Disney Renews, Expands Charter Distribution Pact

ST. LOUIS/NEW YORK: The Walt Disney Company has re-upped its distribution agreement with Charter Communications, delivering customers content across TVs, computers, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles and other Internet-enabled devices.

Charter customers gain access to a range of authenticated services, including WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD and WATCH Disney Junior, as well as the soon-to-launch WATCH ABC and WATCH ABC Family offerings. Also part of the pact is WatchESPN, which spans ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, ESPN Goal Line and ESPN Buzzer Beater. These authenticated services deliver customers access to live and VOD content, both in home and out of home. Disney-branded on-demand offerings—including Disney Channel On Demand, Disney Junior On Demand and Disney XD On Demand—are part of the agreement as well.

The multi-year agreement further sees The Longhorn Network launching in Texas, Louisiana and Virginia by football season next year. Charter and The Walt Disney Company are going to be introducing the upcoming ABC News/Univision joint venture together. In total, around 70 services are covered by the broad scope of the agreement. The launch of content across the new platforms will start in the first half of the year.

“This agreement enables us to offer our customers additional value, choice and convenience,” said Allan Singer, Charter’s senior VP of programming. “More and more content is being enjoyed on tablets and other Internet-connected devices, and today’s viewers are sharing their TV experiences in new ways. Our agreement with Disney enables more robust ways to enjoy and socialize TV.”

David Preschlack, the executive VP of affiliate sales and marketing at Disney & ESPN Networks Group, added, “Our agreement with Charter represents the sixth top ten distributor renewal encompassing Disney’s full suite of products and services. With this deal, Charter’s video customers will derive even greater benefit from the value of their multichannel subscription model, including 24/7 live access to our content via the WATCH Disney services and WatchESPN across more platforms than ever before, as well as other new and advanced services.”