Posted in: ABC, Sports, TV | Tagged: ABC, DirecTV, disney, espn

Disney, DirecTV Deal Dispute Sees ABC, ESPN, Other Channels Pulled

ABC, ESPN, and other Disney-owned channels have been pulled from DirecTV as the carriage deal dispute between the two rolls on...

As it approaches the one-year anniversary of the end of its dispute with Charter Spectrum, Disney finds itself facing another major carriage deal dispute – this time, with DirecTV. The result? As of today, DirectTV customers (estimated at approximately 11 million between satellite TV and streaming) are facing a number of Disney-owned channels- including ABC and ESPN – being blacked out on their service. Reportedly, a major roadblock to a deal centers on DirecTV, looking to be able to deal with smaller and possible genre-based bundle deals. Here's a look at what both sides had to say on the matter this afternoon, shortly after messages began hitting screens about the channels being blacked out.

Rob Thun, CCO, DirecTV: "The Walt Disney Co. is once again refusing any accountability to consumers, distribution partners, and now the American judicial system. Disney is in the business of creating alternate realities, but this is the real world where we believe you earn your way and must answer for your own actions. They want to continue to chase maximum profits and dominant control at the expense of consumers – making it harder for them to select the shows and sports they want at a reasonable price."

Dana Walden & Alan Bergman, Co-Chairmen; Disney Entertainment; Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN: "DirecTV chose to deny millions of subscribers access to our content just as we head into the final week of the U.S. Open and gear up for college football and the opening of the NFL season. While we're open to offering DirecTV flexibility and terms which we've extended to other distributors, we will not enter into an agreement that undervalues our portfolio of television channels and programs. We invest significantly to deliver the No. 1 brands in entertainment, news and sports because that's what our viewers expect and deserve. We urge DirecTV to do what's in the best interest of their customers and finalize a deal that would immediately restore our programming."

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