ESPN a big reason for high cable rates.
These squabbles happen and, like a strike,
can be timed just right to inflict maximum
damage.
Paraphrasing TV critic Steve Beverly:
“Grandma doesn’t want ESPN but she
has to pay astronomical rates because
of high sports team fees”.
Not like you can pick and choose
only the channels you want any pay
only for _them_...unless you refuse to pay
for a “higher tier”.
Last night was in Wilkes Barre PA
and couldn’t get the Bob Barker tribute
because the motel’s DirecTV was barred
from carrying CBS—or NBC—due to a squabble with the owner of the affiliates,
Nexstar—and I read online that’s been
in effect for months.
So in my case I downloaded the free
CBS app, clicked on it and confirmed
my own home subscription to cable
(Xfinity) and watched it on my
phone via WYOU-TV and CBS.
So, still available but not on
the DirecTV.
CordCutterNews:
At the time, Nexstar said DIRECTV rejected Nexstar’s offer to extend the current distribution agreement to Oct. 31, 2023, to give both sides more time to negotiate. In total, 159 Nexstar-owned local TV stations are now dark on DIRECTV, DIRECTV STREAM, and U-Verse. NewsNation and The CW have also gone dark on DIRECTV.Aug 12, 2023