carriage dispute
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YouTube TV, Sinclair keep Fox sports channels on as they negotiate
On Thursday YouTube TV announced that subscribers would lose access to Fox regional sports networks and the YES network because it couldn't reach a new deal with their owner, Sinclair Broadcasting (they got there as a part of Disney's deal to buy Fox, which required selling off the sports networks). Now the deadline of February 29th has arrived, and the channels are still on. Per the Team YouTube Twitter account, the two companies have arranged an extension while they keep working on a new deal, so we'll have to wait and see if this arrangement lasts or whether the carriage dispute actually leads to some blacked-out channels.
DirecTV and Viacom deal brings MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and the rest back on the air
After a week or so of increasingly contentious negotiations Viacom and DirecTV have come to some sort of agreement, returning the missing channels to satellite TV subscribers as of... now. Naturally, each side is sticking to its guns, and even with a long term deal inked they still disagree on the number of channels involved. So who won? The exact financial numbers have not been revealed, but you can check out the dueling press releases after the break. The contested Epix package is an option (but not a requirement) for DirecTV, while the satellite broadcaster is happily adding access to Viacom content on mobiles, PCs and "other media devices" as a part of its DirecTV Everywhere service. Thanks to support from other pay TV providers, DirecTV is taking the more aggressive position, but we'll wait for the inevitable "people in a position to know" to chime in with some dollars and cents figures before calling a victor. Update: As expected, Bloomberg reports "people with direct knowledge" claim the new agreement is another seven year contract priced at more than $600 million per year, about 20 percent more than what Viacom was getting before. At least one analyst called it a win for both sides -- we'll see how subscribers fared if (when) there's a rate hike any time soon.
DirecTV and Viacom disagree on their disagreements, standoff continues
Seeing that DirecTV and Viacom can't even agree on the number of channels that have gone off the air (one says 17, the other 26) as a result of their deal expiring last week, it's no surprise that the two are continuing to challenge each other's statements on every element of the negotiations. The latest tiff? DirecTV claims it has "accepted all material terms...including an increase that was more than fair" for the channels that were pulled, but accuses Viacom of trying to force an addition of the Epix channel package at a cost of around half a billion dollars. Viacom, for its part, calls the statement a "complete work of fiction" and accuses DirecTV of creating more obstacles in the way of a compromise. Both point of views are linked below, we figure DirecTV customers will have plenty of time to read them while they're busy not watching the new episodes of Workaholics and Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta until this is resolved.
Viacom channels disappear from DirecTV after the two companies can't reach a deal
As we feared, DirecTV and Viacom didn't work things out and before the clock struck midnight ET, all of the network's feeds went dark for the satellite company's customers. Of course, both sides are throwing barbs with Viacom saying DirecTV was not interested in engaging in "meaningful conversation" and that their last contact was at 11AM. On DirecTV's side, it's claiming it sent proposals but never heard anything back and as such was forced to pull the channels. Viacom has been running ads and notices all day to make sure kids big and little call DirecTV to apply pressure about missing their television shows. DirecTV is firing back with the Kids Mix channel (shown above) that replaces the pulled children's programming and points out content on other stations, and even suggests customers check out sources like Amazon Prime or Netflix to keep watching their shows in the meantime. There's no telling who may blink first, or when, but you can look at each company's statement and hear the sabres rattling for yourself after the break. Any bets as to who will work out a deal first between these two and Dish Network / AMC?
DirecTV vs. Viacom squabble could see MTV, Comedy Central and 16 others go dark at midnight
The latest participants in the carriage dispute dance are DirecTV and Viacom, with the two companies attempting to reach a new agreement before their existing one expires tonight. If they don't, the network's 26 channels (MTV, BET, VH1, Spike TV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon etc.) could be cut off at midnight. As usual, each has its own side of the argument with Viacom claiming DirecTV has been underpaying for years, while DirecTV accuses Viacom of seeking an increase that will add up to a billion dollars in a year and is responsible for pulling the channels while negotiations continue. We're not particularly sympathetic to the plight of either corporate behemoth (or optimistic that any savings will ever reach customer's pockets) but if you must support one over the other then there's plenty of propaganda to be found at the links below. This may not be as crucial as Dish Network's (potentially) Breaking Bad-interrupting tiff with AMC, but if we have to miss an episode of Workaholics or Awkward it's going to be bad for everyone. Update: We've revised the total channel count from 26 as Viacom stated to 18 -- as much as we like HD feeds, we don't usually count them twice. [Thanks, AJ]
AMC dropped from Dish Network, cuts a new deal to stay on with AT&T U-verse
As June expired, so did AMC's contract with both Dish Network and AT&T U-verse. While negotiations continue with AT&T and its channels remain on for the moment, AMC is already firing at Dish for dropping its channel immediately (after shifting it to an entirely different channel number a few weeks ago), claiming no negotiations have even taken place. As we heard in May, AMC maintains that the real issue is a court case between the two over the Voom HD debacle. For its part, Dish is telling customers the problem is fee increases requested by AMC and "devaluing" its programming by offering it on iTunes, Netflix and Amazon.com. As a result it's swapping in commercial-free HDNet Movies for AMC, and replacing two other AMC channels, WE and IFC, with Style and HDNet (soon to become AXS TV). We'll see how these negotiations go -- it's not too bad now but let's see how viewers react once the new season of Breaking Bad starts airing July 15th. Update: As we went live, AT&T has announced it reached an agreement with AMC Networks, so it's only Dish Network that's on the hotseat now. [Thanks, @soulfliesfree]
Dish Network, AMC dispute could see the network's channels dropped this summer
It wasn't that long ago that Dish Network was proudly offering AMC HD to its customers (especially since DirecTV didn't, which has since been rectified) but now the company is willing to let the network's contract expire this summer, taking new episodes of Mad Men, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead away from subscribers. The source of the sudden animosity, according to a press release from AMC, is continuing litigation between it and Dish Network over dropping the Voom HD channels back in 2008, leading to them going dark soon after. The LA Times reports Dish Network claims the denial of its appeal on a decision in the case has nothing to do with its sudden change of heart is solely about AMC's high renewal cost for a relatively low viewership. Whatever you believe, the sniping and threats will likely continue right up until the contract runs out June 30th, which is at least long enough for this season of Mad Men to finish on its own.
DirecTV and Tribune cut a deal, turn WGN America and 23 other channels back on
That was quick. After lobbing accusations and FCC filings back and forth for a few days, DirecTV and Tribune Broadcasting Company have come to an agreement, resulting in the satellite broadcaster turning all those stations back on at around 9PM. Even with an agreement signed sealed and delivered, DirecTV still had some shots to let off, referencing the deal it claimed had been reached back on March 28th and calling for action from the federal government. None of that matters now though, since now that it's done we can all go back to not watching Cubs and White Sox day games.
Tribune stations nationwide including WGN America go dark on DirecTV
In the latest round of disputes between pay-TV providers and networks over the millions of dollars we, the customers, are paying for service, Tribune Broadcasting Company (owner of several different broadcast networks nationwide including WGN America -- list follows after the break) and DirecTV are going at it. As a result, the 23 broadcast networks under Tribune's umbrella are no longer available on the satellite service, and there's no indication when they'll be coming back. Oddly, DirecTV claimed Thursday it had accepted Tribune's terms, before the Tribune Company stated no deal had been reached. Now both sides are accusing the other of misleading viewers but no matter who is responsible the facts remain the same -- until they settle things you'll need to get those channels some other way.
U-verse loses HGTV, Food & other Scripps networks during latest carriage dispute
Well, we can't say we weren't warned. It appears AT&T and Scripps Networks have been unable to reach a price for the family of TV channels including HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, Cooking Channel and GAC, resulting in them disappearing at 1 a.m. last night. Naturally, each side has issued press releases (included after the break) and put up websites accusing the other of being unreasonable, unfair, and undoubtedly being the cause of the mess though curiously this time around it's the content provider Scripps claiming U-verse refused an extension while negotiations continued. In the meantime, AT&T suggests subscribers check out TLC and others on a free preview to fill the gap -- we'll see how long that lasts, it's the real Bobby Flay or nothing where we come from.
Fox, Dish Network deal means no network TV blackout, FX & sports networks back on
Just that fast, it's like it all never happened. Fox and Dish Network have cut a deal to restore programming from the giant's channels including 19 regional sports networks, FX and National Geographic Channel. No word yet on the terms of the deal, but the key is it arrived in time to avoid a possible November 1 Cablevision-style (still ongoing btw, and getting nastier than ever with allegations of cable recommended piracy and unfair dealing) blackout of Fox in many cities during the World Series. Check out the press release after the break, or just go through and queue up a few episodes of Always Sunny in Philadelphia on the ol' 922. [Thanks, Justin]
Cablevision updates its anti-Fox message as blackout continues
For those in need of an update, the Fox/Cablevision dispute continues to drag on. Customers who try to tune into the channels on Cablevision are seeing an updated message (after the break) from the company calling out Fox for not accepting its offer of arbitration. Multichannel News mentions the parties met briefly Monday, and may again on Wednesday, with Fox claiming Cablevision refuses to accept the same terms accepted by other providers in the market. ESPN New York found some sports fans waiting things out at the local bar, but if this extends to the World Series and the Yankees advance, things could get ugly.
Poll: What do you do when channels go blank?
Disputes over fees that result in channels being blacked out seem to be occurring more regularly than ever, and as we've found out can even extend to internet access for streaming TV shows. So what would you do, or have you done when (insert channel here) goes off the air after negotiations for a new contract stall right before (insert major TV event here) airs and even John Kerry can't make it right? We remember the great Viacom dispute of 2008, if we had missed even a single episode of The Hills, there would have been serious repercussions for all involved.%Poll-54414%
News Corp pulls its Hulu content from Cablevision customers, escalating carriage dispute (update)
If you were thinking that you'd just watch your favorite Fox shows on Hulu until Cablevision and News Corp worked out their differences, then think again. Not only can you not watch Fox on Cablevision's cable service at the moment, but if you get your internet from said company, you can't watch Fox content on Hulu either. This isn't too terribly surprising considering the networks see Hulu as a supplemental service to their traditional avenues, but that doesn't make cord cutters who don't even subscribe to cable feel any better. The good news is that these disputes don't tend to last long -- they usually never amount to an interruption in service -- so you shouldn't miss too many of your favorite shows before Cablevision gives in and pays Fox $1 per subscriber (vs $0) like the other providers have. Update: Hulu PR told All Things D that it "remained neutral" by blocking only Fox content on Hulu, so it's not like the entire service was pulled. Either way, things may be resolved quite soon, as the publication reports that both Fox.com and Fox programming on Hulu have been switched back on.
