YouTube TV does not have YouTube Premium, as they are two different entities, despite the similarity in names, which is a result of them both being owned by Google.
Overview
YouTube has been in existence since 2005, when it was first launched. Since then, the Google-owned video and music streaming has gone on to become one of the most popularly used platforms on the internet. Consequently, very little, if any at all, internet users can say they have never heard of YouTube.
YouTube TV, despite sounding similar to its predecessor, is a separate entity introduced by Google in 2017. YouTube TV is a paid-subscription television and video-on-demand streaming service, which allows for users to live stream cable networks, have access to its video-on-demand library and free access to its YouTube original content.
What is YouTube Premium?
In the wake of the popularity of digital streaming platforms (DSP) for music in the 2010s, as leader in audio-visual content, Google’s YouTube looked for ways to mitigate that gap. In 2014, it introduced YouTube Music, a subsidiary of YouTube that solely focussed on sharing music.
Not long after, YouTube Red was introduced in 2015, taking over from YouTube Music. YouTube Red was a subscription service introduced by YouTube, which for a paid fee eliminated adverts, allowed for offline viewing and listening, and free downloads. YouTube Red was later renamed as YouTube Premium in 2018.
Does YouTube TV have YouTube Premium?
According to Google Support, YouTube TV does not have YouTube Premium because, “YouTube TV is a paid membership that brings you live TV from major broadcast networks, popular cable networks, and premium networks, along with popular shows from YouTube creators. YouTube Premium is a separate paid membership, available in certain countries, that gives you an enhanced, uninterrupted experience across YouTube, YouTube Music, and YouTube Kids.”
In this regard, although the different Google-owned YouTube entities might sound similar in name, each is run independently from the other. Therefore, YouTube TV users are separate from YouTube and YouTube Premium users. The closest the two entities come, is that YouTube TV has access to YouTube original content.
However, if you are seeking to have a YouTube Premium account with YouTube, you will need to create a paid subscription with YouTube at a separate charge than that of your YouTube TV subscription fee.
How much is the YouTube Premium subscription fee?
When YouTube first introduced YouTube Red, the cost of subscription was $10. However, following the rebrand to YouTube Premium, the standard subscription package was increased to $12, with a more extensive list of benefits and features than previously. Moreover, there is a five-family member subscription package at the cost of $18.
Alternatively, there is the student discounted package of $6.99, with a three-month free trial feature. All the packages enable ad-free watching, background and offline watching capabilities and access to YouTube Originals.
How much is the YouTube TV subscription?
YouTube TV has a single package offering of $65 per month. Through the paid-subscription, customers have access to over 85 channels. Including local networks, which are dependent on the listing in your region.
Also, you have free access to YouTube Originals content and the platform boasts being the only one from the paid-subscription television and video-on-demand services to have PBS in its offering.
Moreover, YouTube TV has unlimited DVR cloud, which enables the user to have the ability to record their favourite shows to watch later.
What can I watch on YouTube TV?
YouTube TV has an extensive catalogue of channels which can be accessed through the service. The 85 plus channels include:
Entertainment
and Music |
Sports and News | Lifestyle | Kids | Film | Science | Crime |
AMC | ACCN | Bravo | Cartoon Network | FXM | Animal Planet | Court TV |
BBC America | Big Ten Network | Dabl | Disney | Hallmark Channel | Discovery | ID |
BET | CBS Sports | E! | Disney Junior | Hallmark Drama | Nat Geo Wild | Law and Crime |
BET Her | ESPN | Food Network | Disney XD | Hallmark Mysteries and Murder | National Geographic | Oxygen |
Comedy Central | ESPN2 | HGTV | Nickelodeon | IFC | Smithsonian Channel | Start TV |
Comet TV | ESPNU | OWN | Nick Jr | Sundance TV | ||
Cozi TV | ESPNEWS | Tastemade | Nicktoons | TCM | ||
FOX SOUL | FS1 | TLC | PBS Kids | |||
FreeForm | FS2 | Travel Channel | Teen Nick | |||
FX | Galavision | WE Tv | Universal Kids | |||
FXX | Golf Channel | Bravo | ||||
MyNetworkTV | MLB Network | Dabl | ||||
NBC Universo | Motortrend | E! | ||||
Paramount Network | NBA TV | Food Network | ||||
PBS | NBC Sports | HGTV | ||||
POP | NBCSN | OWN | ||||
QVC | NFL Network | Tastemade | ||||
SyFy | Olympics Channel | TLC | ||||
TBS | SEC Network | Travel Channel | ||||
TNT | BBC World News | WE Tv | ||||
truTV | CNBC | |||||
USA Network | CNBC World | |||||
YouTube Originals | CNN | |||||
CMT | Cheddar | |||||
MTV | Cheddar News | |||||
MTV2 | FOX Business | |||||
MTV Classic | FOX News Channel | |||||
VH1 | HLN | |||||
LiveNOW From FOX | ||||||
MSNBC | ||||||
NBC News Now | ||||||
NBC LX | ||||||
NewsNation | ||||||
The Young Turks. |
Conclusion
It is easy to believe that because YouTube TV and YouTube sound similar, that the sister companies are intertwined. The fact of the matter is that the names of the two companies are because they are both owned by the same company, Google.
Therefore, considering the impact of YouTube, when Google launched YouTube Premium, it used its interface to enable the service. However, the two have separate memberships. Therefore, YouTube TV customers do not have access to YouTube Premium as part of their package and need to pay for one, if they want access to YouTube Premium.