Disney and DirecTV are currently in a dispute over licensing agreements, causing Disney to pull its programming channels, including ESPN, ABC, and FX, from DirecTV. This has left millions of DirecTV, DirecTV Stream, and U-verse customers without access to Disney programming channels like Disney Plus, ESPN, ABC, Hulu, Freeform, and FX. The conflict between the two companies seems to run deeper this year than in previous years, with DirecTV filing an FTC complaint against Disney for “insisting on bundling and penetration requirements that were recently found to be unlawful, anticompetitive, and “bad for consumers” by a federal district court judge.”
DirecTV is offering subscribers a billing credit for the loss of Disney programming, initially at $20 but now increased to $30, as a way to acknowledge the disruption and inconvenience caused by the outage. However, there is no indication of when the contract dispute between Disney and DirecTV might be resolved, leaving subscribers wondering when they will get their favorite channels back. Last year’s dispute between Disney and Spectrum TV was eventually resolved, but it took until September 11th for the channels to return. With football season in full swing, viewers are concerned about missing major sporting events and other big primetime programming.
Subscribers affected by the Disney channel outage on DirecTV have been left looking for alternative ways to watch their favorite programming. Streaming services like YouTube TV, Hulu Plus Live TV, Fubo, and SlingTV offer all of the major Disney channels that were removed from DirecTV, including ABC, ESPN, Disney Plus, and FX. These services have various monthly costs and trial options for viewers to consider. Additionally, if a subscriber’s local ABC affiliate is not owned by Disney, they will still receive their local channel via satellite but not via streaming with the DirecTV app.
Viewers who are eligible for a credit from DirecTV due to the loss of Disney programming can visit the company’s TV Promise page to see if they qualify. By entering their ZIP code and selecting their TV service, subscribers can check if they are eligible for a credit and then claim their compensation through the Explore bill credits section of the TV Promise page. The initial billing credit was $20, but DirecTV has since increased the amount to $30. This credit will be applied to a future DirecTV bill to help make up for the temporary inconvenience caused by the outage.
Given the ongoing dispute between Disney and DirecTV, subscribers are left wondering when Disney channels will return to DirecTV. The situation is reminiscent of last year’s conflict between Disney and Spectrum TV, which was eventually resolved after a week of blackout. With major sporting events and primetime programming at stake, viewers are concerned about missing out on their favorite shows and events. In the meantime, subscribers can explore alternative streaming options to access their favorite Disney channels or take advantage of the billing credit offered by DirecTV for the loss of Disney programming.
