Disney and Comcast Agree on Long-Term Deal on Distribution

[stationless listener]

http://www.deadline.com/2012/01/wal...ion-deal-with-comcast-for-all-disney-tv-nets/

 

[mnradiofan]

Also unclear is the price tag, but sources close to the negotiations said that Disney brass are “very pleased” with the outcome and that the company has been able to land healthy fee increases for its cable networks and retransmission money for its O&O stations that carry ABC.

While I'm happy that I'll be guaranteed not to lose access to some of the programming (not much, when I think about it, but still), I shudder to think what this statement means to my cable bill for the next 8+ years. When will the wall break down on what consumers can afford or will tolerate paying for commercial television? Already, in most areas, people are paying $70+ for basic and closer to $100+ for basic plus "digital", how much higher can it go?

 

[PTBoardOp94]

If Disney is pleased, I think that means KableTown customers' rates will be going up 10% very soon.

 

[mgsports]

ESPN Classic is to become ESPN3 and Comcast will be launching Disney Junior so Soapnet is not leaving.

 

[nathannah]

ESPN Classic is to become ESPN3 and Comcast will be launching Disney Junior so Soapnet is not leaving.

Uhhh, SoapNet is on autopilot mode until Disney Junior begins in the next two months; you can't program a network with three soaps at all. And I would say that ESPNU (and for SportsCenter, ESPNews) is effectively ESPN3 right now and that Classic is just running out the string on cable agreements (thus why it's never shown up in SD).

 

[mgsports]

You mean HD and can put Talk Show reruns on Soapnet.

 

[imhomerjay]

SoapNet already fills good chunks of the schedule with shows that aren't current daytime soaps, and could continue that for the time being.