Disney, Charter Communications Settle Cable Dispute

The Walt Disney Co. and Charter Communications announced the resolution of their dispute on Monday, restoring ESPN to 15 million cable television customers, as reported by David Bauder for the Associated Press (AP).

The deal secures Disney approximately $2.2 billion in fees from Charter, which had been in jeopardy while providing the communications company with an entry into the streaming world. I Photo: Charter Communications

The deal secures Disney approximately $2.2 billion in fees from Charter, which had been in jeopardy while providing the communications company with an entry into the streaming world.

This move comes as millions of former cable customers have chosen to cut the cord. Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN president, expressed enthusiasm for the flexibility and creativity offered by this deal.

Disney had removed its stations, including ESPN, ABC, National Geographic, and FX, from the Charter-owned Spectrum TV system on August 31. This occurred during the US Open tennis tournament and at the beginning of the first college football weekend.

As part of the agreement, Spectrum cable customers will gain access to Disney+ and ESPN+ streaming services at no additional cost, a provision Disney had initially resisted. Additionally, Charter customers will receive the planned direct-to-consumer ESPN streaming service, which is currently in development but lacks a launch date.

WEEKLY FEATURE : Jose Mari Chan And The Christmas Anthem