AT&T declines deal to keep local channels on DirecTV, U-verse, Nexstar claims

[TMC]

https://www.fiercevideo.com/video/at...irectv-u-verse

AT&T is embroiled in a massive carriage dispute and broadcast channel blackout with Nexstar Media, which said that AT&T declined its offer for a carriage extension.

Last week, AT&T’s pay TV services including DirecTV, DirecTV Now and U-verse, lost more than 120 stations available to consumers and viewers in 97 markets across the United States. The blackouts came after AT&T and Nexstar failed to reach a new retransmission consent agreement for the channels.

Nexstar said it offered an unconditional extension of the existing distribution agreement until August 2 but AT&T declined.

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"Contrary to AT&T’s public statements, Nexstar in no way pulled its stations or asked for their removal from AT&T/DirecTV’s DirecTV, U-verse or DirecTV Now platforms. Nexstar is also reiterating its offer of an unconditional extension of the existing distribution agreement for 30 days to restore the blacked-out programming to viewers and allow the parties to reach a new agreement,” Nexstar said in a statement issued Friday.

AT&T said that it offered Nexstar more money to keep the channels available, but that the broadcast group declined.

“Nexstar simply said no, and elected to remove them instead. Nexstar has chosen to hold our customers hostage and put them into the center of its negotiations. This is the same old Nexstar playbook. They pull or threaten to pull their signals from customers of many distributors to increase fees for “free TV” stations that far exceed their value. They’ve done it to Cox Cable, DISH and Charter Spectrum and now to us,” AT&T said in a statement.

Perhaps not coincidentally, the dust-up between AT&T and Nexstar comes just one week after AT&T invested $500,000 in Locast, a free service that offers streaming access to local broadcast channels. In a news release, AT&T said that the donation is meant to support Locast’s “mission to make free broadcast content available to consumers and offer them more choice.”

About one month prior to the investment, AT&T announced that it is integrating Locast’s service into its pay TV platforms.

[Yong Fang]

I returned back home from overseas to see my parents in Memphis. I notice the OP is also from Memphis because I recognize the newscasters.

Second day I am home, sitting in the living room waiting to watch Dr. Phil when I learned of this nonsense. It really annoys me no end. Actually there are only two shows I want to watch this summer on TV, Dr Phil and a local TV wrestling program (Jerry Lawler Championship Wrestling) on Saturdays. Neither show am I allowed to access because of this bulli*****.

It is two local channels, the ABC affiliate (Ch. 24) and an independent station (Ch. 30). The CBS, NBC, and FOX work plus the rest of the thousand or so worthless stations ATT offers. I am not exaggerating by much about the cesspool of garbage on ATT, probably 6 good channels out of literally 400, and a lot of the stations that have something I like I have to pay an extra “fee” on. Now you know if and when I move back to the USA, I refuse to pay for TV. I will pay for internet but it would be through these SOB companies which will have three different “packages” and charge me more for just internet than internet and TV.

Not to mention ironically that the only station I like for local news is Channel 24 with Richard Ransom (the lower guy in the original post). I would think Channel 24 would be really angry about this, since their news show is low rated (Memphis likes the CBS and NBC affiliate and have for decades) plus 24 and 30 losing advertisement revenue. Not to mention that Dr Phil is probably their highest rated daytime show.

To me it is just greed from this Nexstar company. This is why TV SUCKS NOW. Telecommunication companies are just evil. Seriously. These is the office address and phone number of these clowns. Call them. Spread the message. Let’s jam their phone line and clog their fax.

NEXSTAR CORPORATE OFFICE
545 E. John Carpenter Freeway
Suite 700
Irving, TX 75062
PHONE
(972) 373-8800
FAX
(972) 373-8888

Rant over!

[Schmo]

I’m glad we switched back to our local cable provider last year.

[Greenbeans]

You can buy a cheap antenna on Amazon or Walmart for less than $20.00 and access local channels that way. I completely cut Cable and Direct TV and just use that and a Roku to get Hulu. I get a lot of free channels with the antenna -and Roku- not just the major networks.

[Schmo]

Originally Posted by Greenbeans

You can buy a cheap antenna on Amazon or Walmart for less than $20.00 and access local channels that way. I completely cut Cable and Direct TV and just use that and a Roku to get Hulu. I get a lot of free channels with the antenna -and Roku- not just the major networks.

I used channelchecker.com to see what stations are available with the antenna - just some local stations, MeTV, and Cozi TV. Maybe enough to keep me satisfied, but not Mom.

[Greenbeans]

That's interesting. It must depend on where you live. I pick up 20+ channels with the antenna alone. Everything is on there - western channel, sci-fi channel, cooking, Laff, Antenna, METV 3 PBS stations, etc.

[Schmo]

I live in small-town Mississippi.

[Greenbeans]

Originally Posted by Schmo

I live in small-town Mississippi.

Maybe that is it. I live in Baltimore and the antenna is even able to pick up D.C. stations.

[TSMIV]

It must depend on where you live.

Yes. It's totally dependent on where you are located. Small town doesn't have as much to do with it as terrain and trees. My NBC affiliate has been out since July 3rd due to this Nexstar situation. DirecTV will send you a Local Channel Connector kit, but the antenna that comes with it is worthless. A better antenna will work with the connector.

[mandyrenee]

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

I returned back home from overseas to see my parents in Memphis. I notice the OP is also from Memphis because I recognize the newscasters.

Second day I am home, sitting in the living room waiting to watch Dr. Phil when I learned of this nonsense. It really annoys me no end. Actually there are only two shows I want to watch this summer on TV, Dr Phil and a local TV wrestling program (Jerry Lawler Championship Wrestling) on Saturdays. Neither show am I allowed to access because of this bulli*****.

It is two local channels, the ABC affiliate (Ch. 24) and an independent station (Ch. 30). The CBS, NBC, and FOX work plus the rest of the thousand or so worthless stations ATT offers. I am not exaggerating by much about the cesspool of garbage on ATT, probably 6 good channels out of literally 400, and a lot of the stations that have something I like I have to pay an extra “fee” on. Now you know if and when I move back to the USA, I refuse to pay for TV. I will pay for internet but it would be through these SOB companies which will have three different “packages” and charge me more for just internet than internet and TV.

Not to mention ironically that the only station I like for local news is Channel 24 with Richard Ransom (the lower guy in the original post). I would think Channel 24 would be really angry about this, since their news show is low rated (Memphis likes the CBS and NBC affiliate and have for decades) plus 24 and 30 losing advertisement revenue. Not to mention that Dr Phil is probably their highest rated daytime show.

To me it is just greed from this Nexstar company. This is why TV SUCKS NOW. Telecommunication companies are just evil. Seriously. These is the office address and phone number of these clowns. Call them. Spread the message. Let’s jam their phone line and clog their fax.

NEXSTAR CORPORATE OFFICE
545 E. John Carpenter Freeway
Suite 700
Irving, TX 75062
PHONE
(972) 373-8800
FAX
(972) 373-8888

Rant over!

I don't really know who to blame in this matter. AT&T says it's Nexstar's fault and Nexstar says it's AT&T's fault.

[stevea]

Which is exactly how these things always go.

I normally can't stand cable companies, but I'm always on their side in these things. It's totally ridiculous that they are (and, obviously, WE are) charged for "free" over the air signals. So not only are the local channels paid for all their ads, they are also paid (by us) for their content.

The cable companies (and former Telcos which are now in that business) should form a consortium to resist these ripoffs.

[Zoneboy]

Originally Posted by Schmo

I used channelchecker.com to see what stations are available with the antenna - just some local stations, MeTV, and Cozi TV. Maybe enough to keep me satisfied, but not Mom.

Channel Checker is a joke. I entered my location and it only showed the channels I could receive in my local market (Greensboro, NC) It didn't mention any channels from outside that area such as Charlotte & Raleigh. It said I had 21 available channels using an amplified antenna. I have an indoor model and I get an average of 35 from Greensboro & Charlotte. Raleigh is about the same distance as Charlotte, but I can't get anything from that area. The Charlotte channels have their best signals at night which can probably be resolved once I get an outdoor antenna.

[mandyrenee]

Originally Posted by stevea

Which is exactly how these things always go.

I normally can't stand cable companies, but I'm always on their side in these things. It's totally ridiculous that they are (and, obviously, WE are) charged for "free" over the air signals. So not only are the local channels paid for all their ads, they are also paid (by us) for their content.

The cable companies (and former Telcos which are now in that business) should form a consortium to resist these ripoffs.

We lost our local ABC affiliate due to this feud with Nexstar and AT&T.

It seems to me that none of these companies should be allowed to remove any of the local channels. There should be a law stating that no local channels can be removed from a cable/satellite channel line up IMO. Especially since they are free over the air channels.

[TSMIV]

It seems to me that none of these companies should be allowed to remove any of the local channels. There should be a law stating that no local channels can be removed from a cable/satellite channel line up IMO.

There sort of is a law, but it's complicated:

Must-carry is a privilege given to television stations, not a cable company. A cable company cannot use must-carry to demand the right to carry an over-the-air station against the station's wishes.

As the cable and satellite companies get bigger and bigger due to mergers, this stuff is going to happen more often. Nexstar thinks they can get a king's ransom out of AT&T because they are a HUGE company. DirecTV ought to just turn on some other market's network affiliates for those affected by the outages.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by mandyrenee

We lost our local ABC affiliate due to this feud with Nexstar and AT&T.

It seems to me that none of these companies should be allowed to remove any of the local channels. There should be a law stating that no local channels can be removed from a cable/satellite channel line up IMO. Especially since they are free over the air channels.

Hey everyone, I know this isn't exactly antenna related but it is related to the high cost of cable and satellite service. Nexstar media group owns 170 local TV stations nationwide and is trying to jack up their rates on DirecTV and is spinning the story claiming DirecTV "removed" the channels. Here's an example of it below:
https://www.easttexasmatters.com/new...ue-to-directv/