A+E Networks and AT&T Possible Blackout

[EarDemon]

Looks like A+E Networks and AT&T are far away from making a deal.

A+E Networks Chief Warns Of Possible AT&T Blackout, Says AT&T Uses “New Position To Gain An Unfair Advantage For Their Own Channels” – Deadline

From the link KEEP MY CHANNELS the following channels could be affected

A&E, FYI, Crime + Investigation, History, History en Espanol, Lifetime, Lifetime Movies and Viceland. As well as Military History and Lifetime Real Women for other AT&T video services if they carry them.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Yawn!

I’m sure they will work a deal at the last minute

 

[zippyfrog]

We talked about so many of these disputes going public for Dish over the years, but this year so far AT&T has definitely had more. I don't think Dish has had any national public dispute (I consider HBO from last year) but so far DirecTV has had Viacom and now A+E.

 

[MitchDeerfield]

History Channel is the non-History Channel. I wouldn't miss any of these channels, expecially Viceland.

 

[Tampa8]

A&E is in full court press mode. They announced during Live PD that Directv customers could lose that show and A&E. Must be getting down to the wire.

 

[Darrell S]

I think the Deathstar wants to drop every channel they don’t own

 

[EarDemon]

History Channel is the non-History Channel. I wouldn't miss any of these channels, expecially Viceland.

True, History no longer is airs the documentary style programming they used to as it's mostly 'reality' shows Ancient Aliens, Pawn Stars and American Pickers now, all of which I love, especially Pickers. Military History is a very cool channel and reminds me a lot of what History and the old Discovery Wings channel used to be, I watch it quite a bit, too bad it's SD only. I also like History's scripted programming, Six was excellent and Project Blue Book is right up my ally. A&E is now 100% 'reality' based. Last scripted program they had was Bates Motel. In the early 2010s A&E was my most watched channel with all of their original programming and a few 'reality' shows. Now I just watch Leah Remini, Storage Wars and once in a while Live PD.

We all know 'reality' TV is cheap to produce, hence why it's so plentiful. For a group of channels that primarily show nothing but 'reality' shows, on their main networks and their own old 'reality' shows on their rerun channels (FYI, C+I, LRW), it strikes me odd that they think they deserve more money, when they are probably spending a hell of a lot less then they would if they had to pay real actors, a real film and stage crew and shoot on a sound stage. Not sure what Mike and Frank make per episode on Pickers, but I'm sure they command a lot less then actors and they don't need a sound stage, set designers, costumes or props. Just a van and blue jeans.

Viceland, yeah that garbage can go away. Last year I saw either a part of a show or a promo for something that airs on that channel where a bunch of guys were in a van and they all passed a bucket around and spit it in it someone was supposed to drink the spit. I know entertainment is subjective, and I enjoy a lot of low brow humor and TV from time to time but man if you think that is entertaining, there is something seriously wrong with you.

 

[Jimbo]

We talked about so many of these disputes going public for Dish over the years, but this year so far AT&T has definitely had more. I don't think Dish has had any national public dispute (I consider HBO from last year) but so far DirecTV has had Viacom and now A+E.

Theres a difference between dropping a channel and threatening to for leverage, D* has a long history of resolving without actually pulling any off the air ... with that in mind, it's not D* anymore, so anything could happen now.

 

[Don in CT]

Bring back the Arts and Entertainment!

 

[FLEABttn]

Viceland is their only good channel and it’s not worth the rest of the A&E channels.

 

[jcrandall]

Since AT&T started actively talking about cost reduction on the television side, we've seen public negotiation tactics with Viacom and now A&E networks. We've also seen active channel reductions on streaming - including big ones like NFL Network, and are starting to see them look at removing channels from packages (Nick Jr) on regular platforms as well. It's starting to look like a slippery slope.

 

[goaliebob99]

I love Viceland. It's going to be disappointing if these channels disappear. I dont think we will see these channels go, as I haven't heard anything in my orbit other than what A&E is publicly putting out. AT&T seems to want to keep these channels on the air during negotiations, and not pull them unless they have too as Directv did back in the day. It seems like they are only yanking from the streaming side and leaving channels up on the linear side. Hopefully, this trend continues.

 

[Claude Greiner]

Theres a difference between dropping a channel and threatening to for leverage, D* has a long history of resolving without actually pulling any off the air ... with that in mind, it's not D* anymore, so anything could happen now.

Exactly.

 

[navychop]

I watch a few Viceland shows. On Dish. But don’t they also stream via an app?


Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[NashGuy]

Bring back the Arts and Entertainment!

Your tastes are a little too elevated for what cable TV has become. May I interest you in PBS? Supporting your local station in the amount of just $5 per month scores you PBS Passport, which unlocks a ton of quality content through the PBS app.

 

[navychop]

Like what?


Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[edisonprime]

I love Viceland. It's going to be disappointing if these channels disappear. I dont think we will see these channels go, as I haven't heard anything in my orbit other than what A&E is publicly putting out. AT&T seems to want to keep these channels on the air during negotiations, and not pull them unless they have too as Directv did back in the day. It seems like they are only yanking from the streaming side and leaving channels up on the linear side. Hopefully, this trend continues.

Screw Viceland! Bring H2 back! The fact that A&E Networks swapped H2 for Viceland ticked me off!

 

[Juan]

Screw Viceland! Bring H2 back! The fact that A&E Networks swapped H2 for Viceland ticked me off!

You need military history

Sent from my SM-G950U using the SatelliteGuys app!

 

[edisonprime]

You need military history

Sent from my SM-G950U using the SatelliteGuys app!

Is that a channel? I’ve never heard of it. Sounds like a good channel though.

 

[NashGuy]

The contract for A+E Networks will get renewed, just like the Viacom contract did. Whichever of their channels that you currently get in your DTV satellite package will likely remain.

Here's the question, though. Which A+E channels will make the cut to get into the entry-level Plus package on DirecTV Now and which will make it into the upper Max package?

I think AT&T may be using DTV Now as the staging ground for a revamped, simplified package line-up that will eventually spread to satellite too. Note that the original line-up of packages on DTV Now were really just the existing satellite packages without a few channels here and there that AT&T apparently didn't have streaming rights for. So what I think may be happening is just the reverse: new packages that get constructed first on DTV Now and then spread to DTV satellite.

The smallest satellite package, Entertainment, now includes History, A&E and Lifetime. In terms of total US viewers in 2018, their overall rankings in primetime and all hours, respectively, were:

History: #9 & #11
A&E: #13 & #16
Lifetime: #21 & #23

Their other channels just go way down from there, with Lifetime Movies next at #40 & #39. I'd say History and A&E are shoo-ins to make it into Plus but AT&T will try to push Lifetime up into Max.

Once AT&T gets through renewals with a couple more network groups (Discovery and AMC), they'll have channels from every group added back to the new Plus and Max packages on DTV Now. Then those packages will be ready to be offered as thinned-down entry and mid-level packages for all DTV customers, whether they subscribe via satellite or streaming.