With mere hours to spare before the start of Monday Night Football on ESPN and ABC, Charter Communications and The Walt Disney Company have settled their 10-day dispute.
The disagreement had deprived 15 million Spectrum cable subscribers of access to ESPN, FX, and other Disney channels since September 1.
While exact details of the new agreement remain undisclosed, reports from CNBC indicate that Spectrum users may soon receive discounted rates for Disney’s streaming services.
This blackout affected 18 Disney networks and multiple local ABC stations. Charter, the U.S.’s second-largest cable provider, argued that the growing emphasis Disney and other companies place on streaming services diminished the worth of traditional channels.
They further contended that these increasing carriage costs indirectly bolster streaming services, putting undue financial strain on non-streaming consumers. Charter had originally proposed a deal granting their subscribers complimentary access to Disney’s ad-supported streaming content, a proposal Disney initially rejected. Both entities have yet to release official statements on the resolution.
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