Main topic: Disney announces price hike for Disney+ and Hulu, introduces bundle option and plans to address account sharing.
Key points:
1. Disney+ premium tier and Hulu ad-free plan will be raised by $3, with Disney+ costing $13.99 and Hulu costing $17.99 per month.
2. A new Duo Premium subscription will be available for $19.99, bundling both ad-free tiers of Disney+ and Hulu.
3. Disney plans to launch the $8 ad-supported tier in Europe and Canada in November and will address account sharing by implementing new policies in 2024.
Walt Disney has pulled its channels, including ABC stations and ESPN, from Charter Spectrum due to a distribution fee dispute, leaving nearly 15 million subscribers without access to popular programming such as "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune."
Disney's TV channels, including ABC, ESPN, FX, and Freeform, have been blacked out on Charter Spectrum, the US's second-largest cable TV provider, impacting millions of subscribers and creating a significant carriage dispute between the two companies.
Millions of college football fans were disappointed when Spectrum customers were unable to watch the Florida vs. Utah game and other Disney-owned channels due to contentious carriage fee negotiations between Spectrum and Disney.
ESPN is facing challenges as consumers shift to streaming and turn to other platforms for sports highlights, leading to a decline in pay-TV households and increasing costs for live sports programming, prompting speculation about the future of the network, including the possibility of a strategic partnership and the eventual availability of the flagship ESPN channel as a direct-to-consumer streaming service.
The Coalition for Local News, made up of 600 local TV stations, is urging the FCC to change regulations to require live TV streaming services like YouTube TV and Hulu to negotiate directly with local TV station owners instead of big networks, which could significantly impact how the FCC regulates streaming services and potentially lead to higher costs for viewers.
Disney has urged Charter Communications customers to consider switching pay-TV services if they want access to ESPN and other networks, as the carriage dispute between the two companies continues. Disney also highlighted that customers have numerous options, including competing pay-TV providers and TV streaming services.
Disney's ongoing fight with Charter Communications over the placement of ESPN and other channels on Spectrum cable has escalated, with Stephen A. Smith publicly supporting Disney's position on social media.
Spectrum customers can no longer access ESPN due to a contract dispute, but they can still watch ESPN programming through live Internet TV streaming services such as fuboTV, DirecTV Stream, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV, all of which offer free trials.
Comcast and Disney have moved up the timing of their talks to sell Comcast's stake in Hulu to September 30, with Comcast CEO Brian Roberts stating that the synergies around Hulu could be worth $30 billion.
Disney has experienced a 60% increase in Hulu + Live TV subscriptions since its carriage dispute with Charter began, offering a strategic option for Disney as it faces a threat to its annual affiliate fees from Charter.
Charter CEO Chris Winfrey stated that the ongoing carriage fight with Disney could result in a leaner, ESPN-free TV bundle for Spectrum customers, potentially leading to a smaller but more loyal customer base.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul is urging Spectrum to issue refunds to customers who are unable to access ESPN and other channels during the ongoing dispute with Disney, and she has directed the Department of Public Service to ensure that Spectrum delivers these refunds, while also calling on Disney to provide its programming to Spectrum customers during the negotiations.
Viewers across the US are missing out on the US Open finals and NFL Monday Night Football due to a breakdown in negotiations between Charter Communications and Disney, resulting in a blackout of Disney-owned channels on Spectrum.
Charter Communications and Disney are expected to reach a deal ahead of "Monday Night Football" that would end the blackout dispute, allowing Charter cable customers to watch the game.
Walt Disney Co. and Charter Communications have reached an agreement that restores Disney channels to Charter's pay-TV service, with Charter gaining the ability to offer Disney's ad-supported streaming apps and Disney programming having access to Charter's television service, preserving the cable bundle for now.
Charter Spectrum cable is providing refunds to eligible customers affected by the blackout of Walt Disney Co. channels, following a dispute over the value and packaging of Disney's channels.
