Published on January 23rd, 2019 | by Brad Gibson

YouTube TV going nationwide, adding 95 new markets

Google’s streaming TV service YouTube TV is expanding nationwide today by adding another 95 markets and growing its coverage to 98 percent of the U.S.

The $40-a-month service will soon cover a total of 195 regions, or 98 percent of U.S. households, the company said in a blog post Wednesday. The company said YouTube TV will be coming the remaining 15 of the 210 designated market areas “shortly thereafter.”

YouTube is positioning the expanded availability of YouTube TV as coming “just in time” for Super Bowl LIII, February 3 on CBS. In all 195 of the biggest YouTube TV markets, local CBS stations are available on the service.

Some of the new YouTube TV markets include Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Boise, Idaho; Evansville, Ind.; Augusta, Ga./Aiken, S.C.; Johnstown-Altoona-State College, Pa.; Springfield-Holyoke, Mass.; Reno, Nev.; Lincoln, Tenn.; Tallahassee, Fla./Thomasville, Ga.; Peoria-Bloomington, Ill.; Tyler-Longview, Texas; Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Montgomery-Selma, Ala.

YouTube TV includes live streaming from more than 60 networks like CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX, including local affiliate coverage from those networks in 90 percent of markets, premium networks, like Starz, for an additional monthly charge and unlimited cloud DVR recording. The lineup also includes AMC, Cartoon Network, CNN, ESPN, Fox News, FS1, FX, TBS, TNT and several regional sports networks.

“Since YouTube TV’s early days, it’s been important for us to create an experience that brings you the best of your favorite TV content. As part of that effort, we’ve offered local feeds from broadcasters, allowing you to catch up with the content that matters to you,” YouTube wrote in a statement.

While Google has not disclosed subscriber numbers for YouTube TV, the service reportedly increased from around 300,000 paying subscribers in January 2018 to 800,000 in July. It raised prices from $35 to $40 a month in February of last year shortly after adding Turner’s networks including CNN and TBS. Existing YouTube TV subscribers were grandfathered in at the original price.

YouTube TV launched in April of 2017 and launched on Apple TV in February of this year.

Tags: Apple, apple tv, youtube tv

About the Author

Brad Gibson Brad is co-founder and editor-in-chief of BESTAppleTV.com. He has been a technology reporter since the late 1980s having previously worked for MacUser, MacFormat, and iCreate magazines, as well as MacNN.com, MacObserver.com, MacCentral.com, MacMinute.com, and Macworld.com. He hosted and produced the MacFormat This Week podcast for three years. He was also a reporter, editor, and producer for the Associated Press and United Press International.