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

Disney was fresh to move portion of its provender backmost connected for DirecTV customers coming — but DirecTV wasn’t interested.

Disney-owned ABC News is hosting tonight’s statesmanlike debate, and Disney offered to make nan 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 nan provender “at nary costs because we want each Americans to beryllium capable to position tonight’s statement astatine this important infinitesimal successful our history.”

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

As a result, ABC News will stay disconnected nan aerial for DirecTV customers tonight.

The statement is being simulcast connected aggregate different networks and online, though, truthful DirecTV subscribers will still beryllium capable to watch nan event. ABC News, connected nan different hand, whitethorn person less eyes connected a tentpole broadcast (and nan 2 commercialized breaks coming pinch it).

ABC, ESPN, and different Disney channels haven’t been disposable to DirecTV subscribers since September 1st. The 2 companies person been successful a statement conflict complete nan position and fees associated pinch distributing Disney’s channels. Disney says that DirecTV is undervaluing its channels, while DirecTV says that Disney’s position aren’t offering it capable elasticity to create different packages for customers.

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

Disney says negotiations proceed pinch DirecTV. “We stay astatine nan array negotiating pinch DirecTV and nan 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 nan table.”