Disney is ready to restore part of its feed for DirecTV customers tonight — but DirecTV isn’t interested.
Disney-owned ABC News is hosting a presidential debate tonight, and Disney is offering to make the channel available to DirecTV subscribers for three hours free of charge, Disney spokeswoman April wrote Carretta and Bridget Osterhaus in an email this afternoon. They said Disney wanted to provide the feed “for free because we want all Americans to see tonight’s debate at this important moment in our history.”
DirecTV subscribers can still watch the debate on other networks
But DirecTV rejected the offer, saying it would “cause customer confusion” if those channels quickly disappeared again. In an unsigned statement on its website, DirecTV said it offered to restore Disney channels only if they remained live until Sept. 17, enough time for customers to watch the Emmys and Monday Night Football. DirecTV said its counteroffer was rejected.
As a result, ABC News will remain off the air for DirecTV customers tonight.
The debate will be simulcast on several other networks and online, however, so DirecTV subscribers will still be able to watch the event. ABC News, on the other hand, may have fewer eyes on a tentpole broadcast (and the two commercial breaks that come with it).
ABC, ESPN, and other Disney channels have not been available to DirecTV subscribers since September 1. The two companies are in a contract dispute over terms and fees related to the distribution of Disney channels. . Disney says DirecTV doesn’t value its channels, while DirecTV says Disney’s terms don’t offer enough flexibility to create different packages for customers.
The two have repeatedly issued statements accusing each other in the week since. In the meantime, DirecTV customers missed coverage of the US Open and NFL season opener.
Disney said negotiations with DirecTV will continue. “We remain at the table negotiating with DirecTV and the restoration of our programming to their subscribers is entirely within their control,” Carretta and Osterhaus wrote. DirecTV said its offer to temporarily restore access “remains on the table.”
