Disney Networks Go Dark On DirecTV

Disney‘s networks have gone dark across DirecTV, beginning another major carriage impasse in the challenged pay-TV business.

The dispute between the companies had been building and continued on despite the parties being at the table talking. DirecTV has shrunk, but it remains a leading operator, with about 11 million subscribers across traditional satellite, cable and the internet-delivered DirecTV Stream service.

Disney provided Deadline with a joint statement from its entertainment co-chairs Dana Walden and Alan Bergman as well as ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro.

“DirecTV chose to deny millions of subscribers access to our content just as we head into the final week of the U.S. Open and gear up for college football and the opening of the NFL season,” the execs said. “While we’re open to offering DirecTV flexibility and terms which we’ve extended to other distributors, we will not enter into an agreement that undervalues our portfolio of television channels and programs. We invest significantly to deliver the No. 1 brands in entertainment, news and sports because that’s what our viewers expect and deserve. We urge DirecTV to do what’s in the best interest of their customers and finalize a deal that would immediately restore our programming.”

DirecTV has not issued a statement as yet.

MORE to come …