By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow on X.
Former editor of Satellite DIRECT magazine. Reported on DIRECTV for 30 years.
TV Answer Man, we are still without our Fox station on DIRECTV here. Will it ever come back? What on earth is stopping them from ending this damn thing? I will need to switch, I guess. — Ian, Albany, New York.
Ian, DIRECTV has been without 26 Mission Broadcasting-owned local TV stations now for 15 months due to a carriage dispute between the companies. The blackout also affects DIRECTV Stream and U-verse. You can see a complete list of the Mission stations here.
Since the fee fight began, DIRECTV has been involved in carriage scraps with Nexstar, Tegna and a few other broadcasters and channels but settled them, So why can’t it end the Mission blackout? What’s so special about Mission?
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The Mission stations are managed by Nexstar. That’s what makes this so special. DIRECTV has sued Nexstar, charging that the broadcaster is orchestrating the Mission blackout although they do not own the stations.
Even though DIRECTV in September 2023 settled a separate carriage dispute with Nexstar for 176 local stations actually owned by Nexstar, it has not stopped the Mission-related lawsuit or triggered a settlement for the Mission stations. (DIRECTV also charges in the lawsuit that Nexstar is behind a DIRECTV blackout of two White Knight stations. Nexstar manages those stations as well.)
DIRECTV believes that Nexstar has violated anti-trust law by allegedly forcing stations it doesn’t own to engage in these carriage disputes and it’s anxious to prove that in court to block similar efforts in the future. (Nexstar, of course, denies that it’s behind the Mission/White Knight blackouts, saying they are not the owner, just the manager of the stations’ daily operations.) Consequently, it would appear unlikely that DIRECTV will reach a settlement for the Mission and White Knight stations without a resolution of the lawsuit. And it’s unclear when that will occur.
“We continue to pursue a federal anti-trust case and FCC complaint that challenge Nexstar’s sham relationships with Mission and White Knight,” DIRECTV told The TV Answer Man a few months ago.
The TV Answer Man will continue to monitor this dispute and report back here if anything significant changes.
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.
