DirecTV Threatens to Pull ABC Family

[Scott Greczkowski]

DirecTV Threatens to Pull ABC Family

Multichannel News
3/7/2003 6:00:00 PM

DirecTV Inc. began placing a crawl on ABC Family Thursday alerting viewers that the network would no longer be available if a new carriage agreement is not reached by March 31.

DirecTV senior vice president of programming acquisitions Michael Thornton said the network is asking for a 35 percent increase in rates for a programming that has not improved significantly enough to justify the cost.

"We have to find ways to control our [programming] costs," he added.

In a prepared response, a Disney spokesman said it was "surprised and disappointed" that DirecTV has chosen to "threaten" viewers with the loss of ABC Family at this early stage of negotiations, adding that ABC Family brings value to viewers and has grown in viewership and value.

Thornton and the Disney spokesman said talks are continuing.

[DCSholtis]

35 freaking percent.....?!!! Screw Disney.....Overflow baseball or not...

[Eyedox]

Disney pulled the same crap with DISH Network a year ago for ABC FAMILY. They wanted some rediculous increase in fees and DISH was ready to walk. IMHO, Eisner and his money-grubbing bastard entourage at ABCFAM aren't worth spit for programming. I could give a damn if DISH drops them ... it serves them right. I think TNT(?) was getting porky with DISH last year too and actually DID get pulled off the satellite provider for a few months. I am so sick and tired of cable stations double dipping ... either HAVE COMMERCIALS and give me NO SUBSCRIPTION COSTS or vise-versa. Local broadcast networks have every right to have commercials since we are watching them for free.

[Karl Foster]

I hope they can come to an agreement. While it isn't a deal-breaker, I like ABC Family. I look at it almost as a poor-man's ABC Distant Net. Many ABC series are shown on the weekends on ABC Family.

[mnassour]

By the same token, some of us think this second-rate rerun Mecca is a waste of bandwidth.

It's typical Disney garbage. Pull it, DirecTV. They'll be begging you to take it back in 20 minutes.

[Crazy 1]

I don't care for ABCFamily that much any way. Not that much of loss. So if D* loses ABCFamily does that mean a decrease in our monthly subscription cost, or do we get to pay the same for one less channel? (wasted bandwith) IMO.

[jeffwtux]

Why is ABC Family such a problem child?!?!?!

:):):

[johntoto11]

I say "drop it" Directv. Disney is trying to hose you, and inturn us. I won't miss it one bit.

[Ryan]

I wonder if the ESPN-HD situation is affecting this negotiation?

[bryan27]

Originally posted by jeffwtux
Why is ABC Family such a problem child?!?!?!


Because it always had an identity problem. No cable channel has changed names, owners, and core programming so many times.

CBN->Family->Fox Family->ABC Family->???

The channel should be disolved and the assets (if there are any) liquidated.

[Mark Holtz]

There is also a clause in the [blank] Family contract that the channel will continue to carry Pat Robertson's 700 Club for as long as it runs.

[BobCA]

Go ahead a drop ABC Family Directv. The channel is mediocre at best and is certainly NOT worth a 35% increase. Then you can add HBO Comedy and cannot use the excuse that there's no room on the satellite.

[PayTV]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post ever. Bryan27, what is, or was 'CBN" (channel/network [what does the abbreviation stand for?]) Thanks.

[Scott Greczkowski]

CBN was the Christan Broadcast Network, then it became the Family Channel, then The Fox Family Channel, now ABC Family. :)

I think I got all of them. :D

[raj2001]

I think we all know that Disney, Inc. is a greedy company. If nothing else, this and Eldred vs. Ashcroft should prove that they are.

I say D* should drop it.

[Cheyenne]

Guess DirecTV learned something from Echostar.
Now if the Cable companies could only try.

[Jacob S]

Echostar fought against ABC Family but still yet the price increase came.

[SamC]

CBN was one of the very first dish delivered channels in the days when cable was something that rural people who lived to far from town to get TV OTA had.

On most 12 channel systems, especially in the South and rural Midwest, it was the locals, TBS, TNN, and CBN.

Robertson owned a religious station in Virginia Beach (that doesn't sound odd in today's world of a plethora of dish delivered religious offerings, but prior to BUD it was a very rare thing.) He put it up nationally as "CBN" on the original sat. It was much more similar to something like today's all-religion channels (TBN, etc).

Many local TV channels would pull down the 700 Club and show it prior to 7 AM or at mid-day. Cheep programming and early morning news was not big then.

He then shifted it to a more "general" offering and renamed it "The Family Channel" (which he owned, for profit), with CBN covering his religious offerings (which are a charity).

He then sold it to Fox as the "Fox Family Channel" and it then sold it to Disney as the "ABC Family Channel". The sale does have a clause that requires the 700 Club show to be carried "forever".

[catman]

If walt Disney was still alive He would "kick" the CEOS out . Walt built Disney for You and I to see , things the rich man could . If , disney wants , We could all tell disney LEAVE BUM .

[catman]

There is more and more commerials on tv . and then , the networks have the balls to ask for even more money .

[FzyLgic]

Pull it - never watch anything on it anyway and I find Pat Robertson one of the most offensive people on the planet. Don't go to Disneyland anymore either - Disney is just too damn greedy

[JohnH]

Caught the tail end of a part of the 700 Club just now. Pat Robertson was telling everyone to call Roxanne Austin and jam up the phones.

[AJ2086]

ABC should just get rid of ABC Family, then launch a new network similar to it with all the same programming. THAT WAY we dont have 700 Club and other religious crap.