Streaming cable TV alternatives are taking the younger generation by storm, but that doesn’t mean that cord-cutters are immune to all of the foibles of the cable bundle. YouTube TV’s standard package will cost $40 per month for new subscribers starting tomorrow, a $5-a-month increase over the pricing that YouTube TV launched with.
The price hike shouldn’t come as a particular surprise, since YouTube TV announced the move a month ago. The price hike is likely due to a combination of rising programming costs, the additional channels that YouTube TV has added to its standard package, and the fact that the service doesn’t need such a low introductory price any more.
The good news, however, is that current YouTube TV members (that includes anyone who signs up today!) are still eligible for the same $35-a-month price they’ve always paid. Unlike cable companies, which have a fun habit of raising prices and the bogus additional fees every year, streaming companies have thus far been loath to raise prices for existing subscribers. Given that streaming services are easy to hop between since there’s no contract and no installation fee, streaming services have to be sensitive to price changes that could scare customers away — the direct opposite of cable.
In the last month, YouTube TV has added channels from the Turner network family, which includes CNN, Cartoon Network, TBS, TNT, and Turner Classic Movies. The platform is also getting new content from the NBA and MLB, including nationally televised NBA games, NBA All-Star weekend, NBA Playoff games, MLB Postseason games, the PGA Championship and UEFA soccer.
New markets where YouTube TV is available include Lexington, Dayton, Honolulu, El Paso, Burlington, Plattsburgh, Richmond, Petersburg, Mobile, Syracuse, Champaign, Springfield, Columbia, Charleston, Harlingen, Wichita, Wilkes-Barre and Scranton.
