Carriage negotiations aren’t always easy – which is clear in the industry at the moment. However, Charter and Max have showen what great negotiations can lead to. A new deal will allow Charter to show Warner-owned channels such as TNT, TBS and even Food Network in a multi-year deal. Spectrum TV Customers will also get access to Max free of charge.
Yes, you heard us right. Ad supported Max accounts will be available free of charge if you’re a Spectrum TV customer. Discovery+ is also included in this deal.
Charter have been a powerhouse in regards to negotiations, and have secured free access to Disney+, BET+, AMC+, Paramount+, ViX Premium (Spanish) and even ESPN+ for some.
WBD CEO David Zaslav said the following: “This innovative partnership with Charter recognizes the value of our linear content and the investments we’ve made in premium original programming, sports and news, while also significantly expanding the distribution of Max’s ad-supported service to Spectrum’s millions of Select customers,”
“We did this agreement together nearly a year early to set a framework for the future and to provide more consumers access to our unparalleled content offering while giving the industry more resilience as it evolves. We are pleased this achieves each of our company’s objectives.”
Charter Communications CEO Chris Winfrey commented on the deal by saying: “This strategic relationship with WBD further evolves the linear and broadband video distribution model and supports Spectrum’s efforts to provide flexible packages, whether through hybrid linear-DTC full video relationships, smaller video packages with DTC add-ons, or a suite of a-la-carte or bundled DTC options for broadband customers,” .
“The inclusion of the ad-supported version of Max and Discovery+ in our most popular packages at no additional cost ensures we provide the most value to our customers, particularly when combined with the utility of Xumo, which seamlessly integrates live linear, DVR and VOD, DTC, and SVOD content with unified search and discovery for the best overall customer experience. WBD’s creativity and commitment to a healthier video ecosystem further enables us to deliver on our core principles to create value and choice for customers.”
