Is YouTube TV Sidelining Faith-Based Content?
Streaming services have changed the way we watch TV, giving us more choices than ever before.
But are some of those choices being quietly taken away?
That’s the question at the heart of a new controversy after FCC Chairman Brendan Carr called out YouTube TV for refusing to carry Great American Family, a network known for its Christian and family-friendly content.
As reported by The Christian Post, Carr cited complaints from Great American Media alleging that YouTube TV “deliberately marginalizes faith-based and family-friendly content.” While major platforms like Comcast, Cox, Hulu and FuboTV carry Great American Family, YouTube TV has refused to add it to their lineup, raising concerns about potential discrimination.
Breaking News. Spirit-Filled Stories. Subscribe to Charisma on YouTube now!
“[T]hese allegations of faith-based discrimination come at a time when American public discourse has experienced an unprecedented surge in censorship,” Carr wrote. “In too many cases, tech companies silenced individuals for doing nothing more than expressing themselves online and in the digital town square. Therefore, I am writing to determine whether YouTube TV has a policy or practice that favors discrimination against faith-based channels.”
The issue here isn’t just about one network—it’s about whether faith-based content is being treated unfairly in the digital marketplace.
YouTube TV’s refusal to carry Great American Family is particularly striking given the network’s success. Unlike many media companies struggling with declining viewership, Great American Family is thriving, reporting a 19% increase in household viewership and a 21% rise in total viewers in November 2024 alone. So why would a growing network with a clear audience base be excluded from one of the biggest streaming platforms?
In response to the controversy, a YouTube spokesperson denied any bias, stating, “We welcome the opportunity to brief the FCC on YouTube TV’s subscription service and the strategic business decisions we make based on factors like user demand, operational cost and financial terms, and to reiterate that we do not have any policies that prohibit religious content.”
But for many, that explanation doesn’t quite add up. If other major streaming services have found a place for Great American Family, why not YouTube TV? Is it really just a business decision, or is there an unspoken reluctance to support content that prioritizes faith and traditional values?
Bill Abbott, CEO of Great American Family, has long been an advocate for wholesome entertainment.
“In ‘mainstream’ entertainment, the portrayal of faith, family and country is often dismissive, caricatured or outright derisive,” he told The Christian Post. Abbott’s departure from Hallmark in 2020 came after the company embraced progressive programming that conflicted with the values he sought to uphold. His new venture, Great American Family, aims to provide content that honors “the traditions and values that are central to faith, family and country.”
Whether or not YouTube TV is intentionally discriminating against faith-based content, the controversy highlights a growing divide in the media landscape. As streaming giants continue to dominate the entertainment industry, will they create space for all voices?
Or will certain perspectives quietly be pushed aside?
Join Charisma Magazine Online to follow everything the Holy Spirit is doing around the world!
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
