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Cable Technology Feature Article

October 08, 2012

Cablevision, Walt Disney Ink Multiyear Content Distribution Deal

By Ashok Bindra, TMCnet Contributor


Under a new multiyear content distribution deal with Walt Disney Co., Cablevision Systems (News - Alert) Corp.'s (CVC) customers will be able to access Walt Disney's content on multiple platforms.  However, financial terms of this multiyear deal were not disclosed, according to Fox Business News.

As per the Fox Business News report, Cablevision said it will launch several services that allow its customers to access the entertainment and media company's live and video-on-demand content on televisions, computers, smartphones, tablets and gaming consoles.

This report indicates that in total, some 70 services were covered by the broad scope of the agreement, including retransmission consent for WABC-TV and WPVI-TV and more than 10 high-definition networks.

The report also says that under the new deal, Cablevision will also offer the full suite of authenticated WATCH products and the upcoming ABC News/Univision joint venture for a round-the-clock information and lifestyle network for English-dominant and bilingual Hispanics.

In a statement, said Cablevision president and chief executive officer James L. Dolan, "This significant agreement ensures that our customers will continue to have access to dozens of ABC, Disney (News - Alert) 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."

The Fox Business News report indicates that there have been several high-profile disputes this year between cable-TV operators and pay-TV distributors over increased programming fees. For instance, AMC Networks Inc. lost a key part of its distribution at the end of June when its channels were dropped from satellite-TV service Dish Network. Incidentally, AMC Networks spun out of Cablevision a year ago.

Recently, Cablevision has also inked similar long term distribution deals with other program suppliers, which include CBS and the NFL Network.




Edited by Rich Steeves


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