Hendersonville4's profile

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Friday, July 5th, 2019 4:33 AM

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Loss of channels

AT&T has failed to properly prepare for the  anticipated end of contract negotiation with Nexstar - resulting in the loss of ABC station, a MAJOR network. This continues to happen, as in the past, when other channels were removed from the lineup - as your customers continue to pay increased costs in service. We set up another TV(purchased an antennae) that would give us this basic channel for the interim - assuming we will get the channel back at some time in the future!  I think it's time to contact other providers who can provide continuing service that we PAY for and don't get with AT&T.

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31.9K Messages

5 years ago


@CKenneth wrote:

I just noticed that I am no longer getting Channel 9 NBC. The message says “the owner of this channel has removed it from your lineup despite our request to keep it available to you. We share your frustration and regret any inconvenience. “


Check current status: https://tvpromise.att.com/

 

Simple negotiation. Station owner (of the local affiliate, not the network NBC) agreement came up and they want to raise costs. As a negotiating tactic, they have pulled the feed (as is their right, they own the channel) to leverage customers against the TV provider (in this case DirecTV). This is standard in the industry.

 

DirecTV cannot force them back on. Only when both sides come to an agreement will the owner of your local affiliate return the feed to DirecTV.

 

There is no credit for this situation as no TV provider can guarantee any channel always being there. That is why they have in their terms that programming/channels can change at any time.

 

What should be considered is why must TV providers, and us customers by way of our bills, pay more and more over time for local channels that are free over-the-air (OTA)? I say plug in a regular antenna to get the free broadcast, including any other channels in range. What can also be done is to call DirecTV 1-800-531-5000 and see if the negotiation in your area qualifies you to get a free Local Channel Connector (LCC). This allows connecting a regular antenna to your Genie so that you can get the locals within range directly through your DirecTV box (not having to switch TV inputs) and can still record from them. This is something that is being done to fight against the ever increase costs from these local affiliate owners.

 

Most of us go to a pay TV provider for the national channels not otherwise available, not our free locals. And no TV provider is immune to this situation as they all go through it at times. Hopefully this one doesn't go to long, but there are alternatives that can be used in the meantime.

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ACE - Expert

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31.9K Messages

6 years ago

@bigmama55

 

You are never guaranteed all your locals. Some locals Directv may not have an agreement with, or agreement ended before new one reached so local affiliate is withholding their channel from Directv (as is the local's right) in order to get paid more (in turn raising our bill). Also remember an over-the-air (OTA) antenna picks up all the free locals within range, but satellite TV is regulated by the FCC to only provide was is in your Designated Market Area (DMA) which is based on your physical address. So a regular antenna may pick up locals from a neighboring market that are not technically for your address.

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ACE - Expert

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31.9K Messages

5 years ago


@Dawson/smoot wrote:

What is an OTA ?


That is over-the-air (OTA) antenna. It is getting your locals the traditional way, from their free broadcasts. An option when DirecTV does not have all possible locals for your address, they are in negotiations with a local, or possibly other locals within range that are from a neighboring market so DirecTV would not be allowed to provide them per the FCC.

 

As a note DirecTV has in a couple test markets a Local Channel Connector (LCC). This is an accessory to replace the discontinued AM21. Allows you to connect your regular OTA antenna to a HDDVR so that not only can you access the additional locals without having to change your TV's input between the two delivery methods, but also allow you to record them to the DVR as well. Hopefully it will not take too long to be available nationwide.

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ACE - Expert

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27.6K Messages

5 years ago

From ATT website:

 

AT&T and Nexstar Media Group have entered into a new multi-year agreement to provide Nexstar-owned stations to our TV customers. Nexstar local stations are now returning to any impacted DIRECTV, AT&T TV, and U-verse platforms. Both companies regret the inconvenience to customers, viewers, and advertisers, and we thank them for their patience as the new agreement was being finalized.

 

 

Tutor

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1 Message

7 years ago

I just had DirecTV installed 2 days ago. Today I've had trouble all day getting my local NBC channel. I was assured by DirecTV I'd get local channels. The screen says: 

"The owner of this channel has removed it from the DIRECT line-up despite our repeated requests to keep it available to you.

Please visit DirecTVPromise.com for the latest and most accurate information on this station's return."

Adding to my frustration: DirecTVPromise.com won't connect. So I can't get the promised info.

Has anyone else had this issue with local programming? Have you been able to connect with the DirecTVPromise site? Any suggestions what to do? Thanks.

Tutor

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1 Message

7 years ago

Where is my General Hospital ??????
How can you just stop NBC
Been watching general hospital for 40 years





Tutor

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1 Message

7 years ago

C'money guys! Aren't you rich enough?

Teacher

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2 Messages

7 years ago

I specifically stated at sign up that I must have my local channel 13. If this is not resolved immediately, I promise to drop my direct TV and at&t.

ACE - Expert

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10K Messages

7 years ago

I have no idea why someone decided to resurrect a 9 month dead thread or think any of these comments make sense, but regardless, this forum is for DirecTV Now, not DirecTV.

ACE - Expert

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31.9K Messages

7 years ago

Directv does not own the local channels and cannot force them to stay on. When their agreement comes up some locals demand more money from Directv, which means more cost to the customer, for their broadcast. Ask yourself, why should costs go up for you free over-the-air (OTA) channel?

 

Contact the local affiliate that is being greedy. In the meantime plug in an OTA antenna to your tv, they still work! You don't go to a pay tv provider for your free locals. Switching is not the answer as all tv providers go through these negotiations or do you plan to switch every time one of your channels wants to raise cost?

 

Sometimes more information may be found at www.directvpromise.com which has a section specific for local negotiations. In the end there are 3 main possibilities though: Channel owner chooses to not continue negotiations, they are in the middle of negotiations (sometimes the local will choose to go "dark" to try and leverage customers by upsetting them, annoying but legal), or negotiations have completed successfully.

 

So use your OTA antenna for your free locals, and enjoy the national channels you actually went to Directv for.

 

@Jsjjsj

If you truly cannot live without a local then use an OTA antenna like we have done for years. You don't need a pay tv provider for that. And remember this will not affect any service agreement/early cancellation fee you may have as channel negotiations come and go because tv providers do not own the channels so cannot force them to stay on because you don't like the situation.

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