Last week, Warner Bros. Discovery launched a 24/7 stream on Max, giving subscribers to the streaming services additional access to CNN content without the need for a live TV service like DIRECTV or DIRECTV STREAM. Now DIRECTV is fighting back, warning Warner Bros. Discovery that streaming CNN on Max could break its contract with DIRECTV.
CNN on Max includes a lot of content from the cable version of CNN, including during primetime. With this launch, you will find new programming exclusively for max subscribers, including CNN Newsroom with Jim Acosta, Rahel Solomon, Amara Walker, and Fredricka Whitfield,” and “CNN Newsroom with Jim Sciutto.” You will also find featured CNN content like “Amanpour,” “Anderson Cooper 360,” “The Lead with Jake Tapper,” “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer,” and more. Now, according to The New York Times, DIRECTV has sent a letter to Warner Bros. Discovery saying that this may be in violation of its contract.
Later this month, Warner Bros. Discovery will also start live-streaming sporting events from TBS and TNT. This will likely also upset its partners at DIRECTV. This will mean Max subscribers will be able to watch March Madness, for example, without the need for a service like DIRECTV. Something that will likely upset cable TV companies.
The Bleacher Report tier will launch on October 5, 2023, and will be available for free to all customers through February 29, 2024. Afterward, the add-on will cost $9.99 a month, and is available on all tiers. The package will include live games from the MLB, NHL, NBA, U.S. Soccer, the NCAA March Madness tournament, and more. With this free preview to all paying Max customers, you will be able to enjoy most of the 2023-2024 NBA season and the MLB playoffs. This will include all games that air on TNT and TBS.
The question now is how far will DIRECTV push this fight. Recently, we saw Spectrum be willing to drop Disney-owned channels over Disney’s streaming efforts. This resulted in Disney agreeing to remove multiple Disney channels from Spectrum. DIRECTV voiced its support for that move by Spectrum, and this raises the question if a similar fight will be coming to DIRECTV and Warner Bros. Discovery soon.
Cord Cutters News has reached out to DIRECTV and Warner Bros. Discovery; no spokesperson was available at the time of this publication.