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☆ Why bars and restaurants are shedding 'Sunday Ticket' subscriptions
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-17 | by ( Alex Sherman | Alex Sherman Covers Media For Cnbc. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

DirecTV still provides bars, restaurants, small businesses and hotels with game access — but it no longer has the exclusive rights. As a condition of that deal, EverPass included the right to build its own commercial streaming connection for “Sunday Ticket,” bypassing third-party licensing. EverPass sets all the pricing for “Sunday Ticket,” both for its new streaming product and DirecTV’s satellite offering. Sports bars concerned about having all of their TVs show games without a delay probably would opt for the DirecTV product. 3) Certain commercial establishments are using YouTube’s “Sunday Ticket” and paying residential prices (about $500 per year) instead of the higher business rates.

Persons: DirecTV’s, EverPass, Lillian Rizzo, —, ”, Alex Sherman, Everpass, It’s Organizations: NFL, YouTube, DirecTV, EverPass Media, RedBird Capital Partners, CNBC, Amazon Prime, ESPN, “, Dish Network Locations: Apple

New York CNN —DirecTV announced Monday it’s buying rival Dish Network, ending multiple decades of on-and-off talks about the satellite services merging. The agreement provides DirecTV and Dish with greater scale, a DirecTV spokesperson told CNN. The newly merged DirecTV-Dish entity will continue to support the Dish brand for the foreseeable future, the DirecTV spokesperson said. DirecTV does not currently have plans to make changes to the existing Dish or Sling TV brands, meaning that current Dish customers should not be concerned about being forced over to DirecTV. The deal also strengthens the duo’s foothold in the industry, allowing them to more easily compete with pay TV rivals and streaming services.

Persons: Charlie Ergen, Mike White, Echostar, Hughes, ’ Organizations: New, New York CNN, DirecTV, Dish Network, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon’s, Dish, ”, TPG, T, CNN, Disney, Hughes Electronics, EchoStar Corporation, Bloomberg, General Motors, Monday, Antitrust Locations: New York

DirecTV and Disney have reached a deal that brings Disney’s ESPN and other channels back to the pay-tv provider’s customers after a roughly two week blackout. On Saturday, DirecTV and Disney said they reached a deal that called for “market based terms” on pricing. DirecTV will be able to offer Disney’s streaming services in its packages and a la carte, the company said in a release Saturday. The amount of customers DirecTV lost during the dispute was not “immaterial,” said DirecTV Chief Marketing Officer Vince Torres at Goldman Sachs’ Communacopia & Technology Conference on Thursday. DirecTV offered its customers a $30 credit, financed by stopping payments to Disney as soon as the blackout began, Torres said.

Persons: Disney, DirecTV’s, Jimmy Pitaro, “, It’s, ESPN’s Pitaro, ”, Vince Torres, Goldman Sachs, Torres, Venu, DirectTV, ESPN — Organizations: DirecTV, Disney, ESPN, ABC, SEC Network, ACC Network, CNBC, U.S ., Hulu, Charter Communications, Technology Conference, Antitrust, Warner Bros, Discovery, Fox Corp, Federal Communications Commission, FCC

☆ DirecTV is now paying customers to subscribe to competitors as Disney battle escalates
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-09 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —DirecTV wants its customers to stick with the service during an increasingly nasty dispute with Disney that threatens to black out tonight’s “Monday Night Football” game. So DirecTV developed an unusual strategy: It’s paying customers to subscribe to a rival. Affected customers of DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and U-Verse can get a free weeklong trial of Fubo for two of its packages that carry ESPN and Disney networks and an additional $30 off the first month of service. DirecTV is also giving its customers a $30 credit to sign up for Sling’s orange tier that includes ESPN channels. DirecTV said the deals are a “small way” to help customers while its fight over the expired distribution agreement with Disney stretches into a second week.

Persons: “ Disney, Venu ’, ’, Venu Sports, Fubo, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, “, ’ ”, DirecTV’s, – CNN’s Robert Ilich Organizations: New, New York CNN, DirecTV, Disney, Sling, Dish Network, ABC, ESPN, Sunday, Federal Communications Commission, Fox Corp, Warner Bros, CNN, NFL Locations: New York

☆ DirecTV files FCC complaint against Disney amid blackout
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-08 | by ( Robert Ilich | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —DirecTV filed a complaint Saturday with the Federal Communications Commission alleging Disney did not negotiate in good faith as the two sides remain at an impasse on a distribution deal. ESPN owns the broadcast rights to “Monday Night Football,” which will be blacked out for DirecTV subscribers unless a deal is reached. “We continue to negotiate with DirecTV to restore access to our content as quickly as possible,” a Disney spokesperson told CNN on Sunday. The opening game for “Monday Night Football” features the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers. The blackout also includes ESPN’s suite of channels and the Disney Channel, Disney Jr., FX and National Geographic.

Persons: Disney, “ Disney, Venu ’, ’ ”, Venu Sports, Kamala Harris, Donald Trump, “, San Francisco — Organizations: CNN — DirecTV, Federal Communications Commission, Disney, DirecTV, CNN, Fox Corporation, Warner Brothers Discovery, ABC, ESPN, NFL, Monday, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers, Buffalo Bills, Jets, Disney Channel, Disney Jr, Geographic Locations: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Houston, San, Fresno , California, Raleigh , North Carolina

☆ DirecTV is compensating customers affected by the Disney outage. But they have to take action to get it
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-03 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —For DirecTV subscribers frustrated by the loss of ESPN and other Disney-owned channels, the TV provider is offering some compensation as the blackout stretches into its third day. The company is offering credits of at least $20 to customers who have DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and U-Verse services — but customers won’t get the credit automatically. They must go to a special website and apply for it using their account’s email, and the credit will show up on a future bill. “We’re pursuing every avenue to get your station back,” DirecTV said on the website. “The Walt Disney Co. is once again refusing any accountability to consumers, distribution partners, and now the American judicial system,” Rob Thun, chief content officer at DirecTV, said in a previous statement.

Persons: won’t, “ We’re, ”, Rob Thun, it’s, CNN’s Liam Reilly Organizations: New, New York CNN —, DirecTV, ESPN, Disney, NFL, US, ABC, Walt Disney Co, CNN Locations: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, American

☆ DirecTV to Alter Travis Kelce Ads After NFL Complaint and an Adverse Ruling
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Katie Deighton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce began appearing in DirecTV’s ad campaign before his apparent romance with Taylor Swift caught the attention of the media. Photo: DirecTVDirecTV will modify some of its football-season ads following a complaint from the National Football League and an unfavorable ruling from an ad-industry self-regulatory group. The ads cast Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce as the brand’s “Overly Direct Sportsperson,” portraying rival TV providers’ NFL coverage as unreliable or confusing to navigate in contrast.

Persons: Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift Organizations: Kansas City Chiefs, DirecTV DirecTV, National Football League

CNN —DirecTV and Nexstar announced Monday that they had largely resolved a bitter carriage dispute that had left millions of the satellite carrier’s subscribers unable to access local television giant Nexstar’s large array of channels. The deal to end the blackout, which began in July and stretched for more than 75 days, comes one week after Disney and Charter also agreed to resolve a dispute that resulted in ABC-owned stations and ESPN being yanked from the cable provider’s lineup. While most of Nexstar’s stations will be covered under the new multi-year agreement, DirecTV said 27 stations controlled by Nexstar, but owned by another company, will not fall under the umbrella. DirecTV chief executive Bill Morrow alluded to the trend in a note to customers on Monday. “Unfortunately, over the past decade-plus access to your programming has become a battleground for networks and stations to try to drive up higher rates,” Morrow said.

Persons: Bill Morrow, “, ” Morrow Organizations: CNN, DirecTV, Nexstar, NFL, Disney, ABC, ESPN

☆ AT&T’s magic number falls short
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

To do that, it needs free cash flow. AT&T, which makes most of its money from cellular customers, added 424,000 postpaid phone subscribers, above expectations, according to Reuters. Some of the issue is seasonal, with payments to phone vendors up after a busy holiday season of selling devices. But dividend payouts totaled 200% of cash flow, up from 133% a year ago. Those payments totaled $1.3 billion this quarter, meaning cash flow would be negative without them.

☆ DirecTV and Newsmax end ugly dispute as the satellite carrier strikes deal to resume broadcasting the right-wing channel
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —DirecTV said Wednesday that it has reached a multi-year distribution agreement with Newsmax, putting to end a bitter carriage dispute that waded into political waters and saw the right-wing channel and satellite carrier savage one another in public. “This resolution with Newsmax, resolving an all-too-common carriage dispute, underscores our dedication to delivering a wide array of programming and perspectives to our customers,” said Bill Morrow, chief executive of DirecTV. Newsmax advanced a wholly different narrative, accusing DirecTV of working to censor conservative voices, even though the carrier offers right-wing talk channels such as Fox News and The First on its lineup. DirecTV said that it found such behavior “troubling,” calling out Newsmax for promoting “inaccurate and misleading information” about the dispute as the outlet published an endless stream of content targeting the satellite carrier. GOP Rep. Byron Donalds, a House Oversight Committee member, told Newsmax last month that Republicans were “definitely looking into” holding a hearing.

☆ Republicans are lashing out at DirecTV for supposedly ‘censoring’ conservative voices. Here’s what’s really going on
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Several Republican senators unleashed on the satellite carrier Wednesday over its move to drop the right-wing channel Newsmax from its lineup, adding to mounting pressure DirecTV has faced over the matter. The senators suggested DirecTV’s move was all part of a nefarious plot to “censor” conservative viewpoints. DirecTV also balked at paying for the same content that streams to users for free on other platforms, such as Roku. But the right-wing channel, led by Chris Ruddy, who is well-connected in GOP circles, has sought to leverage its political power to pressure DirecTV into paying up. Last week, it added to its lineup the right-wing channel The First, which features hosts such as Bill O’Reilly, Dana Loesch, Liz Wheeler, and Jesse Kelly.

☆ DirecTV drops Newsmax
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —DirecTV has dropped Newsmax, a right-wing TV network, from its channel lineup over a carriage fee dispute. “We continually evaluate the most relevant programming to provide our customers and expect to fill this available channel with new content,” DirecTV said. Newsmax noted it offers its feed for free on its website, on YouTube and on multiple streaming platforms such as Roku, so viewers with DirecTV service will still be able to watch. Newsmax responded to getting the boot by accusing DirecTV of bias and censorship. “This is a blatant act of political discrimination and censorship against Newsmax,” CEO Christopher Ruddy said in a statement that was posted on Newsmax’s website.

☆ NFL Sunday Ticket is leaving DirecTV and heading to YouTube TV
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —The popular NFL Sunday Ticket package is leaving DirectTV and heading to YouTube TV. The NFL announced the partnership with YouTube TV, owned by Google, on Thursday. Starting next season, NFL Sunday Ticket will be available as an add-on package on YouTube TV and standalone on YouTube Primetime Channels. In 2020, the NFL started streaming NFL Network and NFL RedZone to YouTube TV subscribers. The poaching of Sunday Ticket from DirecTV also represents a major boost to YouTube TV, one of the many online television services that seeks to replace cable and satellite television.

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