Disney pulls ABC, ESPN, FX and different channels from Constitution Spectrum service

Walt Disney Co. pulled its channels, together with ABC stations and ESPN, from Constitution Spectrum‘s pay-TV service on Thursday in a festering distribution charge dispute.

“We’ve been in ongoing negotiations with Constitution Communications for a while and haven’t but agreed to a brand new market-based settlement,” Disney stated in an announcement. “Consequently, their Spectrum TV subscribers now not have entry to our unequalled portfolio of stay sporting occasions and information protection plus youngsters, household and common leisure programming from the ABC Owned Tv Stations, the ESPN networks, the Disney-branded channels, Freeform, the FX networks and the Nationwide Geographic channels.”

The outage means Spectrum prospects instantly misplaced entry to widespread programming, together with “Jeopardy!” and KABC-TV Channel 7 information. The outage additionally comes through the first week of the U.S. Open tennis match, a spotlight for a lot of tennis followers.

Constitution Spectrum is the most important pay-TV supplier within the Los Angeles area. The service has greater than 5 million prospects in California.

It’s unclear how lengthy the outage may final, however the begin of faculty {and professional} soccer may immediate the 2 sides to hammer out an settlement.

The Constitution Spectrum outage isn’t the one ongoing cable charge dispute. Since early July, DirecTV prospects have been with out Nexstar TV stations, together with KTLA-TV Channel 5 in Los Angeles.

A Constitution spokesperson wasn’t instantly accessible for a remark.

Constitution stated it will maintain a convention name with traders on Friday to debate the Disney dispute.