Charter and Disney Make a Surprise Deal for Cable Channels
You may remember a rather ugly breakup between Disney and Charter back in 2023, which saw several cable channels (and Hulu) removed from Charter’s lineup. In a deal that took most by surprise, they’re back on air. Here is Brandon Blake, our entertainment attorney from Blake & Wang P.A., with his take on the deal.
Spectrum TV Select: Hulu is Back
The deal will return Hulu to the subscription bundle for Spectrum TV Select, as well as the cable channels that were cut two years ago in the notorious carriage dispute. At the time, spectrum wanted to bundle in streaming services more vigorously, while Disney at the time wanted to protect its reach (and fees) for its core channels.
However, in the time since, we’ve seen Disney take a much softer stance on bundling, with several deals deployed incredibly successfully.
Returning Cable Channels
Eight cable channels will also return to the Spectrum TV lineup, as well as access to Hulu and the forthcoming ESPN dedicated streaming service, from this fall. So far, they have released little about the terms of the deal. It’s not hard to assume, however, that both companies have decided that the lower cable subscriber fees are worth it for the reach that linear TV services still command. Especially with the attractive option of advertising monetization.
The deal will be supported by joint marketing efforts from both companies. Charter will also be offering Disney’s streaming services to its broadband subscribers, as well as promoting ad-free upgrades for its Spectrum TV customers.
The Disney giant never rests, at least when there are unmined subscribers on offer, it seems. No doubt Charter subscribers will be happy to have their full slate restored, even if no one else was aware the deal was back on the table.
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