Making television easy again. By Phillip Swann
Dish is undercutting rival DIRECTV’s new MLB Extra Innings price. By one penny. Yes, Dish says at its web site that it will charge $89.99 for this year’s 60-game MLB Extra Innings package, compared to DIRECTV’s $90. (The season is scheduled to start on July 23 with two night games including a matchup between the
DIRECTV is now charging $90 for this year’s 60-game MLB Extra Innings package of out-of-market contests. The satcaster earlier this year was charging $183 for the 2020 package, but that was before the league suspended play due to the Coronavirus outbreak. Although the season will now be around 37 percent of the regular 162-game campaign,
Q. I read your article saying DIRECTV didn’t raise prices for us existing subscribers. That is absolutely not true. My monthly bill was $69 a few months ago and now it’s over $130. How can that be? They just raised prices, didn’t they? — Mary, Corsicana, Texas. Mary, no, they didn’t just raise prices for
Despite accelerating customer defections, AT&T today raised the first-year monthly price for new subscribers to DIRECTV and AT&T TV. The company, however, has not raised monthly fees for its live streaming service, AT&T TV Now, nor for DIRECTV and AT&T TV’s existing customers. New subscribers to DIRECTV now must pay $59.99 a month for the
Q. I would think that AT&T would have sold DIRECTV to Dish by now. Do you have any idea what’s holding up the deal? Is it Charlie Ergen being Charlie Ergen and asking for a low price? — Manny, Newark, New Jersey. Manny, AT&T has said it’s not inclined to sell DIRECTV, but the company’s
Q. I’ve been watching the Smithsonian Channel on DIRECTV, but it’s not there anymore. How do I get the channel back?! It has some great documentaries! — Hank, Toledo, Ohio. Hank, DIRECTV in March offered a free preview of about 50 channels to help Coronavirus shut-ins pass the time. However, the preview has ended, or
Q. I read your story about the reasons why you should get DIRECTV. When will you write about all the reasons why you shouldn’t. I can think of a lot as a former DIRECTV subscriber! — Cheryl, Lansing, Michigan. Cheryl, as you note, I wrote this week about the five reasons why you should subscribe
Q. I was thinking about getting DIRECTV because we have Internet issues where we live. But I have read about AT&T not running it well. Is there still a good reason to get DIRECTV? What are the benefits? We now have Netflix and Hulu. — Susie, Cambridge, Maryland. Susie, that’s a great question. While it’s
Q. I have DIRECTV, but I was thinking of using the Internet to watch TV. I know AT&T just started HBO Max, right? But is there something like that for DIRECTV? I remember something called DIRECTV Now. Is that still in business? — Maria, Indianapolis. Maria, you sound confused, but don’t despair. You are not
Q. I have DIRECTV and I used to get channels for Fox, NBC, ABC and all the networks from New York and Los Angeles, but now I just get Fox. Why is that? Didn’t you write an article saying AT&T got new agreements with everyone but ABC? — Jim, town withheld. Jim, I will try
Updated, June 1, 9:30 a.m. ET DIRECTV can no longer carry ABC’s ‘out-of-market’ channel under a new law, but it has signed last-minute deals with CBS, NBC, Fox and the CW to continue offering its programming to certain rural residents, RV owners and others who can’t get their local network affiliates through the satcaster. For
Update: On June 9, Lilly Broadcasting removed the viewer alert from its web sites, suggesting the companies have resolved the dispute for now. The TV Answer Man will update this story if we get more information. DIRECTV could lose five network affiliates and two CW stations next week due to a fee fight with their