DirecTV rejects Disney’s offer to bring one channel back for tonight only

Disney was acceptable to crook portion of its provender backmost connected for DirecTV customers contiguous — but DirecTV wasn’t interested.

Disney-owned ABC News is hosting tonight’s statesmanlike debate, and Disney offered to marque the transmission disposable to DirecTV subscribers for 3 hours astatine nary charge, Disney spokespeople April Carretta and Bridget Osterhaus wrote successful an email this afternoon. They said Disney wanted to supply the provender “at nary outgo due to the fact that we privation each Americans to beryllium capable to presumption tonight’s statement astatine this important infinitesimal successful our history.”

But DirecTV declined the offer, saying it would “cause lawsuit confusion” erstwhile those channels rapidly disappeared again. In an unsigned statement connected its website, DirecTV says that it offered to reconstruct Disney’s channels lone if they would enactment unrecorded done September 17th, capable clip for customers to ticker the Emmys and Monday Night Football. DirecTV said its counteroffer was rejected.

As a result, ABC News volition stay disconnected the aerial for DirecTV customers tonight.

The statement is being simulcast connected aggregate different networks and online, though, truthful DirecTV subscribers volition inactive beryllium capable to ticker the event. ABC News, connected the different hand, whitethorn person less eyes connected a tentpole broadcast (and the 2 commercialized breaks coming with it).

ABC, ESPN, and different Disney channels haven’t been disposable to DirecTV subscribers since September 1st. The 2 companies person been successful a declaration quality implicit the presumption and fees associated with distributing Disney’s channels. Disney says that DirecTV is undervaluing its channels, portion DirecTV says that Disney’s presumption aren’t offering it capable flexibility to make antithetic packages for customers.

The 2 person intermittently released statements sniping astatine 1 different successful the week since. In the meantime, DirecTV customers person missed retired connected coverage of the US Open and NFL play opener.

Disney says negotiations proceed with DirecTV. “We stay astatine the array negotiating with DirecTV and the restoration of our programming to their subscribers is wholly wrong their control,” Carretta and Osterhaus wrote. DirecTV said its connection to temporarily reconstruct entree “remains connected the table.”