DirecTV has removed ESPN, ABC, and several other Disney channels due to a carriage dispute with The Walt Disney Co.
Rob Thun, DirecTV’s chief content officer, criticized Disney, stating, "The Walt Disney Co. is once again refusing any accountability to consumers, distribution partners, and now the American judicial system."
"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," he added.
The blackout occurred just before the kickoff of the highly anticipated University of Southern California vs. Louisiana State University college football game and during ESPN’s coverage of the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York. It also comes one week before the NFL season starts, with ESPN set to broadcast the “Monday Night Football” game between the San Francisco 49ers and the New York Jets on September 9.
Disney’s eight ABC stations, including KABC-TV Channel 7 in Los Angeles, as well as other Disney-owned channels like Freeform, FX, and National Geographic, are no longer available on DirecTV.
Disney Entertainment executives Dana Walden, Alan Bergman, and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro responded, "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 urge DirecTV to do what’s in the best interest of their customers and finalize a deal that would immediately restore our programming."