Disney and Charter Settle Cable Dispute

Disney and Spectrum/Charter have settled the cable blackout as part of "a transformative, multi-year distribution agreement that maximizes value for consumers and supports the linear TV experience as the industry continues to evolve."

By Cameron Bonomolo

Nearly two weeks after the start of the Disney/Charter blackout — and just hours before kickoff on Monday Night Football — Disney and Charter have settled their cable carriage dispute. On August 31st, The Walt Disney Company pulled over two dozen Disney TV channels from Charter's services, including ABC and ESPN, potentially leaving millions of Spectrum TV customers without access to some of the biggest games of the 2023 NFL and college football seasons. In a joint statement Monday, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Charter Communications CEO and President Christopher Winfrey announced what the two companies called "a transformative agreement" for distribution of Disney's linear networks (such as ABC, Disney Channel, and FX), and Disney's direct-to-consumer services (Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+). 

"Our collective goal has always been to build an innovative model for the future. This deal recognizes both the continued value of linear television and the growing popularity of streaming services, while addressing the evolving needs of our consumers," Iger and Winfrey's joint statement reads. "We also want to thank our mutual customers for their patience this past week, and are pleased that Spectrum viewers once again have access to Disney's high-quality sports, news and entertainment programming, in time for Monday Night Football."

On September 1st, Charter Communications said that Disney insisted on "unsustainable price hikes" and "forcing customers to take their products," such as Disney+ and ESPN+, "even when they don't want or can't afford them." The cable giant also said that the current video ecosystem is "broken," adding that the cable blackout was in part because Disney wanted to "require [Charter] customers to pay twice to get content apps with the linear video they have already paid for." 

In response to the disruption, Disney said the ongoing negotiations and the rates and terms the company sought in the renewal were "driven by the marketplace." During the blackout, Charter's Spectrum TV customers lost access to ABC Owned Television Stations, the ESPN networks, the Disney-branded channels, Freeform, the FX networks, and the National Geographic channels.

Disney and Spectrum Update

As part of the deal, the majority — but not all — of Disney's networks and stations will be immediately restored to Spectrum's video customers.

Under the new agreement, the Disney+ Basic ad-supported offering (currently $7.99/month; prices are increasing to $13.99/month on October 12th) will be provided to Charter customers who purchase the Spectrum TV Select package; 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; and Charter will "maintain flexibility to offer a range of video packages at varying price points based upon different customer viewing preferences," the companies said in a release. 

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Charter also will "use its significant distribution capabilities to offer Disney's direct-to-consumer services to all of its customers – in particular its large broadband-only customer base – for purchase at retail rates," which includes The Disney Bundle that packages Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.

What Disney TV Channels Are Available on Spectrum?

Effective immediately as of September 11th, Spectrum TV will provide customers widespread access to what Charter called "a more curated lineup" of 19 Disney networks. Spectrum will continue to carry the ABC Owned Television Stations, Disney Channel, FX, the Nat Geo Channel, and the full ESPN network suite. However, Spectrum TV video packages will no longer carry Disney Junior, Disney XD, Freeform, FXM, FXX, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Mundo, and Baby TV.

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