US Spectrum subscribers have lost access to ESPN, FX, Freeform and all other Disney programming. Disney-owned channels came under pressure last week over a promotions dispute with Charter Communications, the company behind the Spectrum brand. The power outage at ESPN, one of the largest sports networks, meant viewers missed portions of the US Open, the start of college football and now the start of the NFL regular season.
Typically, Disney and Charter have reached an agreement on how much Charter will pay Disney in exchange for the right to broadcast its many channels. But the two companies that renegotiated the price were unable to reach a new agreement. That led to Disney pulling its channels from the cable provider’s Spectrum service last week.
It’s safe to say that charter subscribers are upset by this failure of the negotiations. Deadline reported that Charter is now facing a class action lawsuit from subscribers over the loss of those channels. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit argue that Charter should provide the blocked channels or reimburse subscribers for the missing content. A spokesman for the charter declined to comment on the matter.
Read on to find out what you can do if you’re a Spectrum subscriber affected by the Disney channels being down.
What options do I have?
If you’re one of the 15 million or so Spectrum subscribers who are missing some of your favorite content after these channels disappeared — and you can’t wait for the dispute to be resolved — you have a few options. Almost all your favorite shows, news and sports are also available for streaming.
The Disney Bundle — one version of which includes Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN Plus — can give viewers all their favorite Disney programming and more. You can see children’s content typically found on Disney Channel or Disney Junior, as well as adult programs focused on Freeform and FX and sports. However, some programs are not broadcast live, so you may miss the real-time premieres of your favorite shows. A Disney bundle subscription for the three services starts at $13 per month and the ad-free counterpart costs $20 per month.
If you miss newscasts, you can turn to over-the-air TV for local news. You will need to buy an antenna if you don’t have one and connect it to your TV. Then you can access channels like ABC. You won’t have as many channels as you typically get with cable TV, but if you just want to catch your favorite local news show, this could be a pretty solid solution.
If you’re a sports fan feeling the loss of ESPN, you’re covered in other ways too. There are numerous sports streaming platforms that keep you updated on all your favorite teams and players. If you want to miss out on NFL coverage specifically, there are several game streaming options, as well as popular channels like NFL RedZone.
The downside is that all of these options cost money on top of the cable service you’re already paying for. Businesses are generally able to resolve these carriage disputes, although past negotiation difficulties have resulted in weeks of channel outages.
You also have a handful of live TV streaming services to consider if you’re ready to ditch cable altogether, although the debate over whether streaming services are cheaper than cable still rages. There are options like Hulu plus Live TV, YouTube TV, and Sling, each offering different channel lineups and other features to consider. Disney owns Hulu, which could play a role in the company’s dispute with the cable giant, although the companies have not laid out specific points in their negotiations.
When will my channels come back?
While it’s hard to say exactly when the two companies will reach an agreement, it’s safe to assume they’re actively working towards a resolution.
Charter has launched a website called disneyespnfairdeal.com about the carriage dispute. On the website, Charter calls the price increase “excessive” and urges subscribers to contact Disney to secure a deal.
In response to CNET’s request for comment, Charter said the “current video ecosystem is broken. With The Walt Disney Co., we have proposed a model that creates better direction for the industry and better choices for our customers.” Despite the disagreement with Disney, Charter noted that the company remains “hopeful for a path forward.”
In response to the disagreement, Disney also launched its own website called keepmynetworks.com. Disney highlights “an extremely successful track record of negotiating with carriers of all types and sizes across the country” and says it is “striving to achieve fair, market-based rates and terms.”
In response to CNET’s request for comment, Disney said: “Contrary to claims, we have offered Charter the most favorable terms on price, distribution, packaging, advertising and more.” Disney also said: “We value our relationship with Charter and are ready to get back to the negotiating table as soon as possible.”
Unfortunately for fans, Disney and Charter were unable to come to a conclusion before the NFL season began. We’re hoping to get things sorted out soon so fans can enjoy ESPN’s coverage of the NFL again this fall.
For more information on streaming services, check out CNET’s list of the best free TV streaming services and how to choose between Netflix and Disney Plus here.