Carriage deal set to expire

The Disney Media Networks Group is warning subscribers to FiOS that they could lose access to several TV networks unless a new carriage deal is reached.

Negotiations are said to be ongoing. The current deal expires at the end of the month

The affected channels include the ABC stations in New York and Philadelphia, ESPN, Freeform and kids networks including The Disney Channel.

Disney is expected to run ads on those channels beginning Wednesday morning. The ads focus on the upcoming college football championship playoff games that will appear on ESPN along with an upcoming NFL wild card playoff game and local news.

“Our proven history of providing extraordinary value to consumers and distributors is unmatched. Our negotiations continue in earnest and we remain optimistic that we can reach a deal,” Disney said in a statement.

In its statement, FiOS said: “We are actively negotiating with Disney to ensure the best deal for our customers.”