DIRECTV vs. Mission Broadcasting: The Subscribers Speak Out!
DIRECTV’s standoff with 28 Mission Broadcasting-owned (but Nexstar-managed) local TV channels is now in its fourth day and subscribers are already showing signs of impatience, particularly viewers of network affiliates that aired NFL and college football games over the weekend. (The blackout also affects U-verse and DIRECTV Stream.)
The carriage dispute, which began last Friday evening, includes such markets as New York. Providence, Rhode Island, Little Rock, Albuquerque, Abilene, Texas, Albany, New York and Erie, Pennsylvania, among others. You can see a complete list of the affected stations here.
On Saturday and Sunday, DIRECTV, U-verse and DIRECTV Stream subscribers posted hundreds of angry comments regarding the dispute on social media sites. While DIRECTV has issued a statement outlining some alternative ways to watch the game, the advice is not being well received by subscribers who are paying the three DIRECTV-owned services for their programming.
Click Amazon: See Today’s 1-Day-Only Deals!
“@DIRECTV get fox back by Thursday if I’m done! It’s BS you pull this crap on Sunday! I think I’m done anyway. Be calling business office tomorrow. Hello HULU!” tweeted ‘Chris.’
“Dear @DIRECTV I currently do not get @JET24FOX66 , the Erie Pa Fox affiliate. How much of a refund should I anticipate? I have in fact have paid for a Fox affiliate. Could could provide me another Fox station?” added @joelLodanosky.
“Every time it is time to renew a contract with a network @DIRECTV strong-arms networks to make more money. Football is more important than my provider. Time to cancel @DIRECTV,” wrote another unhappy fan.
https://twitter.com/babygoldengirls/status/1584349660499496961?s=20&t=Y2ZrQ4toU48GCE8Do1j8kg
But while frustration with DIRECTV is rising, some subscribers say Mission Broadcasting (and its partner, Nexstar) is equally at fault.
“I don’t know who this Mission Broadcasting is, but they can go f— themselves for not letting me watch F1 on DirecTV stream,” tweeted @daleseph.
In the Quad Cities it’s @YourFox18 Directv and Mission Broadcasting are both leveraging the people who pay them both. And it’s always this time of year. During MLB playoffs and NFL seasons. Then they blame each other. It’s always the same. It never changes,” wrote @PreszlerDoug.
Mission Broadcasting says DIRECTV has refused its “fair offer” while the satcaster counters that Mission (and Nexstar) pulled the stations because it can under the law, which is true. However, since the company offers are not publicized, it’s impossible to determine which company is truly at fault here.
(Mission’s stations are managed by Nexstar which also owns a station in most Mission markets. Nexstar is involved in a separate carriage dispute with Verizon with 13 local stations in 11 markets blacked out in the FiOS lineup due to a fight over fees.)
The TV Answer Man will update this story if we receive additional company statements or information regarding the blackout.
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
Discover more from The TV Answer Man!
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
I would like to have kolr 10 back so we can watch are shows we have missed a lot of them already if not I’m dropping direct TV this is really aggravating
The FCC should require ANY TV provider to Immediately
STOP billing for stations when there is a Blackout ?
Then FINE BOTH companies DAILY in the dispute.
When we have a Power failure the Power company
Doesn’t keep billing you.
Here it is, Nov 13 and the “Mission Broadcasting” blackout is still in place. Also DirecTV offers a ONE TIME $10 refund. I checked my bill….haven’t seen it.
Yup, I got the oh so generous one time $10.00 back too. Still no ABC but still paying for it. Mission Netstar and Direct TV, doesn’t matter who’s at fault you are all greedy bastards who could care less about their subscribers.