DIRECTV Settles With Disney – But When Will the Mission Stations Return?

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow me on X.
Former editor of Satellite DIRECT magazine. Reported on DIRECTV for 30 years.

TV Answer Man, I am happy about ESPN being back on DIRECTV. But what about our Fox station here? We have not had it for two years. Will it ever come back? Does DIRECTV care about us, too? — Ian, Albany, New York.

Ian, DIRECTV yesterday did settle its almost two-week old carriage dispute with Disney, returning ESPN, ABC and the rest of the Disney channels to its TV services. After the announcement, I soon received a handful of e-mails from DIRECTV customers who have been missing Mission Broadcasting-owned local TV stations now for almost two years due to a carriage dispute between the companies. The blackout also affects DIRECTV Stream, DIRECTV Via Satellite and U-verse. You can see a complete list of the Mission stations here.

Since the Mission dispute began, DIRECTV has been involved in carriage scraps with Disney, 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?

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.

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. One court has ruled against DIRECTV, but the U.S. Department of Justice has joined the satcaster in asking an appeals court to reinstate the case. So there’s no telling how long that will take.

Consequently, it doesn’t make any sense now to keep your DIRECTV subscription because you think your Mission channel will return soon. It might never return. And if you really can’t go any longer without it, it’s time to switch services.

Ian, hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!

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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.