Disney is putting pressure on Apple to carry more Disney-owned channels on its upcoming streaming television service, a new report from The Street reveals. The two companies are reportedly in negotiations regarding what content will be carried on the new service, expected to debut as early as this fall, with the issue of how many Disney channels Apple will be required to carry apparently forming a key point in the discussions.
The report cites people with knowledge of the talks who have revealed that Disney is pushing Apple to take most — if not all — of its channels, including Disney, ESPN, and several spinoff channels, while Apple is trying to limit the amount of content carried in order to keep the price of its service down. Apple reportedly is hoping to formally announce the service in June, along with a list of content partners, with the service expected to be priced at $30-$40 per month for a 25-channel offering.
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