Google’s Latest TV Price Hike: The Information’s Tech Briefing

Two years ago, I ditched my cable television subscription for YouTube TV, an internet bundle of television channels wrapped in the kind of slick interface you would expect from the Google-owned streaming service. The next year, YouTube bumped the price up to $50 a month from $40, which I accepted reluctantly because they added HGTV and some other channels I like (don’t judge). 

On Tuesday, YouTube TV said it will jack up its price yet again, this time raising it an eye-popping 30% to $65. It is adding MTV, Comedy Central and a handful of other ViacomCBS channels to its lineup—none of which I’ll watch. The increase is a particularly bitter pill to swallow at a moment when the suspension of most live sports means that ESPN—a big reason many of us pay for services like YouTube TV in the first place—has been broadcasting cornhole tournaments and old NBA finals games.