New Deal Gives Spectrum Customers Free Access To Disney+
By Movieguide® Contributor
Charter’s Spectrum TV Select tier members now have free access to Disney+.
“With the launch of the Disney+ Basic offer, TV Select customers can now enjoy access to Disney’s popular streaming content as well as their high-quality linear TV channels, all included as part of one video package,” said Tom Montemagno, the executive vice president of programming acquisition for Charter.
Disney+Basic is ad-supported and comes at no additional cost to TV Select customers.
This new bundle comes after the two companies reached a “landmark deal” in 2023.
“The deal followed a carriage dispute between the two companies that saw Disney channels, including ESPN, local ABC stations, FX and Disney Channel, blacked out for close to 15 million Spectrum subscribers for about a week starting Aug. 31,” The Hollywood Reporter wrote.
Disney and Charter came to an agreement, with Spectrum TV Select’s customers gaining access to both Disney+ and ESPN+. In exchange, Charter pledged to promote Disney’s streaming services to their customers.
Movieguide® previously reported on the deal struck between Disney and Charter:
Following a groundbreaking deal between cable provider Charter and Disney, Nexstar explained why the deal is so monumental for broadcast TV.
The company released a report showing that the deal was positive because “premium content got paid,” “direct to consumer (DTC) service[s] became a part of the bundle” and the “bloated cable portfolio” was reduced.
This deal was monumental as it provided Charter subscribers with more content—primarily through the option of adding Disney+—without raising the subscription cost across the board.
The Disney-Charter deal matters for Nexstar because the company provides access to broadcast networks—the most popular networks on cable TV.
By providing customers with better subscription bundles, the Disney-Charter deal has laid the groundwork for a model that could become a new industry standard and help stabilize the cable market, perhaps even alluring some customers back to the product.
This isn’t the only promotional idea Disney has recently put into place to promote their streaming service.
Travel + Leisure reported, “Those who have [Disney+] can receive a free Disney Dining Plan for their entire party when purchasing select travel packages” at Walt Disney World.
This new promotional idea could boost both park visits and Disney+ subscriptions.
