LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A carriage dispute that had left thousands in the Louisville area and millions around the country without ESPN and other Disney-owned affiliates via Spectrum cable has ended, according to an ESPN release.
Disney-owned channels went dark on Sept. 1 after Spectrum's parent company, Charter, and Disney failed to come to an agreement over carrier fees. Charter said Disney was asking for an "excessive increase" in the amount it charges for cable companies to carry its channels, especially with ESPN signaling that it will soon launch its own direct-to-consumer service.
Disney had used the dispute to urge customers to switch to its streaming service Hulu + Live TV. Spectrum officials had routed dissatisfied customers to YouTube TV and Fubo, hoping instead to hang onto their broadband and wireless business.
A release from ESPN listed the following details of the deal:
- In the coming months, the Disney+ Basic ad-supported offering will be provided to customers who purchase the Spectrum TV Select package, as part of a wholesale arrangement.
- ESPN+ will be provided to Spectrum TV Select Plus subscribers.
- The ESPN flagship direct-to-consumer service will be made available to Spectrum TV Select subscribers when it launches.
- Charter will maintain flexibility to offer a range of video packages at varying price points based upon different customer viewing preferences.
- Charter will also use its significant distribution capabilities to offer Disney’s direct-to-consumer services to all its customers – in particular its large broadband-only customer base – for purchase at retail rates. These include Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, as well as The Disney Bundle.
Effective immediately, Spectrum TV will provide its customers widespread access to a more curated lineup of 19 networks from The Walt Disney Company. Spectrum will continue to carry the ABC Owned Television Stations, Disney Channel, FX and the Nat Geo Channel, in addition to the full suite of ESPN networks. Networks that will no longer be included in Spectrum TV video packages are Baby TV, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Freeform, FXM, FXX, Nat Geo Wild and Nat Geo Mundo.
Copyright 2023 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
