DIRECTV tonight lost approximately 60 local TV stations due to a carriage dispute with their owner, Tegna Broadcasting.
Update: DIRECTV & Tegna sign new carriage pact.
“Unfortunately, DIRECTV and AT&T U-Verse have not reached an agreement with TEGNA to keep our stations on the air,” Tegna said in a statement posted on Twitter. “As we continue negotiating in good faith, you can watch your TEGNA station on other local providers or streaming services. And we’re always free over-the-air.”
The stations have also posted notices at their web sites that their signals have been pulled from DIRECTV. (AT&T’s U-verse also lost Tegna stations in the markets it serves; AT&T owns both DIRECTV and U-verse.)
“WUSA is currently not available on DIRECTV,” reads the notice at WUSA-TV’s web site. “That means DIRECTV is taking away your access to your favorite CBS programming, including NFL football, SEC college football, The Amazing Race, NCIS, Seal Team and Young Sheldon as well as your local news, weather and sports. Consider switching to a new video provider or tell DIRECTV to bring back WUSA by calling 1-800-531-5000.”
AT&T has yet to issue a statement on the stalemate. We will update this story when and if it does.
Update: AT&T’s Twitter customer service team tweeted this tonight:
“We have every intention of getting TEGNA’s stations back as soon as possible, but the law grants TEGNA exclusive control over which homes can have their channels. We regret any inconvenience and appreciate your patience.”
Update #2; AT&T’s corporate office last night released this statement:
“In the midst of an ongoing pandemic, Tegna is demanding the largest rate increase we have ever seen and intentionally blacking out its most loyal viewers. We challenge Tegna to return its local stations immediately while we finalize a new agreement and pledge to pay Tegna retroactively whatever higher rates to which we eventually agree. We share our customers’ frustration, appreciate their patience and intend to do all we can to resolve this matter soon.”
The Tegna stations are in such large markets as Washington, D.C., San Diego, Denver, Phoenix, Tampa, New Orleans, Atlanta, Seattle, Houston, St. Louis as well as mid-size areas such as Austin, Texas, San Angelo, Texas, Macon, Georgia, and Jacksonville, Florida, among others. To see a complete list of the Tegna stations, click here.
The companies have not specified why the two sides are quarreling, but money is the usual reason behind a channel blackout. Tegna station subscribers are already voicing their anger on social media sites.
“@TEGNA “@ATT @DIRECTV Shame on you for putting your own greed above your customers. We pay a lot of money each month to watch these stations – you need to resolve it asap. This year has been tough enough,” tweeted @msbroncos.
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Unfortunate for those markets. LA where I am, Directv loses broadcast for a day and because the market is substantial, both parties resolve immediately. That’s my experience for the last 17 years. Directv is better in solving carriage issues way better than Dish. My cousin in Seattle has had Dish forc4 years and he’s moving to Directv next week. Their negotiate take weeks and sometime months. He can’t take that squabbling any longer!!!!
Unfortunately, I have to agree that DirecTV is more responsive in settling disputes but then their rates are astronomically high after the first year of thir rwo year contract. We’ve gone from DirecTV to Dish and both are dismal failures! At least DirecTV makes an effort to resolve carriage disputes. Dish (Charlie Ergen just walks away from the negotiating table…leaving customers without any options until their ironclad contracts end.
I suspect nothing is going to change for either satellite company…customers pay more but get less!
Well, does Direct TV/AT&T realize Spectrum is just a phone call away? And you can bundle as well? Channel 5 has been a go to station for years. Why can’t they give their customers the service other providers can give?
Cannot believe this. With all going on with job loss hunger pandemic Tegna wants to raise prices. Well I will cancel mine. Tegna will loose more money if they do this. Shame on you with greed in such hard times.
It’s truly sad that during a national crises, my 85-year old parents cannot watch CBS and their local news. While other companies like Statefarm are reducing their rates during this difficult time, Tegan chooses to do this. Tegan should be ashamed of themselves!
We pay way too much money to not be able to see our favorite shows
Please restore WFMY TV, Channel 2. I really miss Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. This is so unfair. Without movie theaters, TV is a huge source of entertainment.
I love how they say “and we’re always free over the air” so why should AT&T have to pay for the channels?
Directv sucks my NBC affiliate out of Buffalo NY WGRZ ch 2 is affected by this. I have Spectrum Cable although I still care. But you know what I will be watching today at 3:30pm on my Tenga affiliate on my Spectrum Cable it will be the NFL Football game between the Baltimore Ravens at the 10-0 Pittsburgh Steelers. Drop Directv today & upgrade to Spectrum Cable. When Directv drops the ball Spectrum will always have you covered
I just installed an off air antenna to watch my local channels and request to Dish a credit from them. No more issuers who is going to drops the local channels. With an off air antenna, you always will be covered.
The greed of these stations cause rate hikes with your cable and satellite companies. Wake up people, the cable companies are not at fault here. You want cheap prices for service, but these stations get money from Advertisers and from Rebroadcast fees. Ultimately we pay for it. If the stations cared about us they would make it easy to get over the air broadcasting. Instead they force us to subscribe to a package so we can pay for what is free to begin with.
True!
Cable sucks, that’s why we have satellite TV , Don’t mess with Football fans TEGNA!!
When is thv11 coming back on
This is ridiculous. Everyone has had a rough year,now they do this. Bring back the channels. No college football, no NFL games, No NCIS. Get this deal done.
Carrie:
I agree with you 1000%.
If u take a channel away then u need to drop prices .Direct Tv is too high do you have discounts for seniors?
So much politics-always a game Prices should be droppd. I pay enough for Direct.
Tegna, Inc has a monopoly as they own TV Stations affiliated to all major players, NBC, ABC and CBS. Corporate greed. Billions are made from commercials and yet we have cable or satellite services so we can receive hundreds of other channels but must pay for local stations. That is BS!!!
Greed has unfortunately taken a high priority for many individuals and businesses. They are not satisfied to be millionaires, they are taking the approach of billionaires at the expense of common, hard-working Americans! Sad!
This is terrible,especially this time of year and Covid,give us a break
Everyone is blaming the satellite companies maybe you need to look at the networks that keep raising their cost without giving you anything but garbage TV to watch.
This is ridiculous. We pay outlandish prices and they want more money , this is so not fair. We are stuck at home because of this virus now we pay for satellite and cant even watch it. What the hey. Are we still having to pay for channels we are not watching. How can we watch our favorite shows. I am ready to leave this earth soon. Jesus is coming soon and when we get to j.g eaven wont have to worry about money tv or viruses or cancer. Those left on earth are not gonna be happy with what is left.
So, are we going to get a refund for the days we don’t have Tegna? If not, we are paying for something we aren’t getting. Not fair!
There is a credit available.
They have to the end of the week to sort out their crap and if not back to cable. Hope everyone does the same and that will put an end to them.
We have already lost our local channel 8 earlier this year and now we are losing our local channel 13 due to MONEY!
With a pandemic going on I know I shouldn’t be griping about losing TV programs and am just thankful to God that I’m still alive. I got over channel 8 dropping us and I’m sure I’ll get over channel 13 as well even though I’m really going to miss my favorite shows – Ellen, Wheel of Fortune and our local news! I pray that Tegna and DIRECTV can get this resolved in a very timely manner please as we don’t have many pleasures left in life right now.
If you go to the tvpromise website DirecTV shows on the blacked out channel, they give a workaround (assuming your receiver is connected to the internet). Also was able to get a $20 credit just by signing into my account.
I feel as if I am being held hostage to monopiles AGAIN. We pay good money and are pawns when it comes this type of negotiations. I’m all for doing business but GREED, not so much.
This is a ridiculous travesty. Direct TV, you have done nothing but go up in price and offer less. This is the third time during the pandemic that I have lost programming becasue of some switcheroo you have done The only thing that was keeping me a customer was local channels. Guess it is just time to move on. TEGNA and DirectTV, shame on your greed!
What greedy bastards. During a pandemic they do this?? I’ve never wished harm to anyone but I hope karma gets them!
I THINK WE SHOULD ALL CX OUR SERVICE AT ONE TIME THEN WATCH THEM SQUIRM. IT’S NOT RIGHT. I’VE LOST 2 LOCAL CHANNELS IN FERNANDINA BEACH, FL BUT THEY DANG SURE DON’T WANT TO GIVE ME A CREDIT FOR ANYTHING. IT IS JUST FLAT OUT WRONG AND GREEDY. WHATS GOES AROUND COMES AROUND I BELIEVE THAT.
As stated this is ridiculous and so greedy. All for money and in a pandemic year. AT&T as well as tegna should be ashamed. Spectrum will get my business if not resolved soon.
If you’re lucky enough to be in a LOCAST.ORG service area, sign up and enjoy your locals while this ridiculous situation plays out!
My DirecTV contract is up in June 2021. I’m canceling and going to an OTA antenna! I’m sick and tired of these blackouts!
Actually even though directv lost those channels you can still use those channels standalone apps and use yiur directv sign in info using them as your provider and stream them live if you have a smart tv or a device that supports those apps.
Tried that. The apps require you to log in with your cable/satellite provider. The NBC sports app said “this is not part of your package”.
Who cares? I haven’t watched a local broadcast station in 7+ years. Let them go and don’t pay them!
We live in a very rural area. Channel 5 has and always will be our local channel for news a weather! Bring back our local channel. COVID has hit everyone very hard and now TEGNA is taking more away!!!! Please bring back our local channels. It’s how we keep up with what’s happening in our little part of the world!!!!!!!!!!
So sad. As a disabled senior scared to leave my home my only comfort is to fight my illnesses with NFL sports. Understanding a team effort for an outcome of success gives me hope. I’ve no spouse, children and live in California where my closest family is in Texas. My mental and physical health depends mainly on my believe in myself and my self care starts and ends with my team of practitioners who are my COACHES. Our game plan for the last 5 years was to use every and any tool to overcome all odds. I’m proud to say I’ve learned much from Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady. Gid you think I want to spent my fixed income on more medicines when my past experiences show they don’t work for my PTSD, Diabetes, Bipolar Disorder, high blood pressure and every side effect to man. Both Football and Sarcasm and an additional Entermann’s chocolate donut give my chemically imbalanced brain the life saving support. What else must we do when streaming isn’t offered in my non-affordable senior apartment complex. There’s Pandora but even my old smart tv cannot update the free service. I’m not complaining, I’m begging dont stop my healing and fail to realize I’m in the worse demographic population make it through this Pandemic which only gets more risky ever time I leave my home for the privilege of fresh air. So you see FOR ME THIS IS MY BEST LIFE SAVING HEALTHLY SOLUTION. Help me not hurt or risk being hurt by those who forget my friends in my age group are the ones who risk the most. I fear a respirator and now rely solely on the NFL to make my life manageable. Stupid no, simple as life should be. Practice the Golden Rule as I have and you will see how simple life can be. Thank you
We love DirecTV negociate, please
Please resolve your issues. If you cannot then please reimburse all losses to All customers. There should be heavy/heavier penalties for always taking and never giving back. Shameless way to run a business.
TEGNA and Directv need to end this dispute now! I want my CBS local channel back! Please get this agreement done soon!
Frankly, who cares! I can stream any NBC material that I am missing due to the loss of WKYC in Cleveland. These retransmission companies need to wake up and realize that they have very little in the way of marketable material beyond local news (which is mostly watched by people too stupid or too lazy to get the same news earlier and easier from the Internet). I haven’t watched a local news broadcast in over 10 years – it’s stale news by the time you get it – bye bye local news forever. Watched the NFL game Wednesday on the NBC sports app didn’t need Tegna – too bad retransmission losers you have nothing I want to watch. Talk shows – NO – soap operas – DOUBLE NO. So keep your supposedly “valuable” programming and shove it. I don’t care 8f you ever reach a settlement with Directv and return.
I am more than mad….I’m more than mad….I’m FURIOUS!! Seal Team is finally back on tv. I taped it and went to watch it today but instead I get this poor excuse that you haven’t been able to secure a contract with TEGNA. And whose fault is that? Certainly not me the paying customer!! This negotiating should have been months ago so the customer isn’t inconvenienced! I know this doesn’t happen with cable tv!! I put up with losing some of the shows I had when we signed up. I put up with the tv going out when the wind was no stronger than a fart! The only reason we kept DirectTV was because we had purchased the football package. You can bet when football season is over so is DirectTV!!!
we pay for cable and are bombarded with 8 commercials every 8-10 min..back in the day we paid for cable so we’d have more channels w/o commercials..sirious xm radio is a good example..Cable co’s make so much $ …….Truly SAD….
It’s totally appalling to me how the stations can be so greedy at such a difficult time. They want us to stay in our homes but when many of your favorite programs aren’t being shown, it makes it even more difficult to just sit around and do nothing! They should be thinking a little beyond the almighty dollar. Do a little humanitarianism…..give us a break!
As a just retired AT&T employee I received $10 a month Direct TV while working. But, once retired they give you a whopping 20% which brings the price down to $142. (WOW). Would it break them to give us $10 Tv for the rest of our shortened life from all the stress they put us threw!!!!!!
A bunch of spoiled rich people arguing over money. Boycott tenga, cbs, and directv. We should all unite and bankrupt these whiny sob’s. A bunch of multi millionaires quarreling over their next pocket change that they can blow on hookers and drugs. Screw these rich ass losers.
The worst part about this is having a parent with dementia on his last days not understanding why his channel 8 will not work and that is all he wants! Poor hospice nurse has to hear about it over and over. Give the elderly their TV back. It is all they have that is familiar.
World War two all over again we can’t watch TV go to beach being controlled on everything Hitler is back is this America or China Germany I’m confused
Well this infuriates me. I’m missing one of the cornerstones of a TV package (NBC). This is not ESPN8. I really feel like this is Breach of Contract on Directv’s part. I made a 2-year commitment to them at a set price for a set of services. I should be able to cancel their service immediately without fear of my credit score going from 825 to 550 overnight. Not to mention the collection agencies etc.
Just got off the phone with Customer Retention. They offered a whopping $20, but I declined as I’m sure that would eliminate any “out” clause that may exist since they are not providing the service any more. They tell me that Directv DOES NOT GUARANTEE any channels and that we are paying for the “service”. But if that is the case, then why do they charge higher prices for the upgraded packages. PLUS….EVERY SINGLE PACKAGE INCLUDES NBC.
If there is a consumer finance lawyer on this thread, I’d love to see if my argument holds water.
Ever since AT&T bought Direct tv it has been a downhill ride since! I had forecast that the prices would go up and the service level would go down when AT&T bought Direct tv. I also feel like that they violated our agreement! The customer service is the worst, call them and you get a Middle East person with an accent that that is impossible to understand! I wish the people that design “their customer service” would have to use it!
But my revenge is quick! I will change tv providers now!
SO TIRED OF THIS B.S.
Actually, it’s ok to not have the stations. Everything is available somewhere else if one really needs to view those channels. Direct tv should refund a part of our costs but they won’t. Just a other bunch of liberal crap on those stations.
This is really wrong , I’m disabled and very stressful , You’ll rich people make it hard for poor people need a refund SMH
Greedy SOBs….keep your damn stations….hope you lose business on top of what you are cancelling.
Free over the air if you don’t live in the mountains. If I could get channels over the air, I would not be paying for Direct TV.
This is absolutely selfish. Everyone is right what has been said, Money hungry greedy business people. They are as bad as Congress right now. Can not get along to work anything out and we the average hard working citizens are the ones who suffer.
I live in a very remote area. I can not get cable satellite is my only option. NBC is the primary channel that I watch. I miss the Today Show that I have watched every morning for 40 years. With all of these customers not able to watch won’t their ratings go down. Can’t they help negotiate.
Please do something immediately.
This is SO cruel!! There is a freakin’ pandemic going on. People are stuck at home and TV is a possible outlet to us senior citizens!!! There are people and corporations finding way to help other, NOT HURT them,!, come on!! Do you people even have a heart or give a flying fig about your customers and what is going on?
Ditch Tegna. The stations still need ad revenue to exist. ABC/Disney – FOX CBS…. They too need the station to be broadcast. Tegna’s greed is not for them to feed either.
The NFL will need their games broadcast too. Ditch Tegna
This is truly a lack of customer service on the part of DirectTV towards it base base who pay dearly for service. Your CFO should be removed , replaced with someone with leadership qualities. I hope this is resolved soon or you are forcing many of us to look elsewhere as well as Spectrum. Explain that to your stockholders!
Tegna and DTV are to blame – figure it out! North Florida has been without almost a week. A lot of programming has been missed and the people that I talk to are miffed at both. Wonderful time to put the consumer in the middle while during a pandemic.
It is definitely a travesty that this company’s greed is stopping me from watching football tonight. Actually I have been denied twice from the same company. Because I have at&t u-verse which is owned by AT&T. I can’t even get NFL Network. I loved having Direct-tv. But because of rules, and out standing fees from my apartments complex I can’t afford direct- tv. How much more money does these huge companies need?? I’m extremely upset that America has become such a greedy, non caring country.
I am fed up with AT&T U-VERSE. To date we have lost seven local channels on U-VERSE. The consumer is the one that loses in this case and there is little any one person can do about it. I think a class action lawsuit and some changes in FCC regulations are in order to make a change favourable to the AT&T subscriber. We do need access to our local TV stations. Sometimes the inside TV antenna does not work well with a digital signal, you either get a good picture or get nothing. AT&T suggests to use their app Locast, it doesn’t work on our system since Locast is not avail where we live, thanks for nothing AT&T. Everyone is not able to have an outdoor antenna installed at their home or business. We are still being charged for the stations we can no longer receive. I feel like firing AT&T and dropping U-VERSE, internet connection and phones. So much for brand loyalty.
We pay way too much money to not be able to see our favorite shows; CBS is a channel that I have been watching for years. Consumers should not have to go through this ordeal. Consumers pay astronomical prices for local stations and cable stations. Please negotiate and give us back our programming.
Just resolve the issue. We signed up for this channel and expect it to be there.
As soon as the NFL Sunday Ticket is available with other providers, I plan to end my long frustrated relationship with DirecTV high prices, poor customer service, and rain fade!!
Well this will probably solidify my previous thoughts of leaving Direct-TV- which in conjunction with higher rates and failing to give its loyal customers the same rates as new transfers… poor policy. not to mention ATT support to political policies which are contrary to the US Constitution and beliefs of a majority of the citizens. Globalism fails the American people again.
Peace to all.
At this time of strife, we have lost so much.
Our losses of lives, isolation,increased fighting,
and disrespect are dominating….to but state a few happenings.
TV helps keep us informed and keep our minds
occupied during this tragic pandemic.
Tegna please come to an agreement soon.
Money is important to all of course…..it’s business! We the people keep your business
going. At this time, our programs to be given back. Do you have to really turn off shows?
Can’t deals be made other ways.
Your executives or who runs the company
must be intelligent or they wouldn’t be there.
Consider the thoughts of these days….
We are in it together……the strife of our lives.
PEACE…….help !
Why do you people constantly shut down channel five in our locality in Ft Smith and or NWA, I only use this stupid television to watch local weather with a weatherman I like and Newsman I don’t.
+Among a slew of issues confronting the incoming administration is the performance of the FCC and its antipathy towards consumers, who are the ultimate deciders in the war over advertizer revenue. The loss of network and local affiliates have cost the providers and the carriers millions in lost “eyeballs” for commercials, to say nothing of those advertizing executives whose clients have lost trust in the results of negotiations, the costs of commercials already not available for broadcast and the future of advertizing packages based on good faith commitments.Carriers have indicated their agreements to make any settlements on rates retroactive. Here is where the CEO must also agree to refund or extend credit to customers who have lost programming. And while you are at it, how about allow me to opt out of the dozens of shopping and infomercial programs that clutter my tier? That’s what the FCC should be targeting. My choice of entertainment should not compel me to subsidize and underwrite profit-making enterprises for the few who can feed their addictions by other means. .
This may be the last straw for me with AT&T. I was already thinking about leaving over the lack of a few important channels on their lowest tier package now I can’t even watch Wheel Of Fortune.
This whole thing is crap!
Please give me back channel 8. Thank you
This a shame, I pay a whole lot of money not to se my local channel, really this is an insult, what if all not paid our bills or start reading books or newspapers, where would they be then. Get it together people.
Here we are, December 9th and still no cbs. I thought directv was better at negotiating so we only lose our channels for a day or two. Come on, we pay a lot of money monthly to watch the channels we want. Please get this taken care of.
People should teach at&t which owns tegan A hard reality by leaving all their services and go with others. Problem solved!
On the verge of leaving Direct TV…..Ridiculous in this day and age. Negotiate behind the scenes, not the expense of your viewers!
Unbelievable, that a large company like AT&T let this happen. The company knew that the deadline was coming and did nothing to fix it. If this problem is not resolved soon I’ll be calling Spectrum!
I love how we have lost NBC for more than 2 weeks now. Then we lost our satellite signal for a couple of days due to a storm and had lost all but a few channels. We received our Directv bill yesterday and there was no reduction in our bill. I long for the days when we had 3 channels!!!
No Sunday foot ball,,,,,, Spectrum monday….
Only ATT would allow this to happen and I do say allow as that is what occurred hence the word negotiate is being used by them translating into greed into larger profits. Like they have not seen a larger profit this year with home offices. Oh my the residential customer is who is being annoyed here not the commercial customer so lets keep it separate for now…. I have been with Uverse since 2007 and do not appreciate this Holiday surprise get this dispute resolved or say goodbye to what you consider your customer overload that you do not wish to PAY attention to. You have taken away regular local programing sports religion news to name a few important things and notifications of health and some peoples means of obtaining assistance during a pandemic…Nice
Not happy Tegna. Missing Raiders game right now. Will be purchasing antenna tomorrow so you will not be getting any more money from me greedy fools!
Let’s be real, directv is long go. It’s AT&T now. They are trying to sell directv. They do not want to run directv any more its a money pit. With in the Ned of
This is a disgrace. I am looking into other alternatives. I thought the never ending political ads would be the worst thing that could happen…Ha! I was looking forward to watching the last episodes of Jeopardy that Alex Trebek taped before he passed away. Doesn’t look like that will happen. Thanks for nothing AT&T. You might have just shot yourself in the foot.
Brenda, I agrees with you. Jeopardy is one of my favorite programs and I REALLY wanted to see the last shows with the icon, Alex Trebek. ATT&T needs to step up and take care of it’s customers. It’s not like they’re going broke for goodness sake. Their customers deserve better than this.
Get this resolved or give me a refund of part of my DirecTV monthly charge. You are causing me to miss some of my favorite programs — top of the list is Jeopardy. I am NOT HAPPY with ATT&T over this!!!
It doesn’t make sense that iPad all this money too watch TV and can’t watch what you want to i might be looking for new services