Time Warner Strikes Long-Term Carriage Deal with Disney/ABC, ESPN

BURBANK: Time Warner Cable and Disney/ABC Television Group have reached an agreement that will keep such channels as ABC, ESPN and Disney on the cable platform, along with supplying a range of new content to subscribers.

Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks will also have unprecedented digital access to online content and expanded VOD services.  The rights package includes the recently announced Disney Junior, a new 24-hour basic channel for preschoolers, which will be available upon its 2012 debut; the addition of ESPN3.com, ESPN’s live sports broadband network; access to a new authenticated service that will give subscribers the opportunity to watch the linear networks ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU through their broadband services as well as mobile Internet devices; and a new service, developed with Time Warner Cable, called ESPN Goal Line, which is a a super-highlight channel that will be available only to Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks sports tier subscribers as early as September 4.

Expanded VOD services in many markets will include ABC On Demand, featuring hit shows such as Castle, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and Desperate Housewives; Disney-branded On Demand offerings for kids, including Disney Channel On Demand and Disney XD On Demand; locally relevant sports content from ESPN in several Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks markets; the SVOD service Disney Family Movies; and a new transactional VOD service for select content from the Disney/ABC Television Group.

Co-chairs of Disney Media Networks George Bodenheimer and Anne Sweeney also commented on the announcement: “The successful conclusion of this wide-ranging deal demonstrates our commitment to our distribution partners and our ability to work with them to provide consumers with an unmatched portfolio of national and local entertainment, news and sports content while continuing to strengthen both of our businesses.”

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement without any interruption in service,” said Glenn Britt, Time Warner Cable’s chairman, president and CEO. “We thank our customers for their support, and we look forward to launching these new and innovative products and services.”

“We’re pleased that an agreement has been reached with no disruption in programming for our customers,” added Steve Miron, CEO of Bright House Networks.