Disney and DirecTV are reporting they were unable to reach a new distribution deal. As a result of the dispute, Disney-owned stations, ESPN and other channels went dark on DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and U-verse at 7 p.m. ET, Sept. 1. 

The services went dark just the featured USC vs. LSU primetime game on Sept. 1 and the presidential debate produced by ABC News approaches. It would leave subscribers without access to key college football contests in the upcoming weeks.

As is often the case in these disputes, both sides are blaming each other for failing to offer sensible terms that would allow both parties to grow their businesses. It leaves nearly 11 million households around the country without access to ESPN, Disney-owned ABC affiliates and other services. 

Key sticking points seem to be the cost of programming, the inclusion of Disney streaming services in the agreement and the ability to drop channels and craft more flexible low-cost packages. These issues have become particularly thorny as pay TV operators continue to hemorrhage subscribers and consumers spend more time with streaming services. In Nielsen’s July snapshot of TV view, streaming captured a record 41.4% share of TV viewing outside mobile.  

Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, co-chairmen, Disney Entertainment, and Jimmy Pitaro, chairman, ESPN issued this statement regarding the impasse: “DirecTV chose to deny millions of subscribers access to our content just as we head into the final week of the US Open and gear up for college football and the opening of the NFL season. While we’re open to offering DirecTV flexibility and terms which we’ve extended to other distributors, we will not enter into an agreement that undervalues our portfolio of television channels and programs. We invest significantly to deliver the No. 1 brands in entertainment, news and sports because that’s what our viewers expect and deserve. We urge DirecTV to do what’s in the best interest of their customers and finalize a deal that would immediately restore our programming.”

In response, DirecTV complained that Disney pulled all its content from DirecTV moments before the feature USC vs. LSU primetime game tonight and the presidential debate produced by ABC News approaches. 

Disney is demanding that customers pay for channels they don’t watch and pony up for Disney’s streaming services, whether they want them or not, DirecTV said. 

“The Walt Disney Co. is once again refusing any accountability to consumers, distribution partners, and now the American judicial system,” said Rob Thun, chief content officer at DirecTV. “Disney is in the business of creating alternate realities, but this is the real world where we believe you earn your way and must answer for your own actions. They want to continue to chase maximum profits and dominant control at the expense of consumers – making it harder for them to select the shows and sports they want at a reasonable price.”

In a press release regarding the dispute, DirecTV also alleged “just hours before today’s expiration, Disney demanded that to reach any licensing agreement or to extend access to its programming, DirecTV must agree to waive all claims that Disney’s behavior is anti-competitive. Moreover, any future lawsuits resulting from DirecTV/Disney licensing agreements would be adjudicated in California – and not New York – because – as Disney counsel specifically stated – SDNY Judge Garnett `didn’t understand the issues’ when granting a preliminary injunction against Disney’s Venu Sports. Disney’s last-minute demands to foreclose upon any legal accountability for its growing pattern of anti-competitive actions should be troubling to all pro-consumer advocacy groups, regulators, and Department of Justice attorneys alike. And even more frustrating and incredulous is that, earlier today, Disney demanded that to reach a deal, we must waive all future legal claims that its behavior is anti-competitive.”

The American Television Alliance (ATVA), an advocacy for pay-TV providers, lambasted Disney for its move.

“This is the third major blackout by Disney in recent years as they seek to raise rates and force distributors to carry an unwieldy ‘one-size fits all’ bundle of more than a dozen channels to the vast majority of their subscribers," said Michelle Bowling, ATVA spokesperson. "These ‘fat bundles’ force consumers to pay for programming they don’t watch and the resulting high prices cause many consumers to ‘cut the cord’ from linear pay-TV, hurting programmers and distributors. Ironically, Disney itself is trying to partner with two of its competitors to launch a skinny sports bundle, which was blocked by a federal judge because they don’t allow distributors to do the same.”

Bowling went on to accuse Disney of hypocrisy: “Disney claims that local broadcast is an essential service, but they have repeatedly blacked out local stations in the name of higher licensing fees and penetration rates,” she added. “This also comes at a time when many rely on broadcast news related to hurricane season, amidst record-high heat waves across the country and as we approach a highly contested presidential election.”

9/3/2024: This article was updated to add ATVA's response.

NEW YORK—The YES Network and FuboTV have reached a multi-year carriage agreement that will allow Fubo to launch YES in its Pro base channel plan in time for YES’ coverage of the New York Yankees’ Season Opener against the Houston Astros on March 28.

YES’ pre-game show begins at 3:00 pm ET, followed by the game telecast at 4:00 pm ET. YES’ post-game show will air immediately following the conclusion of the game.

“Fubo is thrilled to bring New York Yankees and Brooklyn Nets coverage to fans in the New York City area just in time for the 2024 season,” said Todd Mathers, senior vice president, content strategy and acquisition, Fubo. “The addition of the YES Network to Fubo’s robust baseball offering - which is broader than any other streaming platform’s - means Yankees fans won’t miss a single pitch on YES. And, as Fubo is the only streaming platform to offer YES in its base plan, everyone in the family can enjoy the sports, news and entertainment content they love at an attractive price point.”

“We are excited to reach an agreement with Fubo to bring YES and our best-in-class New York Yankees and Brooklyn Nets coverage to Fubo subscribers,” added Jon Litner, CEO, the YES Network. “As interest in the Yankees continues to soar as we approach Opening Day and the team’s pursuit of its 28th World Series championship, Fubo streaming customers will now enjoy YES’ Emmy Award-winning Yankees coverage all season long.”

The addition of YES further solidifies Fubo’s sports offering that includes more than 55,000 live sporting events annually, with many streaming in 4K, and over 35 regional sports networks in its base package at the lowest cost compared to other streaming options. Fubo is also the streaming leader in Major League Baseball coverage carrying MLB.TV, MLB Network, MLB Strike Zone, regional sports networks (RSNs), local broadcast networks and national sports networks ESPN and FS1. In addition to its leading sports coverage, Fubo also streams popular live entertainment and news programming and features more than 40,000 TV shows and movies on-demand each month.

LOS ANGELES—Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group (AMG) has announced that it has reached a multi-year renewal agreement with Charter Communications Inc, (Charter). The deal includes carriage of AMG cable television networks The Weather Channel, TheGrio, Justice Central.TV, Pets.TV, Recipe.TV, and Cars.TV as well as the retransmission renewal for Allen Media Broadcasting television stations on Charter’s Spectrum platforms.

As part of Charter’s push to add more streaming services, the new deal will also provide authenticated Spectrum video subscribers with access to The Weather Channel TV App at no additional charge on connected TV sets and OTT devices. 

Additionally, Charter will have the opportunity to offer the service to its broadband subscribers for $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year. The Weather Channel TV App features The Weather Channel, The Weather Channel en Español, climate-focused digital platform Pattrn, and additional VOD content. 

"We are delighted to continue growing our relationship with Charter Communications,” said Byron Allen, founder/chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. “Charter/Spectrum has been a phenomenal partner to our television networks and our broadcast television stations, and we look forward to prospering from this mutually-beneficial arrangement for years to come.”

Comcast renewed its carriage agreement with Paramount last week, beating a New Year’s eve deadline which would have resulted in CBS affiliates being removed from the nation’s largest cable TV provider, according to a report in Sports Business Daily late last week. 

The agreement meant that sports fans would not be deprived of the all important college football playoffs and the rest of the NFL season. Although details have not been announced, it is believed that the deal is similar to one the two sides agreed to in 2022 that included CBS, CBS Sports and Paramount’s other channels. 

Paramount+, the studio’s streamer, is already integrated into Comcast’s Xfinity X1 video service. 

BALTIMORE, Md.—Sinclair, Inc. has announced a new distribution agreement with Hulu that will add carriage of Tennis Channel, T2, Comet and Charge! to Hulu + Live TV, beginning January 2024.

The deal will give Hulu + Live TV subs access in early 2024 to Tennis Channel, which provides both coverage of the professional sports and tennis lifestyle content, T2, Tennis Channel’s first free ad-supported TV (FAST) channel, Sinclair’s Comet, which features sci-fi and fantasy entertainment programming, and Charge!, which offers a lineup of police procedural dramas.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif.—Spectrum Networks has announced a new, multi-year distribution agreement with DirecTV for regional sports networks Spectrum SportsNet and SportsNet LA.

At a time when pay TV operators have been looking for ways to cut costs and have been dropping regional sports networks, this new agreement offers a significantly lower penetration threshold, giving DirecTV the ability to provide more affordable and flexible options to customers not interested in premium sports programming while still serving those who want live NBA Los Angeles Lakers and MLB Los Angeles Dodgers games.

“While viewing habits continue to shift, it’s clear that regular season professional sports programming remains extremely popular with a core base of traditional cable, satellite, and OTT customers,” said Dan Finnerty, senior vice president and general manager, Spectrum Networks. “That said, given these customers represent a relatively small percentage of the overall video subscriber base, and recognizing the marked increase in direct-to-consumer choices, the model for RSNs needs to evolve to reflect the realities of the current marketplace. With this agreement, we are taking a step to shift the business model so that customers have more control.”

As usual, financial terms of the distribution agreement were not revealed. 

Under the new deal, DirecTV, DirecTV Stream, and U-verse customers throughout Southern and Central California, portions of Nevada including Las Vegas, as well as Hawaii will continue to enjoy live coverage of future Dodgers and Lakers games, pregame and postgame analysis, as well as exclusive studio and original programming such as “Backstage: Dodgers” and “Backstage: Lakers.” 

“DirecTV continues to believe in the power of local sports, while also recognizing the demands of the many homes we serve with other diverse programming interests,” said Rob Thun, chief content officer of DirecTV. “This agreement with Spectrum Networks achieves three key objectives – putting consumers first, recognizing local value, and enabling both parties to extend their relationship with long-term, mutual benefits.”

YouTube TV on Tuesday dropped the MLB Network from its channel lineup. The service, part of the vMVPD’s basic $65 per month tier, was pulled because the network could not agree to terms to renew its carriage agreement with Google. 

The announcement comes as MLB approaches its 2023 season in less than two months, Subscribers will lose access to any DVR content from the MLB Network but baseball fans will still have ESPN, Fox and TBS—also on YouTube TV’s basic tier—to watch their favorite teams.  

“We have been working hard to renew our deal with the MLB Network to continue carrying their content on YouTube TV,” the company told its subscribers in an email. . “However, we have been unable to reach an agreement, and starting today, January 31, 2023, MLB Network content will no longer be available on YouTube TV. We apologize for the news and will continue conversations with the MLB to advocate on your behalf, in the hope of restoring their content on YouTube TV.

MLB Network released the following statement in response: "With Spring Training about to start, we regret that YouTube TV has been unwilling to negotiate a fair carriage agreement. MLB Network has offered terms consistent with what close to 300 other U.S. providers have agreed to for distribution. With the great demand and value for live baseball content, Major League Baseball’s commitment to MLB Network now and in the future is stronger than ever before, and we remain open and committed to reaching an agreement with YouTube TV as soon as possible."

MLB Network plans to air more than 250 live regular season and Spring Training games this year. 

ATLANTA—Scripps Networks has announced that ION, Bounce and Scripps News will launch on YouTube TV as part of its base service offering this week.

The launch is part of a new multi-year distribution agreement between YouTube TV and Scripps Networks, the national television network division of  The E.W. Scripps Company.

As part of the agreement, YouTube TV will also continue its existing carriage of Court TV and has the option to launch Grit, ION Mystery, and Laff in the future.

"We believe our diversified portfolio of networks will help strengthen YouTube TV as a pay tv option for consumers and are excited to be part of their continued growth in the marketplace. We look forward to growing our relationship with YouTube TV and their parent company Google," said Jeffrey Wolf, chief distribution officer, Scripps Networks.

ION features a lineup of popular off-network series, original and holiday movies and more. Bounce features a programming mix of original series and movies, theatrical motion pictures, off network series, specials and events designed for African American audiences. 

Scripps News, formerly Newsy, is the nation's only free 24/7 broadcast news network, serving viewers opinion-free national news from 16 news bureaus across the U.S. 

Court TV is devoted to live gavel-to-gavel coverage, in-depth legal reporting, and expert analysis of the nation's most important and compelling trials.

NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES—Fox Corporation has announced that it has renewed a multiyear deal with Verizon for carriage of its networks, stations and other content on Verizon’s Fios TV platform.

The agreement includes the continued distribution of the full portfolio of Fox brands including Fox News Media, Fox Sports, Fox Network and local Fox O&O TV stations in markets including New York, Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. 

Fox Weather will also be added to the Fios TV lineup, and Tubi will be included in both Fios TV set top boxes, as well as on many other platforms.

“Fox is pleased to extend and expand our long-standing relationship with Verizon as we add Fox Weather and Tubi to our industry-leading portfolio of news, sports and entertainment available to Verizon’s subscribers,” said Michael Biard, president, operations and distribution, Fox Corporation in a statement. 

NEW YORK & MIAMI—FuboTV and TelevisaUnivision have reached an agreement that will keep Univision’s networks on the virtual MVPD, avoiding a potential blackout that might have occurred when the previous contract expired on June 30th. 

Earlier this week the two companies had traded barbs with FuboTV claiming that the programmer wanted to double its rates and TelevisaUnivision complaining that FuboTV was unwilling to "pay market rates" for TelevisaUnivision’s Univision, UniMas, Galavision, and TUDN networks carried by FuboTV.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

In a statement, TelevisaUnivision said: “We are pleased to have reached an agreement with FuboTV that will continue to deliver Univision’s networks to customers and provide Hispanic viewers access to the most-watched Spanish-language news, sports and entertainment programming in America. We recognize FuboTV’s commitment to serving this growing and influential audience with the programming they love, and we look forward to continued partnership.”

In a separate statement released on July 1 on Twitter, the virtual MVPD said: “FuboTV has reached a new agreement with Univision. We are delighted to continue our partnership with the world’s leading Spanish-language media company to bring their popular sports, news and entertainment content to our market-leading Latino package at a reasonable cost to our customers.”

MEDIACOM PARK, N.Y.—Mediacom Communications has announced that it has renewed its carriage agreement with Paramount Global.

The deal renews carriage rights for Paramount’s portfolio of broadcast, entertainment, news, and sports networks – including BET, CBS Sports Network, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network, Pop TV, Smithsonian Channel, and others – as well as rights to ShowtimeOTT and retransmission consent rights to CBS broadcast stations owned and operated by Paramount.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

“We are pleased to announce our continued partnership with Paramount,” said Italia Commisso Weinand, executive vice president, programming & human resources, Mediacom Communications. “Thank you to the Paramount and Mediacom teams for their hard work and commitment to our relationship.”

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group (AMG) television networks division, has announced a new carriage agreement with Cox Communications that will allow three of its television networks to launch nationwide on the Cox Contour TV lineup.

Two of the networks, JusticeCentral.TV and Recipe.TV, are now live and the third, Comedy.TV, will go live on the Cox Contour TV lineup on Aug. 1.

These three AMG television networks are currently carried on major U.S. providers including Comcast, ATT/DirecTV, Spectrum, DISH, Verizon FiOS, and others. 

Cox is the largest private telecom company in the U.S., and its Contour TV product operates within several key markets, including New Orleans, San Diego, Phoenix, and Las Vegas.

“Partnering with Cox Communications is another major step in the continued expansion of our Allen Media Group television networks Recipe.TV, JusticeCentral.TV, and Comedy.TV,” said Byron Allen, founder/chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. “We greatly appreciate the entire Cox Communications team for recognizing the value of these entertaining, informative, and engaging television networks, and we look forward to a long relationship with Cox Communications for years to come.” 

Suzanne Fenwick, senior vice president content acquisition of Cox Communications added, “We are delighted to add these AMG networks to our Contour TV lineup. Our priority is to add new, fresh content to keep our customers engaged and entertained.” 

PHILADELPHIA & LOS ANGELES—Comcast Cable and WarnerMedia have renewed their carriage agreement to distribute WarnerMedia’s lineup of cable networks to Xfinity TV customers. The deal covers TBS, TNT, CNN, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, TCM, truTV, HLN and CNN en Español as well as on-demand and TV Everywhere content.

The new deal also includes the first distribution agreement for CNN+, which WarnerMedia is launching as a streaming subscription service in the first quarter of 2022. 

Comcast plans to make CNN+ available to its Xfinity customers via its Xfinity X1, Xfinity Flex, and XClass TV platforms later in 2022. 

“We’re so pleased to continue our longstanding relationship with Comcast and deliver best-in-class storytelling, essential news and premium sports to millions of customers,” said Scott Miller, executive vice president of business and legal affairs, WarnerMedia. “It’s an exciting time in our industry as we continue putting consumers at the center of where and how they are informed and entertained. Comcast’s position as both a pay TV provider and app platform complements our foundational business of linear TV and emerging streaming businesses.”

NEW YORK—ViacomCBS Inc. and Altice USA have announced a comprehensive agreement for the continued carriage of ViacomCBS’ broadcast, entertainment, news and sports networks on Altice USA’s Optimum and Suddenlink systems. 

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

In line with other recent carriage agreements announced by ViacomCBS, the deal also provides Altice USA with rights to ViacomCBS’ suite of streaming services, including Paramount+, Showtime OTT, Pluto TV, BET+ and Noggin.

Having such streaming services is increasingly important to operators like Altice as more of their customers drop traditional cable packages in favor of streaming services. 

“We are pleased to have reached a new multi-year agreement with our partners at Altice USA that underscores the strength of ViacomCBS’ brands and streaming services,” said Ray Hopkins, president, U.S. Networks Distribution, ViacomCBS. “Altice USA through its Optimum and Suddenlink brands is an important partner and we look forward to continuously serving subscribers with our outstanding collection of content.”

Yossi Benchetrit, Altice USA’s chief programming and procurement officer, added: “As Altice USA continues to focus on providing our Optimum and Suddenlink customers with a robust array of content to meet their evolving entertainment needs, we are pleased to reach a new agreement with ViacomCBS that ensures the continued delivery of their networks plus added rights to the ViacomCBS streaming services portfolio.”

The companies also noted that they will continue to collaborate on addressable media and advanced advertising capabilities.

TYSONS, Va.—Tegna has issued a warning to Dish subscribers that they may lose access to local Tegna-owned broadcast stations at 9:00 p.m. EDT on October 6. 

Tegna noted that the carriage agreement had already expired. Tegna had given Dish an extension but were unable to reach a new deal. 

In a statement issued to TV Tech, Tegna spokesperson Anne Bentley noted that “we are committed to reaching a fair, market-based agreement with Dish based on the competitive terms we’ve used to reach deals with numerous other providers that reflect the current market. Thus far, Dish has refused to agree to such terms, which is why we have begun informing Dish customers that they may lose access to their local Tegna station and our valuable programming. We hope that Dish is willing to negotiate a market-based deal before tomorrow night’s deadline, and doesn’t take away their customers’ local news, weather, sports and network programs.” 

In response Dish issued a press release asserting that Tegna "is demanding a massive increase to nearly a billion dollars in fees for its programming and is using viewers as a bargaining chip in their negotiations.”

"Businesses should have the opportunity to be profitable, but there's a big difference between running a profitable business and taking blatant advantage of consumers," said Brian Neylon, group president, Dish TV in a statement. "Tegna is demanding an unreasonable fee increase — an increase the programmer knows will directly impact its viewers."

"There is still time to reach an agreement with Tegna that is fair for all parties involved, especially our customers," Neylon also said. "As many Americans look forward to tuning in to football games this fall, and stay aware of the latest health and safety news, we hope Tegna sees how important it is to come to a deal that is beneficial for all."

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal and YouTube TV reached a new carriage agreement for its channels and stations on the virtual MVPD on October 3, 2021 avoiding a blackout. 

NBCU warned last week that its channels could go dark on the virtual MVPD when the old agreement ended on September 30. 

The two parties stepped back from the brink of a blackout however, and agreed to a short extension on September 30 to continue negotiating. 

One early sticking point was the cost of a new deal and NBCU’s desire to have its streaming service Peacock added to YouTube TV. Peacock was not mentioned as part of the October 3 deal.

In a statement sent to TV Tech, an NBCU spokesman said: “We are thrilled to have reached a deal with YouTube TV and can continue to offer our full network portfolio, without interruption. YouTube is a valued partner and we never want to involve our fans in a dispute, but we felt obligated to let them know what was at stake. We thank our viewers for their loyalty and promise to continue bringing them the networks and programs they love.”

YouTube TV said in a statement: “We’re thrilled to share that we have now reached an agreement with NBCUniversal. You’ll continue to have access to 85+ channels, including all NBCU channels, their Regional Sports Networks, and your local NBC station, with no change to our current monthly price.”

NEW YORK & STAMFORD, Conn.—In a deal that illustrates the growing importance of streaming media for programmers and pay TV operators, ViacomCBS Inc. and Charter Communications, Inc. have announced a comprehensive, multi-year distribution agreements for the continued carriage of ViacomCBS’ portfolio of broadcast, entertainment, news and sports networks that includes the licensing of ViacomCBS’ suite of streaming services, Paramount+, Pluto TV, BET+ and Noggin, for future distribution to Charter’s Spectrum customers.

As part of the deal, ViacomCBS and Charter also will expand their existing collaboration around addressable media and advanced advertising, the companies noted. 

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

“We are pleased to have reached a new deal to deliver ViacomCBS’ expansive portfolio of popular brands and premium programming for Spectrum audiences to enjoy, plus greater choice in how they consume our content,” said Ray Hopkins, president, U.S. Networks Distribution, ViacomCBS. “Charter is a valued partner, and we look forward to deepening our long-standing relationship.”

Tom Montemagno, executive vice president of programming acquisition for Charter added that “these comprehensive agreements with ViacomCBS recognize the fast-changing pace of the subscription video business and provide us the flexibilities to adapt for the benefit of our customers while also furthering our strategic interests in the advanced advertising realm and aggregated video store concept with the addition of the streaming apps.”

DALLAS—AT&T has announced a new multi-year carriage agreement with Fox that will continue to provide the network’s content to DirecTV subscribers after the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act Reauthorization (STELAR) ends on June 1.

STELAR allowed providers like AT&T to deliver signals of out-of-market broadcast network stations to specific groups of customers, including truckers, RVs and others at a blanket license rate. That ability will stop as of June 1, requiring individual deals with each network. AT&T has been pushing for an extension of the deadline to Jan. 1, 2021, so signals are not lost during the coronavirus pandemic. 

AT&T said in a press release that it is currently in discussions with each major national broadcast network to continue to provide their signals. Fox is the only deal at this time.

“It is critical for our customers to be able to access network TV programming, especially during this global pandemic,” said Tim McKone, AT&T executive vice president of Federal Relations. “With this agreement, essential workers, like those on oil rigs and long-haul truckers, can stay connected with news and information. We appreciate Fox for putting the interests of consumers first and we hope the other networks follow suit.”

AT&T could have preserved its blanket license from STELAR by agreeing to deliver local signals to a dozen small markets, something that competitor Dish did. 

LOS ANGELES—There was no blackout of Fox-owned broadcast stations and networks for National Cable Television Cooperative members and subscribers when the clock struck midnight on 2019, as the two sides reached a new carriage agreement.

Fox shared the news on its site www.keepfoxnewsandsports.com, which features the following statement:

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the NCTC that avoids any disruption to our viewers. All of the NCTC’s members will continue to carry our portfolio of leading sports, entertainment and news programming for years to come.”

The Fox programming referred to in that statement includes Fox-owned broadcast stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business Network, FS1, FS2, Fox Deportes and Fox Soccer Plus.

The NCTC represents more than 700 small and rural cable operators that cover around 3 million subscribers.

Fears of a blackout were raised by NCTC as it claimed that Fox was seeking a rate increase 10x its current rate. The financial terms for the agreement have not been disclosed.