Disney viewers, brace yourselves! Major TV channels like ABC, ESPN, Disney Channel, and FX might soon disappear from DirecTV as the satellite TV giant and Disney are locked in intense carriage negotiations. If no deal is met, fans could see their favorite shows go dark by the end of the week.

This high-stakes scenario echoes what happened last year with Charter Spectrum, the nation’s largest pay-TV provider, which also fell into contentious negotiations with Disney. With a subscriber base of 11 million, DirecTV remains one of the biggest players in the pay-TV market, making these discussions crucial for millions of households.

DirecTV’s Chief Content Officer Rob Thun proposed a novel idea to tackle the issue: “genre-based” tiers. This setup would allow consumers to opt for smaller bundles at prices more akin to popular streaming services. Thun emphasized that this approach aims to align with modern consumer habits, enabling users to pay for their entire programming selection through one streamlined platform.

However, Disney’s President of Platform Distribution, Justin Connolly, disagrees. In an interview, he revealed that Disney has presented various flexible options to DirecTV—including bundled packages similar to those agreed upon with Charter last year and even a sports-centric service inspired by ESPN and ABC. Connolly insists that DirecTV has not actively engaged with these proposals and accuses them of using misleading narratives to sway public opinion.

“Their claims about wanting flexible, skinnier bundles and our refusal to engage are blatantly false,” Connolly states. “We’ve been negotiating for weeks with several options on the table, yet they haven’t actually engaged with us.”

With just days remaining until the current deal expires, both parties need to find common ground quickly. Connolly underscores Disney’s commitment to resolving the issue: “Our focus is to try to resolve this in a way that benefits the consumer, DirecTV, and the Walt Disney Company. We need to step away from the public rhetoric, get down to business, and see what can actually be accomplished in these crucial final days.”

What do you think about this ongoing debate? Share your thoughts in the comments below and don’t forget to share with friends who might be affected by these potential changes!

Source: Alex Weprin