ABC
After a 13-day carriage dispute between Disney and DirecTV left 11 million customers without access to Disney-owned stations like ABC, General Hospital‘s home, and ESPN, the companies have now resolved their impasse. The news was announced in a press release on September 14.
DirecTV subscribers have been unable to access a variety of channels since September 1 while the companies hammered out a new agreement. DirecTV’s chief content officer, Rob Thun, alleged in a statement when the dispute began that “The Walt Disney Co. is once again refusing any accountability to consumers, distribution partners, and now the American judicial system.” Disney, of course, saw things differently, and in their own statement, the co-chairmen of Disney Entertainment and ESPN wrote, “We urge DirecTV to do what’s in the best interest of their customers and finalize a deal that would immediately restore our programming.”
While the inability to watch GH was of particular concern to soap fans who rely on DirecTV, the blackout also affected viewers who missed the finale of The Bachelorette, the debut of the new season of Monday Night Football, and the historic Presidential debate between Vice-President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump that took place on September 10.
With the dispute resolved, DirecTV customers will see access to ABC, ESPN and 14 other channels restored in time not only for Saturday college football, but for the 76th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, which are set to air on ABC on the evening of Sunday, September 15.
In a press release announcing that the two companies had reached a deal, Disney and DirecTV referenced coming to terms on a plan to offer “multiple genre-specific options” that would allow customers to select a reduced bundle of channels at a lower cost to subscribers. Specifics of those plans were not included in the press release, though those channel packages will span entertainment, sports and family fare and extend to Disney’s streaming networks, such as Disney+ and Hulu.
In a joint statement issued by Disney and DirecTV, the companies touted, “Through this first-of-its-kind collaboration, DirecTV and Disney are giving customers the ability to tailor their video experience through more flexible options. DirecTV and Disney have a long-standing history of connecting consumers to the best entertainment, and this agreement furthers that commitment by recognizing both the tremendous value of Disney’s content and the evolving preferences of DirecTV’s customers. We’d like to thank all affected viewers for their patience and are pleased to restore Disney’s entire portfolio of networks in time for college football and the Emmy Awards this weekend.”
