Disney was willing to release some of its feedback to DirecTV customers tonight – but DirecTV wasn't interested.
Disney-owned ABC News is broadcasting today's presidential debate, and Disney has offered to make the channel available to DirecTV subscribers for free for three hours, Disney spokeswomen April Carretta and Bridget Osterhaus wrote in an email this afternoon. They said Disney wanted to make the stream “free because we want all Americans to be able to watch today's debate at this important moment in our history.”
DirecTV subscribers can continue to watch the debate on other networks
But DirecTV rejected the offer, saying it would “cause customer confusion” if the channels disappeared quickly. An unsigned statement on DirecTV's website said it only offered to restore the Disney channels if they remained available until Sept. 17, enough time for customers to watch the Emmys and Monday Night Football. DirecTV said its counteroffer was rejected.
For this reason, ABC News will not be on the air tonight for DirecTV customers.
However, the debate will be simulcast on several other networks and online, so DirecTV subscribers will still be able to watch the event. ABC News, on the other hand, may draw less attention with a main broadcast (and the two commercial breaks that come with it).
ABC, ESPN and other Disney channels have been unavailable to DirecTV subscribers since September 1. The two companies are in a contract dispute over the terms and fees for distributing the Disney channels. Disney claims that DirecTV undervalues its channels, while DirecTV claims that Disney's terms do not give it enough flexibility to create different packages for customers.
Over the next week, the two continued to release statements attacking each other. In the meantime, DirecTV customers missed coverage of the U.S. Open and the NFL season opener.
Disney says negotiations with DirecTV are continuing. “We continue to negotiate with DirecTV and restoring our programming to their subscribers is entirely in their hands,” Carretta and Osterhaus wrote. DirecTV said its offer to temporarily restore access “remains on the table.”