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Friday, January 29th, 2021 5:03 PM

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Direct TV and their continuing "dropped channel negotiations"

This is the second time in two months that Direct TV has dropped a channel because they are "Negotiating". We pay their bills  and the CEO gets their money. They should be negotiating before the contract expire and not put the VIEWERS who pay their bills in the middle. I for one am tired of this crap. I have been with Direct TV for over 20 years and it looks like they are not going to fix this problem but hold their patrons hostage. There are other services available and on line streaming is becoming one to look at. DIRECT TV  seems to be only concerned about what goes directly into the CEO's pocket. On the top of this page they ask you to write your congressman and senators. Again they want you to do the work for them. By the way Senators estimate that for every letter they get there are a hundred more thinking the same thing but never take the time to give their opinions. 

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Official Solution

Moderator

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82 Messages

4 years ago

@Outrage,

We’re disappointed Cox Media Group has put you into the middle, and just know we want to keep these stations in your lineup. Yet the law grants Cox control over who is allowed to receive these channels. We continue to work with Cox to avoid any unnecessary disruption to the shows you may care about.

 

Please visit our TV Promise site for more information and the latest updates.

Thanks,

The AT&T Community Team

New Member

4 years ago

This is getting really old. We have lost various stations twice now and locast is not the answer. Is Directv doing anything to fix this?  We pay a lot for our TV service and it’s ridiculous that we keep losing channels.  Has anyone came up with a viable solution?  This is the only channel that I am unable to receiver with a digital antenna in my area

Note: This comment was created from a merged conversation originally titled When will we get ABC back

Employee

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34K Messages

i wasnt aware there were any contract negotiations going on at the moment

@Juniper any thoughts?

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ACE - Expert

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22.4K Messages

In regards to channel negotiations, there is no true viable solution. Networks (or the local affiliate stations), pull their feed at end of contract to try and leverage better costs (which would mean higher bills for us customers). Locast is an alternative. If you cannot receive locals with a regular antenna, then you are unfortunately out of luck as nothing requires you get the channels.

What is your zip code and county? What exact channel number of ABC (or any other channel) is missing? Not aware of any negotiation currently, though have heard there has been a Federal update on DMA lines.

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ACE - Expert

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36.8K Messages

WSB-TV, the ABC affiliate in Atlanta has started throwing shade.  Not sure what the deadline is, though.  

WSB-TV is owned by Cox Media Group, who seems to have a couple dozen stations.

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ACE - Professor

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8.1K Messages

4 years ago

Moved to DirecTV from U-Verse. Please look carefully as to where you start new threads.

DirecTV doesn't "drop" any channels. The channel owners don't give permission for them to be aired.

No provider is immune from negotiations. No streaming provider (outside AT&T TV) has regional sports channels owned by Sinclair. Sling TV has several negotiations that haven't gone well over the past 2-3 years.

Employee

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34K Messages

4 years ago

every year

ACE - Expert

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14.1K Messages

4 years ago

Yes, it's cox media this time....

New Member

4 years ago

Exactly! Not only do we as customers deal with this...we also have to pay HIGHER PRICES for it! I have also been with them 20+ years and I've had to keep lowering my package to even afford their continued PRICE HIKES. I just recently had to step to the lowest package ( which still gives me all the needless channels I don't even want, and only a FEW that I DO, ) and yet again I start seeing the familiar red banner across the screen telling me that I'll soon lose the channel, and BETTER YET...I'm being CHARGED for it because my bill has gone up so they could afford for me to have it!!?? WHAT??? I'm sooooo over their smoke and mirrors game!!! Streaming is the way to go...I'm leaving this pony show of a company. It's just so frustrating and definitely not worth it anymore. 

ACE - Expert

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14.1K Messages

4 years ago

Why do you think this is Directv's fault?

Dish and the cable companies all go through the same issues whenever their contract with a local station comes up for renewal.

New Member

4 years ago

As I stated, I'm tired of a lot more than just the one point. It gets exasperating paying out the nose for all the unwanted channels just to have a few that I actually want, and when you have chosen a lesser package to help alleviate the cost...those matter. They are the ones who come up with the programming options. It's just a personal opinion based on the years I've been with them. 

ACE - Expert

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20.7K Messages

4 years ago

The content providers package their channels just like DTV does, all DTV and all other providers can do is pick the package they believe satisfies the majority of their customers.  DTV and any other provider don't have any control over what a channel does with their programming.

(edited)

ACE - Expert

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22.4K Messages

4 years ago

Negotiation comes up with channel owner and  TV provider.

Channel owner threatens to pull feed.

Channel owner pulls feed (in some cases without prior warning/threat).

Customers get upset that channel is gone and demand it back NOW!

TV provider holds out to minimize cost increase OR caves to channel owner's demands.

Results of all negotiations affect next price adjustment.

TV provider's cost goes up, then so do our bills, simple economics.

Channel owner has the broadcast right so they dictate when the channel returns.

Same story, different year/month/channel owner.

New Member

4 years ago

I pay a lot of money for my programming package. Now Direct TV is threatening to cancel WFTV channel 9 (ABC) and channel 27 in Central Florida on Feb 2. That's part of my programming. You are like a little kid who is going to take his ball and go home if he can't get his way. Every time there is a contract renewal, we go through this and face the threat of having our programming canceled. Be professional and grow up. Resolve these differences!!!!

ACE - Expert

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14.1K Messages

4 years ago

DirecTV is not threatening to cancel anything. It's the station owners that are doing this. To use your analogy, they  are the ones "with the ball". 

New Member

4 years ago

Same here.  May go back to Comcast.

Employee

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34K Messages

4 years ago

Good luck with Comcast they are next  I have charter and they had negotiations recently. I’m entertained by the fact no one reads the posts and stomps they’re feet screaming I’m gonna leave. Go to the Cabernet forums and there’s thousands of post saying I left directv 😭and now charter is doing the same thing. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭👀😭👀👀👀

Employee

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34K Messages

4 years ago

Charter forums not Cabernet


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