Have DirecTV? Here's how to watch ABC-hosted debate amid contract dispute
Disney-DirecTV update: The standoff continues, but DirecTV subscribers can still watch the debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Here's how.
DirecTV and the Walt Disney Company have yet to hammer out a deal to get ABC, ESPN and other Disney-owned channels back on DirecTV's systems. But that doesn't mean you can't watch the ABC-hosted presidential debate Tuesday night.
Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are scheduled to debate Tuesday night at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. It is currently the only debate scheduled between the candidates with less than two months until the election.
Trump had proposed two other September dates for subsequent debates, but the Harris campaign has said the vice president would agree to another debate in October. However, a date has not been set.
What channels are impacted by DirecTV-Disney dispute?
Watching Tuesday's debate might present a bit of a challenge. Eight Disney-owned ABC stations − including channels in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and the debate host city of Philadelphia − were removed from the DirecTV satellite TV system and U-Verse when the TV provider and Disney could not agree on a new contract allowing DirecTV to carry Disney-owned channels.
The dispute also led to the Sept. 1 removal of the ESPN networks, Disney Channel, FX, National Geographic and other networks from DirecTV, U-Verse and its DirecTV Stream streaming service. Also, all ABC affiliates were blacked out on DirecTV Stream because of streaming contracts.
Presidential debate live updates: When and how to watch Harris and Trump face off
DirecTV-Disney joust over presidential debate broadcast
Even though the sides haven't come to agreement, Disney said in a statement to Paste BN on Tuesday that it would make the debate available to DirecTV viewers. "We want all Americans to be able to view tonight’s debate at this important moment in our history," the company said in the statement.
However, DirecTV said it asked Disney to return all of its channels through Sept. 16, to include next week's Monday Night Football matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons.
"Unfortunately, returning only Disney’s ABC stations from the entire portfolio of channels for a limited three-hour window will cause customer confusion among those who would briefly see the debate only to lose the channel again shortly after," the TV provider said on its DirecTV Insider website.
DirecTV-Disney dispute update: no resolution yet
Both sides say negotiations continue, but the ongoing dispute has worsened publicly with DirecTV filing a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission on Saturday, accusing Disney of negotiating in bad faith. In a statement to Paste BN on Monday, Disney charged DirecTV with "creating diversions" and should "prioritize their customers by finalizing a deal."
How DirecTV customers can watch the presidential debate
The debate will air on ABC and stream on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu, according to ABC.
However, if your ABC station is one of those blacked out – or you are a DirecTV Stream subscriber – there are other carrying the debate. Among them: CBS, Fox, NBC, PBS, CNN, C-SPAN2, Fox News Channel, MSNBC and Bloomberg TV, BBC News, TheGrio, NewsNation and Newsmax TV. Many of those networks will also stream the debate on their websites.
Paste BN will also be streaming the ABC News Presidential Debate Simulcast on the Paste BN channel available on most smart televisions and devices.
What time is the debate tonight?
The debate is set to begin at 9 p.m. ET. The debate will be 90 minutes long with two commercial breaks. The moderators will be David Muir, host of "ABC World News Tonight with David Muir," and Linsey Davis, who hosts "ABC News Live Prime," on the ABC News Live streaming site, and weekend "World News Tonight" on Sundays.
Contributing: Gabe Hauari, Savannah Kuchar, Jonathan Limehouse, Marina Pitofsky and Saman Shafiq.
Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.
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