ALBANY — Local DirecTV customers in Albany and across the country have been left disappointed as they can no longer watch popular shows like ABC’s “Good Morning America,” “Wheel of Fortune,” and “Jeopardy.” This blackout is a result of a dispute between DirecTV and Nexstar Media, the owner of Albany’s ABC affiliate and many other local stations.
Instead of their usual ABC programming, DirecTV viewers were greeted with a recorded message apologizing for the lack of sports and entertainment. The message also accused Nexstar of using its market size to drive up prices for the same programming.
Confused viewers who called Albany’s WTEN-TV to inquire about the situation were redirected to DirecTV to voice their complaints. One of the recordings proclaimed that DirecTV had taken away local news, sports, and favorite shows. Dish Network satellite customers are also impacted by the blackout.
The dispute revolves around money. Nexstar, the largest local-station owner in the United States, claims it needs more money to meet rising costs. However, DirecTV disagrees with this assertion. Payment disputes between carriers and programmers are not uncommon, but the scale and magnitude of this conflict are particularly notable.
According to Cord Cutter News, 159 Nexstar-owned local stations across the country are currently blacked out due to the dispute. This is not the first time DirecTV viewers have been affected by such conflicts. Last fall, DirecTV customers missed out on the World Series due to a dispute with Mission Broadcasting, the owner of Albany’s Fox-TV affiliate.
This battle comes at a challenging time for traditional television. Cord-cutting is on the rise, with viewers opting for streaming services instead of costly cable TV. Additionally, younger audiences are increasingly relying on apps like YouTube for their viewing preferences. The strike by Hollywood’s writers and actors further adds to the uncertainties surrounding the upcoming fall television lineup.
Attempts to reach representatives from DirecTV, Nexstar, and WTEN were unsuccessful at the time of writing.
The exact number of DirecTV customers in the Capital Region is unclear, as Charter’s Spectrum appears to dominate the cable service market. DirecTV, which was spun off from AT&T in 2021, is now 30% owned by private equity firm TPG. Reports indicate that the company has lost approximately 15% of its subscriber base over the past three years, bringing the total down to 12.75 million nationwide.
As an alternative, DirecTV advised viewers to check the websites of local stations and streaming services like Paramount, Peacock, or Hulu for some of their favorite shows.
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