Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution Reaches Comprehensive Carriage Agreements with NCTC and Mediacom
Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution and the National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC) today announced a new, multi-year distribution agreement that will continue to make Disney’s robust lineup of sports, news, kids, family and general entertainment programming available to NCTC’s more than 700 small and mid-sized independent cable and broadband operators across the U.S. This deal extends the availability of Disney’s premier sports, news and general entertainment programming including ESPN’s ACC Network.
Strategic Partnership with NCTC
As part of the deal, NCTC member operators will now offer the ACC Network to their customers, allowing fans and followers of the Atlantic Coast Conference to access the multiplatform network beginning September 1. The comprehensive distribution agreement between the parties also includes the ability to market the streaming services Disney+ and ESPN+, joining Hulu which is already available to some operators. NCTC member operators will be able to link their customers directly to the Disney+ and ESPN+ websites where new subscribers can sign up.
“Our new deal with the NCTC will allow member operators to continue serving their customers across the country by delivering Disney’s robust and expansive portfolio of networks,” said Sean Breen, Executive Vice President, Platform Distribution, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution. Judy Meyka, Executive Vice President, Programming, NCTC, added: “Our focus continues to be on making quality programming available to members in a manner that allows them flexibility to serve the needs of their customers.”
Expansion with Mediacom Communications
In a similar move, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution and Mediacom Communications Corporation today announced a new comprehensive agreement to continue to deliver Disney’s robust lineup of sports, news, kids, family and general entertainment content to Mediacom customers. Mediacom is the 5th largest cable operator in the United States and the leading gigabit broadband provider to smaller markets primarily in the Midwest and Southeast.
As part of the distribution agreement, Mediacom will now offer the ACC Network to its subscriber base, allowing fans and followers of the Atlantic Coast Conference to access the multiplatform network beginning this September. This multi-year distribution deal includes ESPN’s ACC Network and reaffirms the companies’ mutual commitment to enhance the customer experience by delivering video content to viewers across multiple platforms.
Available Content and Programming
In addition to the ACC Network, both NCTC member operators and Mediacom will continue to make Disney’s premier networks available to their customers including:
- The ESPN networks
- The Disney branded channels
- Freeform
- The FX networks
- The National Geographic channels
- Retransmission consent for the ABC Owned Television Stations
Comparison of Carriage Agreements
| Partner | Market Reach | Key New Additions |
|---|---|---|
| NCTC | 700+ independent cable and broadband operators | ACC Network, Disney+, ESPN+ |
| Mediacom | 1.5 million households across 22 states | ACC Network |
Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution (DMED) manages The Walt Disney Company’s vast content commercialization and distribution ecosystem. Using a wealth of consumer insights from across the Company, DMED makes content investment and distribution decisions to maximize audience engagement and commercial impact across platforms.
