Update #3 – AT&T and Viacom announce they have signed a new deal. See here for details.
Q. I am a DIRECTV subscriber and I am worried about all these warnings that I will lose a bunch of channels tonight like MTV and Comedy Central. Do you think we will lose them tonight? — Melanie, Chincoteague, Virginia.
Update: As of 5:50 am ET on Saturday, the companies have not made an announcement regarding the talks. However, the channels are still on DIRECTV.
Update #2: Still nothing new at 7:15 pm ET on Saturday. Parties presumably still talking; channels still on.
Update #3 – As of Sunday at 10:15 am ET, still nothing new. But the channels are still on DIRECTV, albeit with warnings they could be removed at some point.
Melanie, DIRECTV, which is owned by AT&T, stands to lose 23 Viacom-owned channels tonight at midnight unless AT&T signs a new carriage agreement with the aforementioned Viacom. The list of channels that could be blacked out on both DIRECTV and AT&T’s U-verse include MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, VH1, BET and TV Land, among many others.
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As these disputes normally go, Viacom is fighting over how much DIRECTV and U-verse should pay to carry the channels. But this particular carriage argument perhaps is more complicated and intense because all parties involved are battling for their very survival.
Viacom, which has seen its stock fall in recent days due to the dispute, is concerned the value of its channels is shrinking because pay TV providers are increasingly less likely to pay what they demand in carriage fees. And DIRECTV and U-verse are in the anxiety zone because both are rapidly losing subscribers to cord-cutting and less-expensive live streaming services. The providers want to cut their program acquisition fees to offset the subscriber defections, but at the same time, they are worried that the loss of the Viacom channels could lead to even more sub losses.
Consequently, how this plays out could become a blueprint for how DIRECTV, U-verse and Viacom operate in the coming months, and perhaps years.
Because the dispute has so much at stake, I suspect AT&T, which negotiates carriage deals for DIRECTV and U-verse, and Viacom will agree late tonight to a temporary extension in their existing pact. Never underestimate corporate America’s inclination to kick problems down the road rather than face them head-on.
Of course, this wouldn’t solve the problem permanently. So in the coming weeks, I think you’ll eventually see a blackout of the Viacom channels when the companies realize they simply can’t reach a deal. How long will it last? I can’t say, but AT&T appears ready to play hard ball so it could be awhile, if not forever.
Yes, forever. It would not surprise me if AT&T decided that both TV services can survive without Viacom. I’m not saying that’s a wise decision, but it could happen.
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Don’t you think it is about time these Companies are regulated ?
It would be in the best interest for everyone.
TV pricing is complete out of control.
There is NO reason for these HIGH Prices.
Do it the OLD way, let them make their money from the commercials
Viacom channels are crap…We have 20+ of them on Charter, and I don’t watch any one of them. I don’t need (or want to pay for) several BET, MTV, and Nick spinoffs. I was hoping Charter would bow up back in 2018 and tell Viacom where to go, but unfortunately signed a new contract with them.
Time to cancel my DirecTV. Viacom channels are just about all I watch. I particularly love Nick@Nite but also watch a lot of Comedy Central. My 7 year old watches Nickelodeon when he comes over. I’ve been thinking about cutting the cord anyways and this will make it an easier decision.
You pay an outrageous amount for their service and pick a package based on the channels they provide and then they cancel them. Seems like a breach of contract with them. They don’t care about their customers, every one they lose, two more come back
Why is it saying that Nickelodeon and 23 channels are being taken away? We want to keep these channels on direct tv
time to get a roku and cut the cord your can get apps on the roku . I use Sling TV on my roku pay $30 a month . Check it out . All you need is to have a ROKU for each TV you have , which is a one time cost of about $40 to $100 for each roku you buy .. . Then all you pay is the fee that is charged for which service you get . I pay $30 a month and get sling tv on all 3 of my TV’s ..There are other tv services on the ROKU too. Check it out start saving money now …
well I’m not worried about if y’all drop TV channels or whatever and raise prices because I will shut mine down. See I got control over that, I’m not going to keep giving you all money making you all rich and y’all keep feeding us this BS you know y’all arguing over nothing. all the stations that y’all have we can see on regular TV, and it cost nothing this is BS you ought to be glad that we are willing to pay for stuff we already seen half the stuff that’s on this DirecTV is garbage. just like Time Warner all y’all need to go away you know it’s just something to do because there’s only a couple of stations that I watch and I’m not going to keep giving you all my money to keep dropping stations. This is crazy everybody want control what you need to be doing is asking the consumers that’s get got you all in this position where you can show this stuff that’s what y’all are to ask because if we stop paying for what you all won’t have nowhere to go in the mornings.ask us what we want the faithful pairs the faithful Lookers asked was what we want it ain’t about you all it’s about the consumer we paying fleet the stuff we plan to keep this stuff going if we stop paying for it where you are going to do.
They are already over charging the customers every one should just find another solution Congress needs to regulate theses companies so when they feel like it they say increase the bill the consumers have to live just like those rich executives the average subscriber is paying almost 200.00 a month ask me how I know