Peacock joins YouTube Premium in NBCUniversal streaming pact
NBCUniversal says Peacock will be included with YouTube Premium in early 2027, expanding its YouTube pact after Peacock turned profitable.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
NBCUniversal is putting Peacock inside YouTube Premium at no added cost to subscribers under a new agreement that starts in early 2027, the companies said, giving the U.S. streamer a big new doorway to viewers.
The pact also extends NBCUniversal’s distribution agreement with YouTube TV, a deal that Deadline reported was renewed in 2025. The move lands as Comcast, NBCUniversal’s parent company, says Peacock has reached profitability after six years and grown to 48 million subscribers.
Peacock is available only in the U.S., according to the companies. Outside the U.S., some YouTube Premium subscribers will get access to NBCUniversal streaming services Universal+ and Hayu in select markets.
SkyShowtime, the central and eastern Europe streaming joint venture between NBCUniversal and Paramount, is not part of the YouTube arrangement, Deadline reported.
How will Peacock work with YouTube Premium?
The companies said Peacock programming will be available through YouTube Premium. YouTube Premium’s main U.S. plan costs $15.99 a month after a price increase earlier this year, according to Deadline, and includes ad-free video viewing, background play and downloads.
YouTube Premium has more than 125 million subscribers worldwide, according to the report. For NBCUniversal, the bundle puts Peacock in front of a large subscription base without requiring a separate Peacock sign-up from those YouTube Premium users covered by the deal.
The agreement follows comments from Comcast co-CEOs Brian Roberts and Mike Cavanagh, who said after the company’s second-quarter results that they were looking at possible partnerships for NBCUniversal. Comcast is preparing to separate NBCUniversal from its cable and broadband operations next year, according to Deadline.
NBCUniversal adds a partner after Peacock turns profitable
Deadline reported that NBCUniversal Media Group Chairman Matt Strauss said Roberts contacted YouTube’s CEO more than nine months ago to begin talks. Strauss told Deadline that audiences now think less about platforms and more about the moments they want to watch.
Peacock’s recent draws have included new seasons tied to reality franchises such as Love Island USA and The Traitors, along with NBA coverage and Telemundo’s Spanish-language coverage of the World Cup, according to Deadline.
Cavanagh said in a company statement that the deal brings NBCUniversal content and franchises to YouTube’s global platforms and fits NBCUniversal’s plan to work with major industry partners to grow the business.
YouTube’s Mohan said in a statement that the expanded partnership would make it easier for members to find and watch premium programming in one place, according to the companies.
The deal is also a marker for Peacock’s changing place in streaming. Deadline noted that the service was once viewed as trailing rivals because it launched with a focus on advertising and live events while much of the market chased ad-free binge watching. Its latest agreement now ties it to one of the largest paid digital video products in the world.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.