Part 3/11:
Disney's refusal led to a blackout, with Charter Spectrum pulling Disney channels from their lineup, leaving millions of households unable to access content they had previously watched—most notably, major sporting events like college football and Monday Night Football. The blackout not only impacted viewership but also posed risks for Disney’s longstanding relationship with its audience and advertising revenue.
Meanwhile, the declining number of traditional cable subscribers, which fell from about 100 million to roughly 70 million in recent years, intensified the pressure on Disney and cable providers to find workable solutions.