Q. I am so tired of losing channels and greedy companies who never think about us. Is there anyway to get a refund from DIRECTV for losing our ABC channel here in Orlando today? — Jenny, Orlando.
Jenny, DIRECTV this morning lost roughly 25 Cox Media-managed local channels due to a carriage dispute, and it’s unclear when they will return.
Update: AT&T & Cox Sign New Deal; Blackout Over
However, I have some good news for you. On AT&T’s TV Promise page (AT&T owns DIRECTV; the blackout also affects AT&T TV and the AT&T-owned U-verse), the company says you can get a “bill adjustment” for losing the channel. AT&T does not say how much you will receive for your ‘pain and suffering,’ but based on past experience, it will likely be $10-$20 for every month the dispute lasts. (DIRECTV customers have told me they have received a $20 credit per month in past carriage disputes.)
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You can apply for your rebate by signing in to your account at the AT&T TV Promise page.
“Affected customers can sign in to get an adjustment to your bill. It’s our thanks to you for sticking with us through this fight,” AT&T states.
This may not sound like much, but it’s better than nothing, which AT&T actually would be entitled to offer under the terms of its two-year subscriber agreements. The contracts say clearly that programming can change so AT&T is not required to provide a credit when it loses a channel in a carriage fight.
If you’re not sure if you are eligible for the refund, here’s a list of the Cox Media stations that are now blacked out due to the fee fight:
KFFX-TV (Fox, Yakima, Washington)
KYMA-TV (CBS, NBC, Yuma, Arizona)
KIEM-TV, KVIQ-TV (NBC, CBS, Eureka, California)
WSYT-TV (Fox, Syracuse, New York)
KLAX-TV (ABC, Alexandria, Louisiana)
WABG-TV (ABC, Fox, Greenwood, Mississippi)
WICZ-TV (Fox, Binghamton, New York)
KMVU-TV (Fox, Medford, Oregon)
KAYU-TV (Fox, Spokane, Washington)
WSB-TV, Channel 2 (ABC, Atlanta, GA)
WFXT-TV, Channel 25 (FOX, Boston, MA)
WSOC-TV, Channel 9 (ABC, Charlotte, NC)
WAXN-TV, Channel 64 (IND, Charlotte, NC)
WHIO-TV, Channel 7 (CBS, Dayton, OH)
WFOX-TV, Channel 30 (FOX, Jacksonville, FL)
WFOX2-TV, Channel 32 (MNT, Jacksonville, FL)
WHBQ-TV, Channel 13 (FOX, Memphis, TN)
WFTV-TV, Channel 9 (ABC, Orlando, FL)
WRDQ-TV, Channel 27 (IND, Orlando, FL)
WPXI-TV, Channel 11 (NBC, Pittsburgh, PA)
KIRO-TV, Channel 7 (CBS, Seattle, WA)
KOKI-TV, Channel 23 (FOX, Tulsa, OK)
KMYT-TV, Channel 41 (MNT, Tulsa, OK)
Jenny, hope that helps. Happy viewing, and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvpredictions.com. Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
Guess what? Businesses are in the “business” of making money. I have no issues with companies going thru the bargaining process. I believe in this matter it should go to arbitration instead of one entity withholding its broadcast. This would serve all the parties involved.