Roku and Charter have settled their carriage dispute which kept the cable operator’s Spectrum TV app off Roku’s Channel Store since December 13, 2020.
The app, which allows Charter’s Spectrum subscribers to watch live TV and On Demand programming, is again available to Roku owners who did not download it prior to the blackout. Roku had allowed subscribers to continue using the app if they downloaded it before the dispute began in December. However, if they uninstalled the app from their Roku menu, they were unable to replace it.
“We are pleased that Charter and Roku have reached an agreement to renew the distribution of the Spectrum TV app on the Roku platform. This partnership allows us to offer a great streaming experience to our shared customers!” Charter’s Spectrum Twitter customer help team tweeted this afternoon on Twitter.
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The two companies today did not disclose the terms of new agreement nor have they ever specified what triggered the blackout in December.
However, Roku, which once was considered safe harbor for programmers weary of carriage battles, has engaged in several fights over the last few years, including an ongoing one with Google over YouTube TV. The device maker has signaled that it plans to seek greater compensation and control when it comes to adding high-profile apps. The company is arguably the nation’s leading maker of streaming devices with its products in more than 50 million homes.
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— Phillip Swann
