to expanding their collaboration and celebrating America’s 250th birthday together. U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon commended YouTube and Hulu for carrying C-SPAN, highlighting the importance of unfiltered congressional coverage in today’s media landscape.

This partnership marks a significant step forward in making C-SPAN more accessible to a broader audience. The impact of this deal extends beyond just streaming services, as it upholds C-SPAN’s mission of providing transparent coverage of our nation’s political process.