Disney, Spectrum reach cable deal

Update:

• Disney’s television networks, including ESPN, rejoined Spectrum cable packages after the two companies reached a distribution agreement, according to Charter Communications and the Walt Disney Co.
• The deal guaranteed Disney $2.2 billion in fees from Charter and restored ESPN and its Monday Night Football to 15 million Spectrum customers, The Associated Press reports.
• Several Spectrum cable packages will now offer Disney streaming as the companies soon provide Disney Plus Basic ad-supported as part of the Spectrum TV Select Package and ESPN Plus as part of the Spectrum TV Select Plus subscription, the companies say in a joint statement.

Disney, Spectrum dispute overview: 

• Who: The Walt Disney Co. has removed its cable programming from Charter Spectrum as of Aug. 31. 
• Why: The decision comes amid an ongoing contract dispute between Disney and Charter revolving around carriage fees. 
• Where: Nationwide. 

(Sept. 15, 2023)

Disney has removed its cable programming channels, including ESPN, from Charter Spectrum — one of the nation’s largest cable providers — amid an ongoing contract dispute between the companies. 

The Disney programming officially went off the air on Charter Spectrum on the night of Aug. 31, following an apparent disagreement between the companies over carriage fees. 

Charter Spectrum, in a slideshow presentation to its investors, said Disney has been insisting on a “traditional long-term deal with higher rates and limited packaging flexibility.” 

The cable provider also said it has proposed a model to Disney that it claims “creates a better value for consumers and the industry.” 

Disney released a statement, meanwhile, maintaining that the rates and terms it is seeking in a renewal with Charter Spectrum are simply “driven by the marketplace.” 

“We’re committed to reaching a mutually agreed upon resolution with Charter and we urge them to work with us to minimize the disruption to their customers,” Disney said, per The Associated Press. 

Sports fans left hanging after Disney pulls channels from Charter Spectrum

Consumers who were watching sports when the Disney-owned networks suddenly went dark Aug. 31 were left hanging during broadcasts of college football and the U.S. Open tennis tournament, CNN reports. 

U.S. Open Tennis posted on X — the social media platform formerly known as Twitter — that it was hopeful the dispute between Disney and Charter could be resolved “as soon as possible.” 

“We’re very disappointed for our fans and viewers around the country that Spectrum and Charter could not resolve their dispute with Disney, resulting in a loss of ESPN coverage of Thursday night’s matches,” the official U.S. Open account wrote. 

Charter Spectrum also released a note to its customers through its website, maintaining that it has offered Disney a “fair deal” but that the mass media company is demanding an “excessive increase.”

“The rising costs of programming is the single greatest factor in higher cable TV prices. We are fighting hard to hold the line against increased programming rates that Disney continues to demand,” the telecom company wrote. 

Two former ESPN employees filed a lawsuit against Disney and ESPN in January over claims they were illegally fired after refusing to get the COVID-19 vaccine. 

Have you been affected by Disney’s decision to pull its channels from Charter Spectrum? Let us know in the comments.

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