DirecTV has confirmed that it will appeal a federal judge in New York’s decision to throw out its antitrust lawsuit against Nexstar Media Group. The pay TV company has accused Nexstar of conspiring to fix broadcast retransmission license fees through management services agreements with smaller station groups Mission Broadcasting and White Knight.
Mission and White Knight stations, which are largely managed by Nexstar, have been blacked out on DirecTV platforms since October.
Dish Network subscribers have lost satellite access to stations owned by Mission Broadcasting and White Knight Broadcasting because of a fee dispute. About 850,000 Dish households are affected. Mission has about 30 stations, including WPIX New York in the Dish footprint. Two White Knight stations are involved.
White Knight Broadcasting turned down DirecTV’s request that the satellite provider set aside until after the elections the retransmission-fee dispute that has blacked out the broadcaster’s stations to DirecTV subscribers.
DirecTV is asking the 27 stations owned by Mission Broadcasting and White Knight Broadcasting that are blacked out to its subscribers because of a retransmission consent fee dispute to return their signals through election day. The satellite company is offering to pay the stations whatever new rate winds up being negotiated retroactively to the return of the signals.
Exclusives
In addition, the four — Bounce, Escape, Grit and Laff — have been renewed on 21 other stations, boosting Bounce to 86% of the United States and 95% of African-American households, while Escape, Grit and Laff will now reach 89%, 87% and 90% of all U.S. TV households, respectively.
The expansion comes from multi-year deals for Bounce TV, Escape, Grit and Laff with Nexstar, Mission and White Knight.
The $270 million deal comprises the 19 stations of Communications Corp. of America and White Knight Broadcasting. Nexstar gets 11, Mission gets eight.
