TV Answer Man, you’ve been writing about the programming fights on TV for a long time. What is your best guess for when the Verizon and Nexstar fight will end? If you think it will last a long time, I have to consider another TV service!! — Pete, Providence, Rhode Island.
Pete, Verizon FiOS on Saturday morning (October 15) lost 13 local Nexstar-owned TV stations in a carriage dispute between the companies.
Nexstar says the blackout affects nearly three million Verizon customers in 11 markets, including New York City, Philadelphia, Providence, and Buffalo. In addition to the local stations, Verizon has lost the Nexstar-owned News Nation channel. (You can see a list of the affected stations and markets here.)
The two companies are arguing over how much Verizon should pay to carry the Nexstar stations. Both sides have issued statements blaming the other for the impasse, but many Verizon customers, particularly those who missed college football and NFL games over the weekend, are blaming everyone.
Nah, neither of them cares about the customer at all. All about the profit margins, Verizon needs to protect their 150B in profits from last year. But sure, they’re going to the mat to prevent nexstar from raising our rates 5 cents 😂
— Jeff Fortin (@JScout33) October 17, 2022
Since carriage negotiations, and offer terms, are not made public, we can’t really evaluate whether one company is more to blame than another. So the big question now is how long will this dispute last?
My educated guess is that it will be over by week’s end. Both sides have strong motivations to end this sooner than later. Verizon needs the local channels — and particularly, their live sports coverage — while Nexstar needs those three million viewers — particularly in large markets where the company (and its local stations) depend heavily on local advertising revenue.
I may be wrong, but I don’t see this lasting even a few weeks. The TV Answer Man will update this article if anything changes in the dispute.
Update: As of October 24, the blackout continues.
By the way, the Verizon markets affected by the blackout include:
Norfolk, Virginia
Washington, D.C.
Richmond
Philadelphia
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Freehold, New Jersey
Click Amazon: See the 1-Day Discounts!
Buffalo
Queens, New York
Albany
Greenwich, Connecticut
Providence
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman
Verizon needs to turn those stations back on!!!!!! I pay them plenty every month for their service and if they are not going to provide the service I am paying for I want a refund!!!!!
Celeste in RI
you are absolutely right. Is all the cable company doing this or just Verizon. I need my channels and this greed for more money is enough to make me go back to searching for other company. I’m so mad right now. Dropping my favorite News channel is over the top for me.
Verizon has to quit playing around and turn back on Channel 9 which is my main source of news plus other entertainment. Verizon should put its money where its mouth is and restore programming. I’m about done with this supplier.
I agree two very wealthy companies and they are fighting over money!!! At my expense I’m sick of it!!!! I want the stationthat I watched the most!
After Cuomo withdrawals from CNN, I just found Chris Cuomo back on TV after coming home from work last Friday, then I turned on the TV yesterday Monday to watch Chris Cuomo and is met with a message “Yadda Yadda Nexstar…Diatribe” This is INEXCUSABLE and UNACCEPTABLE. The GALL of Verizon Fios. Make the damn deal or I am switching back to my regular antenna where I can get this channel for free. I would rather see an increase than to lose this channel. Wise up Verizon Fios you are about to lose a lot more than what Nexstar is proposing. To be honest I think it’s more about politricks than anything else. I will be cancelling my account and I am sure many others will too if I cannot come home and watch my favorite news Anchor. CNN signed their own death warrant the very day they terminated Chris Cuomo’s contract. Now they are all trying to stifle this great voice from the airways. Wise up Verizon we need Cuomo and we need cuomo NOW!!! Not many knew he would be on Newsnation including myself now restore Newsnation and Cuomo and watch the ratings SOAR. The Ratings will NOT disappoint.
They should put back the Channels they took off. I pay money for these Channels and are they going to reinpurse me the monies I pay for these channels. It’s not right
I want verizon to get back channel 12 and channel 14. I pay verizon a lot of money every month and have had verizon for over 10 years. I will not stay with verizon if they don’t get these channels back. I will get another cable company and drop verizon. my grandsons who live with me know how to get other apps for cheaper also so i will drop verizon.
WELL this is a good way to help.people decide to cut cable. This is really disgraceful for Nexstar. Very greedy. So sick of.the BS
Where is everyones discount from Verizon not following through with the contract??? We all have Channel 12 included in our contracts…. Either Make the deal or LOWER OUR BILLS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i hope they never settle this way dont have to here about poop start and mornig bowl shot from yoda and the stick figure not to mention shorty by the way its pronanced la pllase not la plac e
Bring back my channel 11. I miss my programs so much. Let’s get together!!!🤷♀️
Verizon…if you’re not going to give us our channels back the monthly service charge for Cable should be lowered. I’m from Richmond, Virginia, and I lost local channel WRIC…channel 508.
Agreed!
I am really upset you took our channels away from us!!! You NEED to put them back so we can see our news, sports, etc. If not then you need to REIMBURSE us on our bill since we laid for this service?!!! Settle this immediately please.
Honestly, everyone here complaining about Verizon FiOS, and not placing any of the blame on Nexstar? There’s another retransmission hiccup that’s just happened…
(from DIRECTV) “Unfortunately, Mission Broadcasting and its 25 stations operated by Nexstar Media Group decided to exercise their right to block access to our customers in 23 cities. By law, Mission can refuse any compromise we offer and has the right to suspend any station from our customers’ local channel lineup – which we had wanted to avoid. We continue to work toward an agreement to deliver the entertainment our customers want at the best possible value.”
Did you notice the part where it says “operated by NEXSTAR”? Apparently, Nexstar is on the warpath, and has a history of pulling these shenanigans.
Both Verizon FiOS and DIRECTV offered to keep the stations in their line-up while negotiations continued, but Nexstar threw a hissy-fit and demanded the channels be removed.
Calls to Verizon FiOS about asking for a discount for the service that has been diminished because of the loss of certain channels does have merit. Please don’t forget to complain to Nexstar about their egregious money-grubbing tactics. Also, even though your favorite local channels may be owned by Nexstar, they are not at fault, and must continue to put out the skewed view of this impasse that their owners (Nexstar) force them to.
And for the record, I’m also missing my local NBC and FOX affiliates because of this.
Since the blackout occured October 14, I’ve been researching all the streaming services. Before I missed another Sunday of football (10/23), I signed up for a free 5 day trial of You Tube TV. I’ve been debating whether to “Cut the cord” for a while now. This Verizon/Nextar dispute may well be the catalyst that causes me to make the move.
I’m an avid college and pro football fan and select WAVY10 for my local news. I’m in Va Beach. I’ve been paying a high price to be missing these shows. I’m not going to be doing this much longer!
This is ridiculous I am tired of not being able to see my shows and NFL on Fox. They need to settle this or give us refunds or get an antenna and do away with cable
Very Very upset 😡
I am tired of this SOS. Every year Verizon cuts channels and no money comes back to what I pay. I am seriously looking at doing away with all my FIOS.
I would like to know if Verizon will be giving credit to for the loss programming – this is truly getting ridiculous – Many people I know are in the process of changing to other Cable Companies —– – This is just plain GREED
I agree with you completely. I intend to delete at least fifty dollars from my bill. These big companies don’t need any more money. I will give them one more chance, then I am going to switch companies.
Verizon doesn’t care that we can’t watch our favorite shows. Today makes 12 days that our stations have been off. I called 3 times and wanted to know the reason this is taking so long. On my last call the the man was so rude to me and hung up and when I called back the phone were not taking any calls.
GREED!!!!!
If they don’t settle soon I will be changing also. I’m don’t like missing my favorite shows and like some have said, it’s a GREED thing. We are the ones paying for the service that we are not getting! We pay to much for this BS and we should be reimbursed!
I think you all are missing the fact that Verizon is refusing to raise your rates, to pay a 64% increase in cost to Nexstar. In other words, go scream at Nexstar, they are the ones causing the problem. Or, you all can cry about paying even more per month. I for one hope Verizon doesn’t back down. https://www.nexstar.tv/contact/