As the DirecTV and U-Verse channel blackout continues for a 10th day, Walt Disney has offered a partial, temporary relief, but it has degenerated into another spat.
Early Tuesday morning, Disney offered to restore the ABC network to DirecTV, U-Verse and DirecTV Stream customers so they can watch tonight’s highly anticipated debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump, which will be carried by ABC News.
“As we announced in May, the ABC News presidential debates will be widely available across broadcast, cable and streaming,” a Disney spokesperson said in a statement. “While we have not yet reached an agreement[with DirecTV]we are making three hours of ABC News coverage available free of charge to all impacted DirecTV customers because we want every American to be able to watch tonight’s debate at this pivotal moment in our history.”
DirecTV responded that it would respond to Disney’s request to restore ABC for discussions if it accepts a more comprehensive settlement. The El Segundo-based satellite TV provider asked Disney to allow it to air the entire Disney Channel, including ABC and ESPN, for one more week while the two sides work out a new distribution deal.
“While we work to reach a new agreement, returning the Disney-owned channels next week will benefit our customers who will be able to return to ABC for Sunday’s debate and the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards,” DirecTV said in a blog post. DirecTV added that the move will allow fans “to watch their favorite college and pro football games on ABC, as well as ESPN, ACC or SEC Network.”
According to DirecTV, Disney rejected DirecTV’s offer.
Disney countered that it was DirecTV that declined to broadcast the presidential debates.
Last week, Burbank-based Disney faced a dilemma. ABC News won the coveted role of carrying the Harris-Trump debate, which could be the only presidential debate between the two candidates this year. But because of a contract dispute, viewers in nearly 11 million DirecTV households will not be able to watch the Disney Channel, which includes local ABC stations and ESPN.
Viewers have other options to watch the debate. The company is simulcasting on PBS, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox News and streaming platforms. Still, the debate is a major opportunity for ABC News and anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis to shine before a national audience. Disney executives wanted to make sure the company’s fee dispute didn’t get in the way of viewers’ glimpse into history.
ABC will also benefit from the debate, which is expected to generate high ratings.
This outage has tested viewers’ patience and loyalty to DirecTV and U-Verse.
On Monday, millions of DirecTV customers missed the opening game of ESPN’s “Monday Night Football,” a highly anticipated game in which the San Francisco 49ers defeated the New York Jets.
DirecTV and U-Verse customers are growing increasingly frustrated as the dispute drags on, but Tuesday’s development underscores the optics of the fight beyond the sports world: Disney Channel, FX and ABC television stations are also going dark starting Sept. 1.
The two sides traded accusations in their public relations campaigns, but tensions were heightened over the weekend when DirecTV filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission, claiming Disney was not negotiating in good faith and that its tactics were anticompetitive.
Eight Disney-owned ABC stations, including KABC-TV in Los Angeles, have been blacked out on DirecTV and U-Verse, leaving viewers missing local news broadcasts “Good Morning America,” “The View,” “Jeopardy!”, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and now the debate. Other Disney-owned stations are in San Francisco, Fresno, Houston, Chicago, Raleigh, North Carolina, New York and Philadelphia, where the debate will take place tonight.
