The Walt Disney Company and Charter Communications Announce New Distribution Agreement
December 31 2012 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
Charter Communications and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS)
today announced a comprehensive long-term distribution agreement to
deliver Disney’s robust lineup of top quality sports, news and
entertainment content to Charter TV customers across televisions,
computers, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles and
internet-enabled televisions. The renewal agreement supports the
companies’ mutual goal to deliver the best video content to
customers across multiple platforms. Launch of content across these
new distribution platforms is planned to begin in the first half of
2013.
As part of the new multi-year deal, The Longhorn Network will
launch in Texas, Louisiana and Virginia systems by football season
next year. Charter and The Walt Disney Company will also introduce
several new services, including the full suite of authenticated
WATCH products, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater, as well as the
upcoming ABC News/Univision Joint Venture, a 24/7 news, information
and lifestyle multi-platform network for English-dominant and
bilingual Hispanics, the youngest and fastest-growing demographic
in the U.S. In total, approximately 70 services are covered by the
broad scope of this agreement including: ABC, ABC Family, Disney
Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN
Deportes, ESPNEWS, ESPN Classic, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer
Beater, ESPN 3D, ESPN GamePlan, ESPN Full Court, ESPN3, The
Longhorn Network, and retransmission consent for WABC-TV, KABC-TV,
WLS-TV, KGO-TV, KTRK-TV, WTVD-TV and KFSN-TV, as well as more than
10 high-definition networks.
Charter customers will receive broad access to existing
authenticated products like WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD
and WATCH Disney Junior, the to-be-launched WATCH ABC and WATCH ABC
Family services and WatchESPN (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, ESPN Goal
Line and ESPN Buzzer Beater). These products will give Charter
customers more opportunities to access live and video on demand
content, both in-home and out-of-home, on their computers,
smartphones, tablets and gaming consoles.
“This agreement enables us to offer our customers additional
value, choice and convenience,” said Allan Singer, Charter’s Senior
Vice President, 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.”
Added David Preschlack, executive vice president, Affiliate
Sales and Marketing, Disney & ESPN Networks Group, “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.”
The extensive and expanded rights package for Video On Demand
content to Charter TV customers includes:
- ABC On Demand, ABC’s
fast-forward-disabled On Demand service, which currently features a
selection of top-rated primetime entertainment programming,
including episodes of such popular current ABC shows as “Castle,”
“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Once Upon A Time,” “Private Practice” and
“Revenge.” Full current seasons will be made available on a number
of shows.
- ABC Family On Demand, which features a
variety of top-rated full episodes, refreshed monthly, from such
popular millennial favorites as “Switched at Birth,” “The Secret
Life of the American Teenager,” “Baby Daddy,” “Bunheads” and
“Melissa & Joey.” Full current seasons will be made available
on a number of shows. ABC Family original movies like
“Mistle-Tones” will also be available.
- Disney-branded On Demand offerings,
including Disney Channel On Demand, Disney Junior On Demand, and
Disney XD On Demand. Refreshed each month, the Disney Channel On
Demand offering will include episodes from such series as “Handy
Manny,” “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,” and “Jake and the Never Land
Pirates” for preschoolers, as well as variety of episodes from
“A.N.T. Farm,” “Good Luck Charlie,” “Jessie,” and other
popular series for older kids. Select episodes featured on Disney
Channel On Demand will be available in innovative new offerings,
such as playlists and monthly programming blocks, in addition to a
number of episodes available in multiple languages. A variety of
Disney Channel Original Movies will also be available. Disney XD On
Demand features a selection of episodes from such series as the
Emmy Award-winning animated hit “Phineas and Ferb,” “Pair of Kings"
and "Kickin’ It."
- Expanded On Demand content from ESPN,
including award-winning original content from ESPN Films.
About Charter Communications
Charter (NASDAQ: CHTR) is a leading broadband communications
company and the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States.
Charter provides a full range of advanced broadband services,
including advanced Charter TV® video entertainment programming,
Charter Internet® access, and Charter Phone®. Charter Business®
similarly provides scalable, tailored, and cost-effective broadband
communications solutions to business organizations, such as
business-to-business Internet access, data networking, business
telephone, video and music entertainment services, and wireless
backhaul. Charter's advertising sales and production services are
sold under the Charter Media® brand. More information about Charter
can be found at charter.com.
About The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), together with its
subsidiaries and affiliates, is the world’s largest diversified
international family entertainment and media enterprise with five
business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio
entertainment, consumer products and interactive media. Disney
Media Networks comprise a vast array of The Walt Disney Company’s
broadcast, cable, radio and publishing businesses, including
Disney/ABC Television Group and ESPN, Inc. Disney is a Dow 30
company and had annual revenues of $40.9 billion in its most recent
fiscal year.
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