Scripps suspends 54 DirecTV stations as US retransmission battle escalates

The EW Scripps Company in the US has cut off more than 50 DirecTV local stations, with the pay TV operator accusing Scripps of demanding the highest rates it has ever received from a TV station group.

Rob Thun

The escalation of the retransmission battle between the two companies saw dozens of networks go dark from 19.00 ET last night.

Scripps has suspended 54 stations in cities including Baltimore, Boise, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Lexington, Miami, Milwaukee, Nashville, Omaha, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Tampa-St Petersburg and West Palm Beach.

The blackouts will disrupt viewer access to several upcoming major sports events, such as NBA and NHA finals on ABC and the US Open golf tournament on NBC. Coverage of state and local primary elections will also be affected.

Both sides have released statements laying blame for the dispute at each other’s door.

Rob Thun, chief content officer at DirecTV, said: “We understand customers are frustrated by temporarily losing their usual access to Scripps stations and the local news, network programming and live sports they provide.

“Unfortunately, Scripps is demanding the highest rates we have ever seen for programming that remains available for free over the air and through many station, network and third-party streaming apps.

“We remain committed to protecting customers from indiscriminate and unnecessary cost increases for less popular programming while still working to restore the stations that many viewers rely on.”

DirecTV also accused Scripps of “removing content from American viewers in hopes of enriching their bottom lines,” citing the station group’s decision to pull 40 Comcast Xfinity nets in April.

Scripps hit back with its own statement, which claimed it had “engaged in good-faith negotiations with DirecTV to establish an equitable agreement that serves both companies.

“Regrettably, DirecTV has elected to remove Scripps local stations from their line-up, employing the same heavy-handed tactics that have become synonymous with pay TV operators who hurt their own subscribers by using them as bargaining chips in contractual disputes.

“By contrast, Scripps stations have gone dark only twice since we began broadcasting in the 1940s.”

The dispute recalls a similar carriage deal stand-off between Disney and YouTube late last year. Channels from the Mouse House went dark on pay service YouTube TV in 10 million homes after the two media giants failed to agree new distribution terms.