NBCUniversal strikes deal to bring Peacock to YouTube

While much of the streaming industry chases mergers and acquisitions, NBCUniversal is expanding its reach through partnerships — and its latest move brings Peacock directly to YouTube.

NBCUniversal and YouTube announced a multi-year global strategic partnership on Monday that will bring Peacock’s Premium plan to YouTube Premium subscribers in the US starting in early 2027, giving millions of viewers access to Peacock’s full lineup — including NFL and NBA coverage, “Saturday Night Live,” “Love Island USA,” “Law & Order: SVU,” and Bravo titles such as The Real Housewives franchise.

The deal integrates Peacock’s content directly into the YouTube experience, letting viewers discover and watch it without leaving the platform. For YouTube, the partnership strengthens YouTube Premium by folding in another major entertainment service, and it supports the company’s broader push to become a hub for streaming — offering premium TV, live sports, and creator content in one place.

The move comes as media giants look for new ways to grow while competing with YouTube and TikTok, platforms that continue to capture more of consumers’ viewing time. Many companies have responded by reshaping their businesses through major deals: Paramount Skydance has agreed to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, and Fox is buying Roku. Peacock, however, is leaning into distribution rather than consolidation — it has already partnered with Amazon and Apple, and the YouTube deal marks its biggest effort yet to put its content where audiences already are.

The partnership follows Peacock reporting its first-ever quarterly profit in the second quarter of 2026; the service currently touts 48 million paid subscribers. It also extends beyond the US: NBCUniversal’s international streaming services, Universal+ and Hayu, will also become available through YouTube Premium in select markets.

Starting later this summer, Peacock Premium — the ad-supported plan, priced at $10.99 a month — will be available as a separate add-on subscription through YouTube Primetime Channels; Peacock Premium Plus has been available through YouTube Primetime Channels since late June.

Why it matters

The deal shows a streaming giant betting that distribution reach, not consolidation, is the more durable growth lever as YouTube itself becomes a dominant gateway for how viewers find and pay for TV.