Disney–Charter Communications dispute

A carriage dispute took place between The Walt Disney Company and Charter Communications, the second-largest cable television provider in the United States, from August 31 to September 11, 2023.

[3] In 2021, YouTube TV removed Disney channels from its service for two days; a similar incident occurred in 2022 with Dish Network.

Charter Communications chief executive Christopher Winfrey claimed that Spectrum customers have subsidized Disney's efforts to move its content to streaming.

The blackout occurred during a US Open match between Carlos Alcaraz and Lloyd Harris that was being broadcast on ESPN2 and minutes before the kickoff of a game between the Utah Utes and the Florida Gators on ESPN.

[12] Charter expected the blackout to potentially be indefinite[13] and the company proposed exiting the cable television business altogether.

[14] The dispute prevented viewers from watching the season premiere of The View in markets where ABC stations are unavailable, including New York City and Los Angeles.

[15] The blackout could have prevented Spectrum customers from viewing ESPN's coverage of the 2023 NFL season, including Monday Night Football;[16] the NFL season premiere of Monday Night Football featured the Aaron Rodgers's anticipated debut playing for the New York Jets.

[19] Following the dispute's resolution, Disney executives sent a memo to employees indicating that their commitment to all their brands was unchanged and that they would continue to deliver "high-quality" programming on these channels.

[20] FX executives were reported to be looking into alternate means of allowing Spectrum customers to watch the ongoing final season of Archer through cable television.

[21] According to Bloomberg analysts, the dispute could have potentially cost The Walt Disney Company US$4 billion in revenue, including lost advertising and distribution fees.

[26] In October, Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel proposed regulations requiring cable companies to provide rebates for blackouts.

[28] Disney called the dispute a "disservice to consumers" ahead of the 2023 NCAA Division III football season,[29] and blamed Charter Communications for the blackout in a blog post on September 3.

[35] Several analysts, news organizations, and companies have expressed foreboding sentiments for the future of cable television as a result of the dispute.

[45] Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev stated that he had turned to pirate websites to stream ESPN's coverage of the U.S.