Entertainment
Disney, DirecTV Settle Contract Fight, Restart ESPN, ABC
- Networks had been dark since Sept. 1 in fight over TV’s future
- DirecTV wins right to offer slim packages of targeted channels
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Walt Disney Co., the owner of ABC and ESPN, reached a new contract with satellite-TV provider DirecTV that will restore access to programs like Monday Night Football for millions of the pay-television service’s customers.
DirecTV agreed to pay “market-based rates” to carry the channels, the companies said in a joint statement Saturday. The satellite-TV provider won the right to offer skinnier packages of channels for fans of sports, entertainment and kids programming. DirecTV will also be able to offer a new online version of ESPN to its subscribers at no additional cost after it launches next year.