As we discussed last week, the latest carriage dispute is between AT&T (including DirecTV, AT&T U-verse, and AT&T TV) and Cox Media Group-owned stations. When we first wrote about that Friday, there were around a dozen Cox-owned stations already off AT&T’s various TV packages, but mostly in smaller markets, with 14 bigger-market stations facing a 12:01 a.m. deadline Tuesday. Well, that deadline has passed without a deal, and the 14 stations are now off AT&T’s packages. And that now leaves four CBS affiliates (in Seattle, Dayton, OH, Yuma, AZ, and Eureka, CA) not carried on AT&T TV packages, notable considering that CBS has Super Bowl LV this coming Sunday. Here’s a list of stations affected, via Jess Barnes of Cord Cutters News:
- KLAX-TV (ABC), Alexandria, LA
- WSB-TV (ABC), Atlanta, GA
- WFXT-TV (Fox), Boston, MA
- WSOC-TV (ABC), Charlotte, NC
- WAXN-TV (IND), Charlotte, NC
- WHIO-TV (CBS), Dayton, OH
- KVIQ (CBS), Eureka, CA
- KIEM (NBC), Eureka, CA
- KPVI (NBC), Idaho Falls, ID
- WFOX-TV (Fox), Jacksonville, FL
- WFOX2-TV (MyNetworkTV), Jacksonville, FL
- KVMU (FOX), Medford, OR
- KFBI (MyNetworkTV), Medford, OR
- WHBQ-TV (Fox), Memphis, TN
- WFTV-TV (ABC), Orlando, FL
- WRDQ-TV (IND), Orlando, FL
- WPXI-TV (NBC), Pittsburgh
- KIRO-TV (CBS), Seattle
- KAYU (FOX), Spokane, WA
- KOKI-TV (Fox), Tulsa, OK
- KMYT-TV (MNT), Tulsa, OK
- KFFX (FOX), Yakima, WA
- KYMA (CBS/NBC), Yuma, AZ
Barnes also has dueling statements on this from KIRO in Seattle (one of the affected networks) and from AT&T. Here’s the KIRO statement (similar statements have been put out by other affected channels):
KIRO 7 has been removed from AT&T/DIRECTV after AT&T/DIRECTV refused to agree to a fair agreement with our owner, Cox Media Group, to carry our station. If you are currently affected by AT&T/DIRECTV’s decision to deprive you of important local news and programming during these critical times, make your voice heard! Call AT&T/DIRECTV today at 1-800-531-5000 and demand that they get your local programming back.
And here’s the AT&T statement on KIRO (they have similar ones on other affected channels):
We’re disappointed Cox Media Group has intentionally put you into the middle of a private business matter. We want to get KIRO-CBS back into your local lineups, but Cox Media Group alone has exclusive control over which homes are allowed to receive KIRO-CBS and any CBS programs in Seattle and Tacoma. We continue to work with Cox Media Group to get your stations back and appreciate your patience while we do.
The AT&T TV Promise page is also notable for its presentation of “Stream the Super Bowl” information (as seen at the top of this post). And yes, that could be a workaround for some impacted people if this dispute carries on until Sunday. Watching on a computer or phone’s often less ideal than watching on TV, though, and while there are options for streaming on TV (either through the CBS app on a connected-TV device or a smart TV, or with a cast from a phone or computer), there’s still often lag and other technical issues. There are other workaround options too, including digital antennas, but all of these come with some hassles. So if this dispute isn’t resolved by Sunday, there will certainly be some annoyed AT&T customers in affected markets.
About Andrew Bucholtz
Andrew Bucholtz has been covering sports media for Awful Announcing since 2012. He is also a staff writer for The Comeback. His previous work includes time at Yahoo! Sports Canada and Black Press.