Disney-owned cable networks and some of its ABC stations have gone dark on Spectrum cable after Disney and Charter Communications, the parent company of Spectrum cable and Spectrum News, failed to reach an agreement on a new carriage deal. This means Spectrum customers will not have access to 26 Disney networks, including ESPN, National Geographic and the Disney Channel.
A statement from Spectrum says the company is “disappointed with The Walt Disney Company’s decision to remove their networks from our lineup.” They say Spectrum would agree to a significant increase from Disney despite declining ratings. The statement goes on to say, “Disney is trying to force our customers to pay for their very expensive programming, even those customers who don’t want it or worse, can’t afford it.”
Disney published a statement that says it has been in ongoing negotiations with Charter Communications for some time. It says the companies have “not yet agreed to a new market-based agreement.”
It goes on to say Spectrum TV subscribers “no longer have access to our unrivaled portfolio of live sporting events and news coverage plus kids, family and general entertainment programming.”
Charter says it is hopeful the two companies will find a path forward.
