Tag Archives: carriage dispute

YouTube TV, Sinclair keep Fox sports channels on as they negotiate

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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...

DirecTV and Viacom deal brings MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and the rest back on the air

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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.

Continue reading DirecTV and Viacom deal brings MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and the rest back on the air

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DirecTV and Viacom deal brings MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and the rest back on the air originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Jul 2012 06:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceViacom Blog, DirecTV  | Email this | Comments

DirecTV and Viacom disagree on their disagreements, standoff continues

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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.

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DirecTV and Viacom disagree on their disagreements, standoff continues originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 21:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceViacom, DirecTV (Facebook)  | Email this | Comments

Viacom channels disappear from DirecTV after the two companies can’t reach a deal

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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?

Continue reading Viacom channels disappear from DirecTV after the two companies can't reach a deal

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Viacom channels disappear from DirecTV after the two companies can't reach a deal originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:48:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceViacom, DirecTV Promise  | Email this | Comments

AMC dropped from Dish Network, cuts a new deal to stay on with AT&T U-verse

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AMC dropped from Dish Network, still in negotiations with AT&T

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]

Continue reading AMC dropped from Dish Network, cuts a new deal to stay on with AT&T U-verse

AMC dropped from Dish Network, cuts a new deal to stay on with AT&T U-verse originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Jul 2012 14:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dish Network, AMC dispute could see the network’s channels dropped this summer

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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.

Continue reading Dish Network, AMC dispute could see the network's channels dropped this summer

Dish Network, AMC dispute could see the network's channels dropped this summer originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 04 May 2012 19:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceAMC Networks, The Hollywood Reporter  | Email this | Comments

DirecTV and Tribune cut a deal, turn WGN America and 23 other channels back on

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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.

Continue reading DirecTV and Tribune cut a deal, turn WGN America and 23 other channels back on

DirecTV and Tribune cut a deal, turn WGN America and 23 other channels back on originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 23:27:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tribune stations nationwide including WGN America go dark on DirecTV

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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.

Continue reading Tribune stations nationwide including WGN America go dark on DirecTV

Tribune stations nationwide including WGN America go dark on DirecTV originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Apr 2012 19:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceDirecTV, Tribune  | Email this | Comments