In the latest battle over network fees resulting in the loss of Disney-owned channels to subscribers, Dish Network satellite customers have lost four Disney HiDef channels — Disney Channel HD, Disney XD HD, ABC Family HD and ESPNews HD.
Both sides claim the other pulled the channels, and each side has their own version of what led to the dispute.
Dish Network recently began offering “HD Free for Life” (which waives Dish’s usual $10 per month HD add-on fee for customers who commit to a two-year contract), and said in a statement today that carriage fees need to be kept to a certain level in order to continue offering that service.
“That is why we could not agree to the significant fees requested by Disney and ESPN Networks…,” the statement said.
“We continue to talk with Disney and ESPN Networks and hope to reach a fair resolution. In the meantime, Dish Network customers can enjoy the same programming on the standard definition versions of these channels.”
Disney claims there has never been an agreement in place for Dish to carry the HiDef feeds of the networks.
“The recent New York State Court ruling confirms our position that Dish Network is not entitled to carry (these networks) without paying compensation. We hope that Dish will work with us to reach an agreement so that we can make these HD networks available to their customers.”
According to Multichannel News, the court ruling referenced was in a breach-of-contract suit Dish filed in 2008 against ESPN and ABC alleging Disney did not provide high-definition feeds of the Disney Channel, ESPN News, Toon and ABC Family. In March 2010, a New York court ruled that Dish owes Disney approximately $65 million under the applicable affiliation agreement. Dish is appealing that ruling.
Dish, separately, sued ESPN last year alleging that ESPN breached its contract by not extending the same carriage terms the programmer provided to Comcast and DirecTV. Back in 2002, the satellite operator dropped ESPN Classic for several months in a dispute with Disney that involved ABC Family.
— By Scott Hettrick
Have you heard any updates to this?