Disney and DirecTV Deals Blur Line Between Cable and Streaming

Charter Communications and Walt Disney Co. have expanded the carriage agreement they first reworked in 2023, adding ad-supported Hulu at no extra cost for Spectrum TV Select customers and reinstating eight Disney-owned linear channels—Disney Junior, Disney XD, Freeform, FXX, FXM, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Mundo and BabyTV—that Charter dropped two years ago. The revised pact also lets Charter market Disney+, ESPN+ and Disney’s forthcoming direct-to-consumer ESPN service to its broadband-only subscribers, and the companies said the multi-year extension is aimed at reducing customer churn while blending streaming and cable offerings. Separately, DirecTV reached a new licensing deal with Paramount Global that brings Nickelodeon and other Paramount networks into the satellite operator’s genre-based streaming packages. The agreement underpins the launch of a $19.99-per-month “MyKids” bundle, which includes Nickelodeon brands alongside Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD and a complimentary ad-supported tier of Disney+. DirecTV is also folding 15 CBS owned-and-operated stations and CBS Sports Network into its $69.99 “MySports” pack and adding BET, MTV and other Paramount channels to its entertainment and news tiers, all without raising list prices. The twin accords underscore how distributors are recasting traditional pay-TV arrangements by packaging must-have streaming services with slimmer, genre-focused channel line-ups, seeking to slow cord-cutting and give consumers lower-priced, à-la-carte options.