Charter, Disney reach a deal to return channels to Spectrum - Akron Beacon Journal

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Spectrum will no longer have Baby TV, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Freeform, FXM, FXX, Nat Geo Wild, and Nat Geo Mundo in their lineups

Local Spectrum subscribers will get "Monday Night Football" tonight on ESPN along with most of the Disney channels that have been missing from the cable lineup lately.

Disney and Charter Communications reached an agreement to restore those channels, which include the ESPN family of sports networks, to the air, according to multiple reports.

That deal, which the Walt Disney Co. calls transformative in a news release, includes:

• In the coming months, the Disney+ Basic ad-supported offering will be provided to customers who purchase the Spectrum TV Select package, as part of a wholesale arrangement.
• ESPN+ will be provided to Spectrum TV Select Plus subscribers.
• The ESPN flagship direct-to-consumer service will be made available to Spectrum TV Select subscribers when it launches.
• Charter will maintain flexibility to offer a range of video packages at varying price points based upon different customer viewing preferences.
• There will be some channel casualties on Spectrum's side as they will no longer carry Baby TV, Disney Junior, Disney XD, Freeform, FXM, FXX, Nat Geo Wild, and Nat Geo Mundo in their lineups, according to a Charter Communications news release.

It's a stark turnabout for a situation that took on apocalyptic undertone since those Disney channels went dark on Spectrum as executives from the cable company seemed willing to end the current cable TV model.

Each side took to recommending customers sample other services. Disney sent its fans to its live television streaming service Hulu with Live TV and Spectrum sent its customers to Fubo TV.