DirecTV Rejects Disney’s Offer to Bring Back Channel For Tonight Only

Disney was willing to reactivate part of its stream for DirecTV customers tonight, but DirecTV wasn’t interested.

Disney-owned ABC News is airing tonight’s presidential debate, and Disney has offered to make the channel available to DirecTV subscribers for three hours at no charge, Disney spokeswomen April Carretta and Bridget Osterhaus wrote in an email this afternoon. They said Disney wanted to provide the stream “for free because we want all Americans to be able to watch tonight’s debate at this important moment in our history.”

But DirecTV declined the offer, saying it would “create confusion for customers” if those channels disappeared again quickly. In an unsigned statement on its website, DirecTV said it had offered to restore the Disney channels only if they remained online through Sept. 17, enough time for customers to watch the Emmys and Monday Night Football. DirecTV said its counteroffer was rejected.

Therefore, ABC News will not be broadcast to DirecTV customers tonight.

The debate is being simulcast on several other channels and online, which will allow DirecTV subscribers to continue to follow the event. ABC News, on the other hand, may have fewer eyes for a headline broadcast (and the two commercial breaks that accompany it).

As of September 1, ABC, ESPN and other Disney channels are no longer available to DirecTV subscribers. The two companies are in a contractual dispute over the terms and fees associated with carrying Disney channels. Disney claims DirecTV is undervaluing its channels, while DirecTV claims Disney’s terms don’t give it enough flexibility to create different offerings for customers.

The two men have issued sporadic statements insulting each other over the past week. In the meantime, DirecTV customers have been unable to watch the U.S. Open and the NFL season opener.

Disney said negotiations with DirecTV are continuing. “We remain at the negotiating table with DirecTV and the restoration of our programming to their subscribers is entirely within their control,” Carretta and Osterhaus wrote. DirecTV said its offer to temporarily restore access “remains on the table.”