Disney executives have responded to claims made by DirecTV executives amid the contract dispute that led to ESPN, ABC and other Disney channels becoming unavailable on the satellite TV provider's platform as of Sept. 1.
ESPN Networks, ABC, Disney Channels Go Black on DirecTV
DirecTV executives made bold claims on Sept. 3 about how Disney's actions have hurt consumers and driven down viewership for linear channels including ESPN, ABC, Disney Channel, Freeform, FX and National Geographic. DirecTV has been sharp in its public comments, suggesting Disney is throwing its corporate heft behind it at a time when it's fighting anticompetitive claims in a lawsuit that has blocked the launch of Venu, Mouse's joint sports streaming venture with Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox Corp.
On Wednesday, Disney issued a statement calling DirecTV an attempt to "distort" the reality of pay-TV market conditions. The parties have been bickering on and off over the contract renewal for months. Even now that the blackout has begun, the parties are continuing to try to reach a compromise.
“DirecTV continues to misrepresent the facts surrounding our ongoing negotiations. Our priority is to reach a marketplace deal that meets the needs of DirecTV and their customers, while also recognizing the value of our top-quality content and the significant investment required to create and acquire it. We believe there is a path to a fair and flexible agreement that strikes this critical balance and works for all parties, especially the consumer,” Disney said in a statement attributed to Disney Entertainment chairmen Dana Walden and Alan Bergman and ESPN chief Jimmy Pitaro.
