Alaska’s largest cable provider, GCI, made a seven year agreement with Disney networks. This allows the cable company to broadcast 16 popular sports, news and entertainment channels in 2021. KDLG’s Thea Card has more.
The Disney networks include ESPN and ABC Family Channels. The deal was negotiated by the national Cable Television Cooperative and will provide these channels without interruption and adds products like the SEC Network and on-demand programming.
GCI Spokesperson David Morris says it doesn’t matter who the provider is-- there is a constant game of give and take between the cable providers and the programmers who provide the content. He says there’s a large federal effort to update negotiation rules.
“Disney ESPN is definitely one of the most popular channels that we carry, and most likely any provider would carry. The challenge that we have is that so many times when these programmers say to the pay TV provider ‘if you would like to carry this one channel, you’re also going to have to carry these other channels, which may be less desirable.’ So we are certainly making efforts on the federal front to try to change that to make things a little bit more consumer friendly to go to what’s called ‘a-la-carte’ where you pick what you want.”
Morris believes that this agreement will provide some stability for consumers.
Although GCI does not currently provide cable in Dillingham, Morris says the company is always open for more opportunities.
“I can tell you that we’re always open to new possibilities and acquisitions. I think it’s just an issue if the price ever gets right then we can come to terms.”
The agreement also enabled GCI the right to offer the full suite of Disney and ESPN streaming apps.