Has Direct TV dropped NBC and ABC channels from their lineup?

[Hawkee]

This morning while I was channel surfing I discovered something unusual. I noticed that Direct TV no longer has ABC and NBC channels on their lineup and I would like to know if anyone had noticed this change today? Until this surprising change I had always thought that ABC and NBC were important channels on cable because they are local channels. Did Direct TV no longer pay the local NBC and ABC stations enough money to be part of the lineup? Because Mom and I did not see a warning announcement about this change and will Direct TV put ABC and NBC back on the lineup or replace them with other channels?
Bestie

[noveel]

Hearst has pulled their stations from DirecTV

[Hawkee]

Thank you for your reply Noveel I wonder why Hearst decided to pull their NBC and ABC stations from Direct TV? I am curious to know why they did this. Also what stations will replace NBC and ABC? I hope it's a great channel like MeTV or Antenna TV or even BuzzrTV
Bestie

[tlc38tlc38]

I still have ABC and NBC on my directv.

[robyrob]

that's weird - in our area they kept telling us that Dish and DirectTV would no longer be carrying local CBS channels in our area as of Jan 1 at 3am

I am not a Dish or DirectTV customer so I don't know what happened yet...


I think cable & satellite companies need to go with a more "ala carte" system where people can choose to pay for these channels/groups and carriage fees would be reflected by how many people actually want these channels.

My bill went up $20 per month when they had a fight with the local NBS channel over these carriage fees - and there is no way NBC is worth that much per month.

[tlc38tlc38]

^ NBC is basically the only channel that I watch because of "Days of our Lives" and that's the station in my area that airs "Wheel of Fortune". I'd be lost without NBC but I wouldn't miss ABC any.

[tlc38tlc38]

This type of thing has sadly become the norm with certain channels when their contracts with the cable/satellite providers expire. They want to renegotiate for more money leaving the subscribers to pick up the tab.

It's not actually the cable/satellite providers fault this happens, the channel itself is 100% to blame.

[TVFactFan]

Please do everything you can to get rid of Directv. It sounds like it doesn't care customers entertainment needs

[TVFactFan]

When a satellite is removing a network channel you have to get rid of **** ASAP

[Patty Duke]

Originally Posted by LaBestia

This morning while I was channel surfing I discovered something unusual. I noticed that Direct TV no longer has ABC and NBC channels on their lineup and I would like to know if anyone had noticed this change today? Until this surprising change I had always thought that ABC and NBC were important channels on cable because they are local channels. Did Direct TV no longer pay the local NBC and ABC stations enough money to be part of the lineup? Because Mom and I did not see a warning announcement about this change and will Direct TV put ABC and NBC back on the lineup or replace them with other channels?
Bestie

About 33 Hearst Television stations in 28 markets went dark to DirecTV customers at midnight on Jan.1, as retransmission consent negotiations between the two broke down.



The blackout shouldn’t come as a surprise – Hearst has been warning viewers that an impasse was likely as early as Dec. 27.



DirecTV and AT&T U-verse customers in about 28 markets like Boston (ABC affiliate WCVB); Pittsburgh (ABC affiliate WTAE); New Orleans (NBC affiliate WDSU); Baltimore (NBC affiliate WBAL); Louisville, Ky. (CBS affiliate WLKY); and Orlando, Fla. (NBC affiliate WESH), will be without those stations as talks continue.



In a statement on its station websites, Hearst pointed out that it has a history of successful retrans negotiations with no disruption to viewers.



“Unfortunately, the DirecTV negotiating team is seeking the right to carry our stations at below market rates, which is neither fair nor reasonable given the significant investments we have made to deliver top tier programming to our viewers,” said WLKY president and general manager Glenn Haygood in a statement. “We regret the inconvenience DirecTV’s demands have imposed on its subscribers, and we will keep you fully informed of developments.”



DirecTV also lost access to about 14 Cox Media properties in 10 markets, including Atlanta, Charlotte, N.C.; Seattle and Tulsa, Okla., on Jan.1 after its carriage deal expired.



In a statement, Cox Media EVP of Television Jane Williams said talks continue.



“Negotiations continue, and we expect this disruption to be brief considering that every other pay-TV provider has come to reasonable terms with CMG,” Williams said in a statement. We have made ourselves available twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week to get this deal done.”



“We want to get our customers’ usual local broadcast stations back into their lineups and share their frustration," DirecTV parent AT&T said in a statement. "Hearst Television is preventing its local signals from reaching DirecTV customers’ homes in 26 different cities unless Hearst receives a significant increase in fees just to allow those same families to watch shows available for free over-the-air and that the broadcast networks typically make available for free online and through new digital apps. Hearst has suspended its stations briefly from other TV providers’ customers before, so we appreciate our DirecTV customers’ patience as we work to resolve this matter quickly and reasonably.”

http://www.multichannel.com/news/net...directv/409900

[DJM77]

Fox and CW were both missing from Dish because of negotiations for several months last year, but they finally came back.

[TVFactFan]

Guess I should be thankful to have Comcast

[Coffeecup]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

Guess I should be thankful to have Comcast

Yeah same with me, I have Comcast too.

[PhoenixAcres]

I've never understood why satellite providers have such an aversion to including local channels and subchannels. I know you can attach an actual antenna to your TV but that seems like such a waste if you're already paying for satellite service, plus you don't want to keep switching inputs on your TV to see local channels. This is one case where cable TV is superior and I have to give them credit for that.

[TVFactFan]

I can't believe that I used to be sad because I could not get Satellite TV