By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow on Facebook & X.
Former editor of Satellite DIRECT magazine. Reported on DIRECTV for 29 years.
TV Answer Man, you were right about DIRECTV and the Tegna company having a blackout. How long do you think we will be without our channel 9 here in the Washington, D.C. area? — Nikki, Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
How Long Will the DIRECTV-Tegna Blackout Last?
Nikki, I did predict that the DIRECTV-Tegna carriage dispute would lead to a blackout. And last night, that’s what happened. DIRECTV, DIRECTV Stream and U-verse lost 64 Tegna-owned network affiliates in 51 markets when the two sides could not reach a new carriage agreement.
See update on this article which analyzes the chances of a settlement during New Year’s weekend.
I based my prediction in large part on the history between the companies and the way they have recently handled carriage negotiations. And now I am using history again to predict the blackout will last at least a month, if not much longer.
DIRECTV and Tegna had a similar dispute over carriage fees in 2020 and that one lasted 19 days. However, times have changed. With the continuing decline of pay TV subscribers (DIRECTV has lost more than 13 million subscribers in eight years), cable and satellite companies are more likely to allow a blackout to go even further as part of a negotiating strategy to ultimately pay less in fees. By example, DIRECTV recently had a 10-week blackout with the 176 Nexstar network affiliates, and it’s involved in a dispute with Mission Broadcasting that has lasted more than a year.
Why Did DIRECTV & Tegna Have a Blackout?
Likewise, broadcasters such as Tegna know the carriage money train is starting to slow down. They see every new negotiation now as an opportunity to get as much as they can while they can. Consequently, they are more willing to hold out and allow a blackout to begin and extend. Tegna has been involved in several other fee fights over the last few years, including this one with Dish that lasted four months, this one with Verizon, and this one with Fubo.
To this reporter, this is a scenario for a lengthy blackout, one that will at least continue through the remainder of the NFL regular season. And I could see it lasting into the NFL playoffs and perhaps up to the Super Bowl on February 11, 2024. CBS has the Super Bowl this season and the Tegna stations include 16 CBS affiliates in addition to 21 NBC affiliates, 13 ABC stations, and 5 Fox stations, My educated guess is that the last few playoff games, and the Super Bowl, will finally be the trigger to get both sides to settle.
By the way, 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.
Nikki, hope that helps. The TV Answer Man will monitor this dispute and report significant changes when warranted.
Until then, happy viewing and stay safe!
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.
The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.
