TDC consumer arm YouSee said it has so far failed to reach an agreement with Discovery Networks to carry its channels in 2020. It said it intends to keep negotiating but is warning its viewers that they may not be available from its a la carte service next year. YouSee wants to reach an agreement to enable it to provide the Discovery channels at a reasonable price alongide freedom of customer choice.
YouSee said it has discussed various options, some to keep the channels as part of its Bland Selv a la carte service, and some to keep certain Discovery channels in its bundles, including Kanal 5, which airs national football team qualifying matches.
The operator said it is unwilling to raise the prices of its channel packages as their content dwindles. YouSee said distributors' costs are rising as traditional channel audiences shrink. It said sports rights are often used as a negotiating tool, with distributors forced to take up other channels alongside sports. This reduces customer choice, it said.
