Walt Disney Company, Cablevision Announce Distribution Agreement
MAAC Sports
BETHPAGE, NY & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cablevision
(NYSE: CVC) and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) today announced a
comprehensive distribution agreement to deliver Disney's robust lineup of top
quality sports, news and entertainment content to Cablevision TV customers
across television, internet, tablets and handheld devices. The new agreement
enhances the multichannel business model and supports the companies' mutual
goal to deliver the best video content to customers across multiple platforms.
As part of the new multi-year agreement, Cablevision will launch
several new services, including the full suite of authenticated WATCH products,
ESPN3 and ESPN 3D, as well as the upcoming ABC News/Univision Joint Venture, a
24/7 news, information and lifestyle multi-platform network for
English-dominant and bilingual Hispanics, the youngest and fastest-growing
demographic in the U.S. In total, approximately 70 services are covered by the
broad scope of this agreement including: ABC, ABC Family, Disney Channel,
Disney Junior, Disney XD, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes, ESPNEWS, ESPN
Classic, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater, ESPN 3D, ESPN GamePlan, ESPN
FullCourt, ESPN3 and Longhorn Network; retransmission consent for WABC-TV and
WPVI-TV, as well as more than 10 high-definition networks.
Cablevision customers will receive broad access to existing
authenticated products like WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD and WATCH
Disney Junior, the to-be-launched WATCH ABC and WATCH ABC Family services and
WatchESPN (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, ESPN Goal Line and ESPN Buzzer Beater).
These products will give Cablevision customers more opportunities to access
live and video on demand content, both in-home and out-of-home, on their
computers, smartphones, tablets and gaming consoles.
Cablevision will also provide its TV customers with broad access
to expanded On Demand content through Disney's comprehensive TV+ initiative.
"This significant agreement ensures that our customers will
continue to have access to dozens of ABC, Disney and ESPN networks for years to
come and, for the first time, they will be able to enjoy Disney and ESPN
programming outside the home," said James L. Dolan, Cablevision's president and
CEO. "It includes the launch of new services, like ESPN3, and expanded
availability of high-quality On Demand content, which is a key element of our
video strategy and value proposition to customers."
"With our robust and ever-growing multi-platform content
offerings, we're pleased to be able to expand our relationship with
Cablevision," said Anne Sweeney, co-chair of Disney Media Networks and
president of Disney/ABC Television Group. "We look forward to working together
to deliver our viewers and their customers better access to our broad portfolio
of high-quality programming."
Added John Skipper, President, ESPN, Inc., "Working with
Cablevision, we're able to strengthen the value of the multichannel
subscription by delivering 24/7 live access to our content, which is at the
core of our collective commitment to sports fans."
The extensive and expanded rights package for Cablevision TV
customers includes rights across multiple platforms for:
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ABC On Demand, ABC's
fast-forward-disabled On Demand service, which currently features a selection
of top-rated primetime entertainment programming, including episodes of such
popular current ABC shows as "Castle," "Grey's Anatomy," "Once Upon A Time,"
"Private Practice" and "Revenge." Full current seasons will be made available
on a number of shows. Additionally, Cablevision customers will have access to a
variety of ABC News programming as well as some local ABC owned-station
content.
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ABC Family On Demand, which
features a variety of top-rated full episodes, refreshed monthly, from such
popular millennial favorites as "The Secret Life of the American Teenager,"
"Switched at Birth," Baby Daddy" and "Melissa & Joey." Full current seasons
will be made available on a number of shows. ABC Family original movies like
"12 Dates of Christmas" will also be available.
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Disney-branded On Demand
offerings, including Disney Channel On Demand, Disney Junior On Demand, and
Disney XD On Demand. Refreshed each month, the Disney Channel On Demand
offering will include episodes from such series as "Handy Manny," "Mickey Mouse
Clubhouse," and "Jake and the Never Land Pirates" for preschoolers, as well as
variety of episodes from "A.N.T. Farm," "Good Luck Charlie," "Jessie," and
other popular series for older kids. Select episodes featured on Disney Channel
On Demand will be available in innovative new offerings, such as playlists and
monthly programming blocks, in addition to a number of episodes available in
multiple languages. A variety of Disney Channel Original Movies will also be
available. Disney XD On Demand features a selection of episodes from such
series as the Emmy Award-winning animated hit "Phineas and Ferb," "Pair of
Kings" and "Kickin' It."
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Expanded on demand content from
ESPN, including content from ESPN Deportes and ESPN's award-winning original
content from ESPN Films.
The subscription On
Demand service "Disney Family Movies," which features a selection of classic
and contemporary feature films and animated shorts from The Walt Disney Studios.