DISH vs Disney Advertising

DISH Teams Up with United Airlines to Provide Live Football at 35,000 Feet

Passengers on United airplanes with Starlink-enabled seatback screens have access to live college and pro football games starting this week across ...

Sling TV's Future Uncertain After DISH Bankruptcy Filing

Sling TV — one of the first over‑the‑top live multichannel services, launched February 9, 2015 — faces an uncertain future after its parent’s prepackaged Chapter 11 filing. DISH DBS Corporation (an EchoStar subsidiary) filed for Chapter 11 on June 30, 2026 after a delay in closing a large spectrum sale to AT&T left the company short of cash to repay $2 billion in notes. Sling peaked near 2.6 million subscribers around 2020 but reported 1.707 million subscribers as of the end of June 2026. The restructuring aims to clean the balance sheet and wind down DISH’s wireless build; industry observers expect EchoStar may consider selling or spinning off DISH satellite and Sling assets once the process concludes.

• Sling TV launched on February 9, 2015 as an over‑the‑top live multichannel television service in the U.S.
• Sling reported 1.707 million subscribers as of the end of June 2026, down from a peak near 2.6 million around 2020.
• On June 30, 2026, DISH DBS Corporation (an EchoStar subsidiary) filed a prepackaged Chapter 11 case in Houston.

Dish May Lose Hearst Local Channels Tonight

Dish and Hearst Television Inc. face a retransmission consent renewal deadline on August 19 at 7:00 p.m. ET; if they fail to reach an agreement, Dish customers could lose Hearst-owned local affiliates carrying ABC, NBC, CBS and The CW in multiple U.S. markets. The article lists many affected local stations and markets and notes a similar 2023 dispute produced a two-month blackout. The piece also references that Dish filed for bankruptcy on June 30, 2026, while stating the company says it is operating as usual during the process.

• Dish faces a retransmission consent renewal deadline with Hearst Television Inc. on August 19 at 7:00 p.m. ET.
• If no deal is reached, Dish customers could lose Hearst-owned local channels including ABC, NBC, CBS, and The CW in multiple U.S. markets.
• A 2023 renegotiation between Dish and Hearst previously resulted in a two-month blackout.

NFL Ads Outperform Primetime, But Audience Metrics Questioned

New data from EDO shows NFL regular-season ads generate the impact of 73 typical primetime ads, with playoff ads delivering 172 primetime ads' impact. However, fragmented distribution across broadcast and streaming complicates audience measurement, as analysts like Dan Rayburn highlight discrepancies in metrics like total audience delivery and average minute audience. EDO's analysis of 1,443 on-screen sponsorships reveals variations by category and format, with halftime studio shows performing best. Marketers are advised to use outcomes data alongside audience figures to evaluate NFL ad investments.

• EDO measured every national TV ad during the 2025-26 NFL season and found regular-season NFL ads performed 15% better year over year versus primetime benchmarks.
• Playoff NFL ads delivered the impact of 172 primetime ads, and Super Bowl spots matched 1,455 primetime ads.
• EDO analyzed 1,443 on-screen sponsorships across 79 nationally televised NFL games.

Disney Germany ramps up content and rebrands TV channel

The Walt Disney Company is intensifying its presence in Germany with a renewed slate of local programming for Disney+ and a rebranding of its free-to-air channel. After a long gap in German originals, Disney+ will launch three local shows in quick succession—the dystopian vampire series City of Blood (Sept 16), the reality soap Yacht Deals Monaco (two weeks later) and the historical dramedy Vienna Game (in November). The article notes the departure of Benjamina Mirnik-Voges, VP Original Productions for Disney+ in the German-speaking region, whose role remains unfilled. At the Screenforce Festival, Disney announced that the Disney Channel will be renamed Disney TV by year-end to position the linear channel as a broader showcase for paid Disney+ content and to unlock additional advertising budgets via Disney Advertising in Germany while keeping restrictions around children's programming.

• Walt Disney Company will roll out three German-language projects on Disney+: City of Blood (starts 16 September), Yacht Deals Monaco (two weeks later), and Vienna Game (scheduled for November).
• Benjamina Mirnik-Voges, VP Original Productions for Disney+ in the German-speaking region, left the company and her position has not been refilled.
• Disney announced at the Screenforce Festival that the Disney Channel in Germany will be rebranded to Disney TV at year-end—the first channel globally with that branding.

The Bear Drives New Ad Demand for Disney Shows

The Bear’s fifth and final season has continued the series’ strong commercial performance, with sponsorship packages selling out and revenue rising season over season, according to John Campbell, SVP of entertainment and streaming solutions at Disney Advertising. Season 5 debuted on June 25 on Hulu and Disney+. The show’s breakout success since 2022 has shifted advertiser behavior: brands that once waited to sponsor freshman shows are now eager to secure integrations and partnerships tied to The Bear, and its cultural influence extends beyond the on‑screen story to broader marketing opportunities for FX and Disney.

• The Bear is in its fifth and final season.
• Season 5 of The Bear debuted on June 25, 2026 on Hulu and Disney+.
• The series has regularly sold out its sponsorships each year and increased revenue season after season, per John Campbell of Disney Advertising.