Catholic Mass on Channel 50 in DC

Sorry to hear that the Mass was removed from the programming for your local channel 50. However, due to the fact that this is a public forum and we are customers just like you, we wouldn't be able to assist by contacting the right department to get the job fixed. Since DIRECTV receives whatever is sent to them, you would need to get into touch with your local station 50. They will be able to trace down the problem. 

DirecTV can't control what stations/networks deliver. 

Or did they actually remove your Channel 50?

If the program is gone from the channel, then you would need to contact the local channel to find out why. TV providers like DirecTV only rebroadcast what is sent to them. They have no control over the network's programming.

Now if the channel itself is gone, that is another matter. Either the carriage agreement came up and a new one was not successfully negotiated (or the local pulled the channel until negotiations complete) or the Designated Market Area (DMA) for the channel updated putting you outside the DMA. Unfortunately DMA lines get redrawn and all TV providers can do is follow the rules.

Well, I have contacted DTV. They seem not to be able to give a good reason for the drop. We have no channel 50 here now; we did for over a year, but it was also with Xfinity. Can't switch again. Is it really anywhere now? Above explanations make sense, especially new agreement not fulfilled. DMA makes sense, too, but why won't they just tell us that? So, I contacted the basilica! Asked them to complain!! Ha. We found a new channel but not so great.

@patpece that is unfortunate that DIRECTV doesn't have channel 50. My only recommendation for you after you have complained is setting up an over-the-air (OTA) antenna to receive channel 50. This antenna can be placed anywhere and the end of the coax is plugged into the back of your TV. You then run a channel scan for the digital station. At first, you may not receive channel 50. But, after a few movements of the antenna to where your local station 50 is located (direction could be west, east, north, or south so place the antenna facing that direction) then you should easily receive it. This is an easy temporary solution. 

@patpece 

If it were a local affiliate negotiation, the agents would either know or could find out. However, I have noticed that they don't get informed when DMA lines are redrawn and haven't had a way to verify, other than checking the current list on what channels should be available.

Sounds most likely the DMA line was changed. Satellite is from a national broadcast center via a spot beam transmission, so your address is specifically used, but for cable they tend to go by location of the local broadcast center. That is why you can get the channel with one provider but not another at the same location.