ABC11, ESPN and other cable channels pulled off Spectrum amid negotiations
Disney says that the company is in negotiations with Charter Communications for a new agreement after Disney pulled ESPN, ABC and other cable channels off Charter-owned Spectrum's cable service.
Spectrum TV subscribers no longer have access to Disney's portfolio of live sporting events, news coverage and entertainment programming, the company said.
Disney cable networks on Spectrum's cable service went dark on Thursday in the middle of the live coverage of the U.S. Open match on ESPN, leaving only a black screen.
Cable operator Charter Communications serves more than 32 million customers in 41 states through its Spectrum brand, according to its website. Disney says that it "has successful deals in place with pay-TV providers of all types and sizes across the country, and the rates and terms we are seeking in this renewal are driven by the marketplace."
Charter released a statement saying, "We are disappointed with The Walt Disney Company's decision to remove their networks from our lineup and deny our customers the opportunity to watch. The current video ecosystem is broken. With The Walt Disney Company, we have proposed a model that creates better alignment for the industry and better choices for our customers. We are hopeful we can find a path forward."
Thursday, September 7, The Walt Disney Company released this updated statement about the negotiations:
As the US Open reaches the men's and women's finals, and fans gear up for a weekend of college football and the opening of the NFL season, it's unfortunate that Charter decided to abandon their consumers by denying them access to our great programming. While they have stated their "indifference" to the needs of millions of paying customers, we will not lose sight of what is most important - investing in the highest-quality stories, news and sports for our audience. The question for Charter is clear: Do you care about your subscribers and what they're telling you they want - or not? Disney stands ready to resolve this dispute and do what's in the best interest of Charter's customers. - The Walt Disney Company
Disney also released a statement on Sunday on its website, on Facebook, and on X (formerly Twitter):
There's no word on when or if a deal will be reached. If you are impacted by the outage, please contact Spectrum directly at (855) 366-7132 or go to keepmynetworks.com.
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Disney is the parent company of ABC11.
