DIRECTV vs. Disney: What’s the Very Latest In the Carriage Fight?
By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow on X.
Former editor of Satellite DIRECT magazine. Reported on DIRECTV for 30 years.
TV Answer Man, is there anything new with DIRECTV and Disney? I am sweating this one out with football coming up this weekend. — Tony, Las Vegas.
Tony, the DIRECTV-Disney channel blackout is now in its third full day with no end in sight. DIRECTV’s satellite and streaming subscribers are still without the entire Disney suite of channels, including ESPN, ABC in eight markets on satellite, and all ABC affiliates on streaming.
As expected, we are now in the ‘curry favor with subscribers’ phase of the dispute with both companies issuing statements over the last 24 hours which are intended to make them look like the good guy.
DIRECTV yesterday sent letters to the chancellors, presidents and commissioners of the SEC, ACC and Big 12 Conference, asking for their support in persuading Disney to allow it to provide ‘more flexible programming packages in one simple experience.”
“Disney’s actions have denied alumni, students, and fans the simple pleasure of cheering on their favorite teams and reinvesting their loyalties into these universities,” the letter states. “This (flexibility and choice) will help guarantee the public, whose taxes and tuitions help pay for the public universities in your conference, access to the content they love and deserve.”
Since Disney has paid billions for the rights to show those conferences’ games, I’m not sure the letters will have much influence. Paper money trumps paper letters. But it allows DIRECTV to again state its position in a highly public way.
And speaking of flexibility and choice, Disney today issued a statement saying they have offered DIRECTV exactly that.
“As part of the negotiations, Disney has proposed a variety of packages that align to DIRECTV’s cited needs, give their customers more choice and control, and provide DIRECTV with the ability to participate in future opportunities to distribute Disney’s content,” the statement reads.
Disney adds:
“For example: Sports centric option featuring the ESPN Networks and ABC; Entertainment based option featuring the Disney Entertainment networks; Linear offerings paired with Disney’s direct-to-consumer subscription services.”
We don’t know the details of these proposals, of course. But I’m sure we’ll get a counter statement soon from DIRECTV saying they are not what Disney says they are, right?
Update: As expected, DIRECTV countered today that the slimmer packages that Disney has offered come with conditions.
As usual, The TV Answer Man will monitor this situation and report back here if anything significant changes. But I don’t expect anything really significant for awhile, to be blunt. I have predicted this blackout will last between two and four weeks and I don’t see any reason to back off that.
The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.
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