Harris: JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images / Trump: Adam Gray/Getty Images
Millions of subscribers might not even see the highly-anticipated ABC Presidential Debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris due to an ongoing contract dispute.
More than 11 million DirecTV subscribers nationwide saw their ABC News channel go dark on September 1 as the Walt Disney Company and the satellite subscription company remain in a carriage dispute, Deadline reported.
The existing contract expired on Sept. 1 with the news channel and dozens of others, like ESPN, FX, and Disney Jr going dark — with no current negotiations underway, a source told the outlet.
Millions Could Miss Trump, Harris Debate As ABC Feuds With Major TV Provider https://t.co/onpqbeSPzf via @dailycaller
— Keith Long 🇺🇸 (@klongrockport) September 5, 2024
ABC News is scheduled to host what will likely be the one and only debate between Trump and Harris on September 10th, and that is only 5 days away.
DirecTV CEO Ray Carpenter has suggested that their contract disputes will not be taken care of when the first Monday Night Football game of the 2024 season kicks off on Monday, September 9, where it will air on ABC and ESPN channels, the outlet noted.
“We’re not playing a short-term game,” Carpenter said during a September 3 Wall Street conference call of DirecTV’s desire to end the “bloated” packages that are reportedly causing subscribers to leave.
“We need something that is going to work for the long-term sustainability of our video customers,” he added. “The resolve is there”
A Hollywood political operative told the outlet of the blackout and the upcoming debate, “That’s the law of unintended consequences.”
“Dana Walden may be Harris’ pal, (Bob) Iger may want to mend some Republican fences, so what?” he added of the head of Disney Entertainment.
“This is an existential threat to their business as linear TV fall is dying,” he continued. “I say it’s 50/50 if they can make a deal by the time of the debate, and I doubt it’s a big factor in getting to that deal.”
And while DirecTV subscribers won’t be able to catch the debate on ABC, if a customer has Disney+, Hulu, or ABC News Live they will be able to see Trump and Harris spar, as it will be streamed in real time, the outlet noted.
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