YouTube TV hits 5 million subscribers and is looking like the future of cable – The Verge

When YouTube decided to build a cable TV-like product back in 2014, a big part of the goal was just to create a better relationship with Hollywood. After seven years of fighting with Viacom about widespread copyright infringement, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki wanted a way to work with networks and studios, not against them. She hired Christian Oestlien, who is now a VP of product management at YouTube, and gave him a broad mandate: “figure out what YouTube might be able to do with the larger media companies, with a focus around television.” Seven years later, YouTube TV, the company’s live cable streaming bundle, is a hit. The company announced today that 5 million people are currently either paying for or testing out YouTube TV, which isn’t exactly the same as having 5 million subscribers but is nevertheless an impressive figure. It’s up 2 million subscribers since mid-2020, even as the number of cable subscribers in the US continues to dwindle, according to Variety — down to 46.2 million total in the first quarter of this year. Comcast, which is the biggest player in US cable, reported 17.6 million subscribers in the first quarter of this year, down almost two…
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