DirecTV (Nasdaq: DTV) is following the lead of competitor Dish Network (Nasdaq: DISH) and is in discussions with Walt Disney Co. (NYSE: DIS) to deliver Disney content such as ESPN, the Disney Channel and ABC to customers via an over-the-top Internet-based product. According to a DirecTV spokesman, who was interviewed by Reuters, the Internet rights deal is being negotiated as part of a bigger programming agreement between the two companies that will replace the current deal that expires in late December.
Earlier this week Dish inked a deal giving it the right to deliver Disney content via an OTT service that the company plans to launch soon. In return for the rights to Disney's content, Dish agreed to limit its ad-shipping technology, called the Hopper, and make it more difficult for subscribers to skip commercials using the Hopper DVR. Dish agreed to disable AutoHop from automatically removing all commercials from ABC primetime series during the time when Nielsen measures programming viewing. Article