DirecTV to provide workaround to watch the presidential debate amid Disney dispute
Millions of DirecTV customers unable to view major events amid ongoing carriage battle with Disney, which owns ABC News and ESPN
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DirecTV says its customers will be able to watch the ABC News Presidential Debate Tuesday night, even if it is unable to reach a viewing agreement beforehand with ABC parent Disney amid the two companies' ongoing carriage dispute.
DirecTV's more than 11 million customers have been unable to view several major events after Disney yanked its channels, including ABC News and ESPN, from DirecTV last week. In response, DirecTV filed a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) complaint against Disney over the weekend.
Former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are set to face off in their first debate on Tuesday. ( / Getty Images)
Unless a deal is reached in time, the situation could impact DirecTV customers' ability to watch "Monday Night Football" this week, but the company says it has a workaround that will ensure its customers can watch the first debate between former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
"Despite The Walt Disney Co.’s intent to withhold the Sept. 10 Presidential Debate from DIRECTV satellite customers in the eight cities where Disney owns the local ABC station, and blocking its own local ABC affiliates from providing the ABC News debate coverage to any DIRECTV customers who choose to stream their news and analysis, DIRECTV customers will have access to this live event," a DirecTV spokesperson told FOX Business in a statement.
DirecTV says its customers will be able to watch the ABC News Presidential Debate, despite its ongoing carriage dispute with ABC parent Disney. (Jaque Silva/SOPA Images/LightRocket via / Getty Images)
"C-SPAN, the other major broadcast networks besides ABC, and multiple national news and commentary channels, will simulcast ABC News coverage of the debate, which begins at 9 p.m. EDT from Philadelphia," the statement continued. "DIRECTV offers all the ABC News competitors, and CBS, NBC, and FOX local affiliates in the same cities where Disney has suspended its own or affiliated broadcast stations."
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In its complaint to the FCC, DirecTV said Disney has imposed unreasonable conditions on the renewal of their distribution agreement, including demands for bundling and penetration requirements that a federal court recently ruled unlawful.
The Walt Disney Company pulled its channels, including ESPN and ABC News, from viewing on DirecTV last week amid an ongoing carriage dispute. (Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Images/LightRocket via / Getty Images)
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIS | THE WALT DISNEY CO. | 90.55 | +1.25 | +1.40% |
The Walt Disney Co.
DirecTV also said Disney has insisted on a "fat bundle" of channels, forcing the carrier to offer less popular programming while Disney provides consumers with cheaper, "skinnier" packages.
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"We continue to negotiate with DirecTV to restore access to our content as quickly as possible," a Disney spokesperson said in a statement to FOX Business. "We urge DirecTV to stop creating diversions and instead prioritize their customers by finalizing a deal that would allow their subscribers to watch our strong upcoming lineup of sports, news and entertainment programming, starting with the return of Monday Night Football."
Reuters contributed to this report.