Disney agreed to $50M settlement over claims it made live-TV streaming expensive
Summary
Disney agreed to pay $50 million to subscribers of YouTube TV and DirecTV’s live TV streaming services to settle a class-action alleging that Disney used its carriage agreements to inflate prices by mandating ESPN. The settlement does not admit wrongdoing and includes potential options for distributors to offer subscribers fewer Disney channels for three years after final approval. A final approval hearing is scheduled, with eligibility spanning subscriptions from 2019 to 2026 and signaled impact on pricing in the SLPTV market.