DirecTV rejects Disney’s offer to bring one channel back for tonight only

Disney was ready to turn part of its feed back on for DirecTV customers tonight — but DirecTV wasn’t interested.

Disney-owned ABC News is hosting tonight’s presidential debate, and Disney offered to make the channel available to DirecTV subscribers for three hours at no charge, Disney spokespeople April Carretta and Bridget Osterhaus wrote in an email this afternoon. They said Disney wanted to provide the feed “at no cost because we want all Americans to be able to view tonight’s debate at this important moment in our history.”

But DirecTV declined the offer, saying it would “cause customer confusion” when those channels quickly disappeared again. In an unsigned statement on its website, DirecTV says that it offered to restore Disney’s channels only if they would stay live through September 17th, enough time for customers to watch the Emmys and Monday Night Football. DirecTV said its counteroffer was rejected.

As a result, ABC News will remain off the air for DirecTV customers tonight.

The debate is being simulcast on multiple other networks and online, though, so DirecTV subscribers will still be able to watch the event. ABC News, on the other hand, may have fewer eyes on a tentpole broadcast (and the two commercial breaks coming with it).

ABC, ESPN, and other Disney channels haven’t been available to DirecTV subscribers since September 1st. The two companies have been in a contract dispute over the terms and fees associated with distributing Disney’s channels. Disney says that DirecTV is undervaluing its channels, while DirecTV says that Disney’s terms aren’t offering it enough flexibility to create different packages for customers.

The two have intermittently released statements sniping at one another in the week since. In the meantime, DirecTV customers have missed out on coverage of the US Open and NFL season opener.

Disney says negotiations continue with DirecTV. “We remain at the table negotiating with DirecTV and the restoration of our programming to their subscribers is completely within their control,” Carretta and Osterhaus wrote. DirecTV said its offer to temporarily restore access “remains on the table.”