DIRECTV’s Long-Term Relationship with NBC Goes to the Dark
NBC channels went black on the screens of DirecTV customers across the country on October 15, and this caused a lot of uproar among the customers. NBCUniversal and DIRECTV are unable to agree on a new carriage deal, and therefore, NBC, Bravo, USA Network, Syfy, MSNBC, CNBC, Universal Kids, Oxygen, and more networks were reported as being pulled from the DIRECTV lineups. DIRECTV caused more than 16 million of its customers to lose the WATCH NBC without any prior notice and they were deprived of their favorite programs, sports, and news.
What was the issue that occurred between NBC and DIRECTV?
Carriage disputes such as this are fundamentally about money and who gets to charge whom to deliver content. NBCUniversal may have wished for DIRECTV to pay more for the carriage of its bundled portfolio of NBCUniversal channels. That is why DIRECTV may have refused those demands. Since NBC was not able to sign a new agreement before the current deal, DIRECTV could be forced to drop the network’s channels. I don’t know who is at fault now, but the only certain loser is the customer who couldn’t watch his shows at all to his fault.
NBC said that DIRECTV did not bargain about the new rights fees as requested before the transition to digital.
NBC attempts to defend its actions by saying that it engaged in months of efforts to negotiate for a fair market rate deal before the blackout. DIRECTV insiders complained that they were never able to have a healthy dialogue with NBC and were largely pushed into a corner by the broadcaster, who let the contract expire.
Of course, here we have a completely different picture of what is happening from the DIRECTV experience. They say they were ‘prepared to go on negotiating under the terms that were currently in place, to retain NBC channels’ while seeking a new one. DIRECTV insisted that NBC just yanked their channels only for them to come up with a plan to increase the rates.
Regardless of the actual events that took place, all the subscribers want their channels back because such leverage strategies between media conglomerates should ideally not affect the end consumers.
Lack of NBC Sports and Choices of Entertainment
This blackout is particularly unfortunate for sports enthusiasts, as NBC airs the popular Sunday Night Football program, in addition to selected games of the NHL season and EPL soccer season. With the start of the season of the new television season that is of the fall, there are new episodes of the most-watched NBC primetime programs which are unavailable to the consumers of DIRECTV.
Many of the TV programs we commonly watch such as reality shows, late-night talk shows, kids programs, etc, are inaccessible. This has greatly reduced entertainment for such DIRECTV customers who depend on this type of content or have no other choice since there is no other competitor TV service provider out there in the rural area.
Questions have emerged as to whether DirecTV and NBC will agree to sign the contract.
Sadly, carriage disputes, that should be resolved within a reasonable time, can take days or even weeks to be resolved. We can assume that there must still be a difference between what NBC desires to be paid and the amount that DIRECTV can afford to pay. This impasses negatively affects viewership and advertising revenues for NBC while DIRECTV’s clients may be lost for good.
To the extent that the financial pressure deepens, the likelihood of the parties coming to some kind of agreement increases. A blackout does not always remain intact since the viewers are displeased with the situation and compel the two parties to seek a resolution. However, it has to be noted that there are occasional long disputes with certain profiles which may last for a month and more.
The only certain thing is that NBC and DIRECTV will launch public tirades against each other while at the same time accusing each other of being responsible for the blackout. In the background of the bargaining process, more efforts are applied to reduce the difference in the offers. A new deal will be formed in the future, but meanwhile, subscribers have large gaps in their programming options.
Seeking Alternatives
So, what options of the service are available to DIRECTV customers while NBC is out of the question? An HD digital antennae may be able to get NBC’s local stations in some instances and thus gain access to shows such as The Voice and Sunday Night Football. YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV offer many NBC channels as part of their package but as an add-on at a certain extra amount per month. Or if you are a DIRECTV user, you can use your account details to access some of the NBC’s programs through the network’s apps, although the choices will be somewhat limited.
If you heavily depend on NBC programming, it may be the only way to have your channels back instantly while you cancel DIRECTV, waiting for them to come back. The only certain thing is promotional pricing is offered for a period of one to two years and then your bills will rise higher. As well as other providers as we have seen may come with risks regarding carriage disputes in the future.
When will NBC return to DIRECTV?
The short answer is nobody knows for sure, but there are strong arguments that can be made on the side of neurodiverse individuals. Updates are made every 3-6 months suggesting that there is improvement but a definite timeline is still to be set. Everyone should be ready to wait for the blackout to last for a few days, weeks, a month even more.
Visit the DIRECTV website often to see if there is an update on the current deal being discussed with NBC and the outcomes of the agreement. It is also useful in the evaluation of progress because people who use social media platforms can give information on how far they have gone in implementing the changes that came with the new system. It is probably impossible for the support agents of DIRECTV to give time details but they can guide you on the different ways that you can put on pause or even stop the service.
For now, the watch and wait continues, with NBC and DIRECTV engaging in a war of the giants with both billions and subscribers being the ultimate prize. One must note that both sides are keen on negotiating a new agreement for the carriage services. However, until this happens, NBC programming is still off the DIRECTV entirely, a move that has left customers frustrated and angry.
Transform your viewing experience with DirecTV! Call us today at +1 855-213-2250 to explore our plans and find the perfect package for you. Our experts are ready to assist you and get you set up with top-notch entertainment. Don’t wait—contact us now!
