When are you going to resolve the problem with TEGNA?

Tegna, the owner of your local affiliate, pulled their channels. They are negotiating the next carriage agreement and playing hardball, as is their right, to leverage higher costs. The channel will be back once both sides agree.

Switching providers will not protect you as they all go through negotiations. Unfortunately it is an increasing trend for locals to pulling their channels in recent years.

Claiming you should not have to pay your prior bill because of a single channel is beyond reasonable. One channel does not dictate your bill, and hopefully you didn't go to pay TV for a single channel (especially a local that is still free over the regular airways).

If you log into your DirecTV account you may be promoted for a one-time credit as a courtesy. Not something they have to do, since channels are subject to change as they don't own them, but a courtesy while customers are patient for negotiations to complete.

Regardless if you find this response adequate or not, this is the reality of the situation.

When Tegna returns the channel. They are negotiating the next carriage agreement.

KUSA is one of many local affiliates owned by Tegna. They are negotiating the next carriage deal. So Tegna decided to pull the feed, as is their right, to try and leverage costs in their favor.

Even upon return of the channels, DirecTV is only allowed to provide you locals in your Designated Market Area (DMA). So depends if the local is in your DMA to begin with. Local Channels Lookup (directv.com)

Log into your account. If you qualify it will be listed as an option upon log in (might have to go the account management section of course).

Tegna most likely owns WTHR that removed their feed to DTV who are the only ones that can return it. The only way to reduce the bill is lower your channel package or number of TVs, DTV only raises the base rate at the beginning of the year so either a discount ended or you need to check you bills to see what changed.

You don't have an option to simply get it back. The local affiliate owner (Tegna) pulled their channels to get a better carriage deal in their favor (which would translate to additional costs for us customers).

In the meantime you can use a regular antenna to get the free broadcast or see if you can use the Locast option.

To reduce your bill you reduce your package and/or optional services. Bill only goes up if you had a discount that completed or during the annual price adjustment (last year it was just under $10 at most depending what you have). Since the annual price adjustment doesn't take effect until sometime next month, I suspect a discount ended. Unless you are referring to you got the notice about the upcoming adjustment (depends on bill cycle when you may get that, still waiting on mine).

Don't have the email notice yet, but their info page of 2021 adjustments is up and running.

TV Price Changes for 2021 - DIRECTV Support (att.com)

I believe it says 30 days but you have to claim it by logging into your account online.

Well technically there is no reimbursement. Package cost is the same regardless of how many locals you are receiving. As long as 1 local is provided, you are getting what you pay for. Tegna cannot be forced to give the channel back.

Now if you log into your account online you may see an offer for a one-time credit as a courtesy. As I recall it stated it applies within 2 bill cycles.

There is a $20 credit available for DirecTV and Uverse customers but you must log into your account to claim it.

You will get the channel back when the owner (Tegna) decides to return. They pulled their channels to leverage us customers in negotiations.

Though no credit is owed, AT&T/DirecTV have been providing one as a courtesy. Log into your account (manage account side of course), and see if it provides you an offer of a one-time credit.

Well you are asking when two entities will agree. There is no guaranteed date/timeline on that. So nobody knows until it happens.

For the time being a regular antenna can get whatever is in range, plus perhaps additional channels not carried (i.e. sub-channels), you could look into Locast to see if that is an option. Otherwise you have many other channels available to enjoy while Tegna decides when to return the channels.

should not be the ones losing the benefits we agreed to in our contract. 

  You are paying for a TV service, not specific individual channels.

as per these terms of service 8. INTERRUPTIONS, LIMITATIONS, AND MODIFICATIONS TO SERVICE

Service may be temporarily interrupted or otherwise limited for a variety of reasons; some beyond the control of AT&T. AT&T reserves the right to refuse credit allowances for interruptions of Service. AT&T also reserves the right to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, at any time and from time to time, the Services (or any function or feature of the Services or any part thereof) without liability. You acknowledge that AT&T may establish general practices and limits concerning use of the Services, including without limitation, the limits set forth in the attached Schedule 1 and Schedule 2.

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Agreement came up for DirecTV carrying Tegna owned stations. As is their right, Tegna pulled their channels holding us "hostage".

You are not losing anything agreed to in your service agreement. Terms of Service of TV providers has a clause stating that channels are subject to change. This is because they don't own them, so there is never a guarantee of a channel staying. Packages only include access to locals, but what locals and how many can change at any time. As long as you get 1 local, then you are gettin gwhat you pay for.

As for "bottom line". Well if they cave to higher rates by local affiliates, guess where that comes from: your bill.

Terms of Service - Legal Policy Center - AT&T

(d) Our Programming Changes.

 

Many factors affect the availability, cost and quality of programming and may influence the decision to raise prices and the amount of any increase. These include, among others, programming and other costs, consumer demand, market and shareholder expectations, and changing business conditions. Accordingly, we reserve the unrestricted right to change, rearrange, add or delete our programming packages, the selections in those packages, our prices, technologies used to deliver the Service, and any other Service we offer, at any time.

Yep another annoying negotiation where local owner (Tegna in this case) has pulled their channels. This has been happening too much in recent years.

Service provided are what you are paying for. TV providers do have a clause that channels are subject to change as they don't own them. So switching providers doesn't protect you as they go through this. Other providers are dealing with locals pulled from other local affiliates right now.

This is a public forum of other customers so we cannot forward your complaint to Tegna. I would suggest checking contact info on their site. Let them know we will not cave to their demands.