The War is Over! Disney Reaches “Transformative” Agreement with Charter

After a long feud with Spectrum TV’s parent organization, Charter Communications, Disney has finally reached a “transformative” agreement with the company.

It’s been a long, drawn-out back and forth between Charter Communications and the Walt Disney Company, but it looks like the feud has finally ended! What began as a dramatic blackout for blind-sided customers on August 31 has finally been resolved in a “multi-year distribution agreement” between Disney and Charter.

Did Disney and Spectrum Come to An Agreement?

Just under two weeks after surprised Spectrum TV customers lost all access to their Disney-owned channels, Disney and Charter have shaken hands, putting aside their differences to come to an agreement. In this new agreement, a compromise has been reached between the two companies.

First and foremost, as shared by Disney, “As part of the deal, a majority of Disney’s networks and stations will be immediately restored to Spectrum’s video customers.”

All TV subscribers will get the basic, ad-supported tier of Disney+. In addition to this, ESPN+ will be included with Spectrum TV Select Plus. Spectrum will also continue to carry the ABC Owned Television Stations, Disney Channel, FX, the Nat Geo Channel, and all ESPN channels.

However, along with this, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Freeform, FXX, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Mundo, and more will be dropped from Spectrum TV.

While rumors of this agreement coming to pass were floating earlier in the day on September 11, this news will provide certain relief to many, considering there was a brief period where it was uncertain what the future of the Disney-Charter relationship would be.

Disney even tried poaching angry Spectrum customers, dangling Hulu+ in front of them after removing ESPN during a game.

Disney CEO Robert Iger (AKA Bob Iger) released a joint statement with Charter CEO Chris Winfrey in which they shared, “Our collective goal has always been to build an innovative model for the future. This deal recognizes both the continued value of linear television and the growing popularity of streaming services while addressing the evolving needs of our customers.”

In addition, Charter will also use its “significant distribution capabilities” to offer their customers Disney’s direct-to-consumer services (including Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+, as well as the Disney bundle).

Importantly, Charter will also maintain flexibility to offer a range of video packages at varying price points based on different customer viewing preferences.