Skipper: ESPN On Path to Dish Renewal

Bristol, Conn. -- The Walt Disney Co.'s carriage contract with Dish Network expires at the end of September, but John Skipper is optimistic the programmer will reach a renewal with the No. 2 DBS provider.

Skipper, president of ESPN, Inc. and co-chairman of Disney Media Networks, said "you're never confident until midnight," but the parties have been engaged in "very constructive discussions and it's clear we're on a path to get a deal done."

Skipper, speaking at lunch with reporters at ESPN Media Day at the company's headquarters here Wednesday, added that ESPN has not had a public issue with a distributor for a long time, and it's "our preference to keep it that way."

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