July 8, 2019

DirecTV customers have been without local CBS affiliate KELO-TV for several days as a dispute over a retransmission agreement drags on.

The negotiations are between DirecTV and its parent owner AT&T and Nexstar Media Group, which owns KELO and more than 120 other stations in 97 markets.

DirecTV passed on a proposed extension that would have kept the channels on the air through Aug. 2. Nexstar stations went off the air July 3.

“With its long-term record of delivering exemplary service to the local markets where it operates, Nexstar deeply regrets DirecTV/AT&T’s rejection of the extension as it deprives viewers in the affected markets of broadcasts of leading network content from ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, CW and MyNetworkTV as well as local news and other programming produced specifically for these local communities,” Nexstar said in a statement.

The company urged viewers to switch to other TV providers or access programming over-the-air.

“We had hoped to prevent Nexstar from removing its stations from your TV channel lineup. We even offered Nexstar more money to keep their stations available. However, Nexstar simply said no and chose to remove them instead,” DirecTV said in a statement.

“Nexstar pulls or threatens to pull their stations from the customers of TV providers to increase fees for stations far beyond their value. They’ve done it to Cox Cable, DISH and Charter Spectrum, and now they’re doing it to us.”

Earlier this year, local Fox affiliate KTTW was off the air on DirecTV for more than a month in a similar dispute.