DirecTV in talks with Disney over online streaming rights

Just two days ago, pundits began congratulating Dish on achieving what other companies couldn’t: convincing Disney ABC to offer broadcast and cable channels over the internet as part of an IPTV service. The magic bullet appeared to be Dish’s ad-skipping AutoHop technology, which Dish agreed to disable for the first three days after new Disney shows air. But it appears that Dish’s satellite rival, DirecTV, may also win the right to stream Disney and ABC broadcast and cable television channels. 

DirecTV is in talks with Walt Disney Co to license the rights to offer Disney’s broadcast and cable channels as part of an Internet-based product, DirecTV said on Wednesday. The deal would mirror a first-of-its kind agreement that Disney and satellite rival Dish Network Corp announced earlier this week. The Internet rights being discussed are part of a large-scale programming agreement that would replace a deal between the companies that expires in late December. Disney and Dish are in negotiations but the timing of the new deal could be not be learned. “The deal and terms are not unexpected as the Dish contract was the most recent in the Disney timeline to expire,” DirecTV spokesman Darris Gringeri said on Wednesday. “The DirecTV contract is up next and we’re in the process of working with Disney on a similar long-term agreement of our own.”