DirecTV subscribers may lose access to 33 local network stations spanning 28 markets next weekend on January 1st, 2017 if a carriage agreement with Hearst Television is not reached in time.
Local affiliates such as KOAT-TV (ABC) in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, WDSU-TV (NBC) in New Orleans, LA, WCVB-TV (ABC) in Boston, MA are just a few of the potentially affected markets. (Here’s a complete list of Hearst stations.)
Based in New York City, Hearst Television owns 12 NBC affiliates, 14 ABC affiliates, and 2 CBS affiliates among other stations.
A message from local affiliate stations reads:
“While we believe that we and DIRECTV can conclude our negotiations before January 1, so as not to deprive any of our respective viewers and customers of our programming, we want to advise our viewers and customers that the possibility of non-renewal of our current agreement exists.”
Hearst also has partial ownership in cable television networks such as A&E, HISTORY, Lifetime and ESPN.
Source: TV Predictions
