Viacom Channel BlackOut

[JSheridan]

There's a crawl on DirecTV Viacom channels saying that they're about to be dropped. This could get interesting if they really intend to do away with the Viacom, Discovery and AMC channels on DirecTV Now like is said in this article. I wonder if they're planning on dropping them from regular DirecTV too.

https://www.multichannel.com/news/discovery-amc-viacom-shares-hit-hard-amid-directv-now-changes

 

[jcrandall]

I'd be surprised if they don't renew this at the last minute, they've had lots of bad press (AT&T) since the DirecTV Now increases, channel package reduction, and recent mergers. Press loves headlines about price increases right after a merger.

That said, AT&T has clearly said they are looking to eliminate channels and reduce programming cost, I imagine they have an aggressive negotiation tactic right now, and Viacom has lost many providers and subscribers, and doesn't have a streaming solution in the market, they likely are hurting for agreements too, and have had other carriers show they are willing to walk away from the, tough spot to negotiate from.

 

[glen4cindy]

There's a crawl on DirecTV Viacom channels saying that they're about to be dropped. This could get interesting if they really intend to do away with the Viacom, Discovery and AMC channels on DirecTV Now like is said in this article. I wonder if they're planning on dropping them from regular DirecTV too.

https://www.multichannel.com/news/discovery-amc-viacom-shares-hit-hard-amid-directv-now-changes

I read originally they changing only the NOW packages and not the regular satellite customers, but, now, it looks as if it will affect satellite subscribers too.

This may very well but one of the same ole same ole blackout wars we are used to seeing on a consistent basis, but, then again maybe not.

I imagine this would be a great beginning or a continuing of AT&T's destruction of DirecTV.

 

[Willh699]

and it seems to gotten even more nasty as it looks like DirecTV is "Censoring" the ticker by hiding it with the black slate over where Viacom's ticker is. so don't be surprise if this is a "Goodbye forever" type dispute simiar to Dish's current ongoing disputes with Univision and AT&T's newly acquired HBO.

i think we are gonna be seeing more "permanent removal" type disputes as streaming takes over as the #1 way to watch TV.

 

[glen4cindy]

Are these channels that are leaving available on Sling or PSVue or one of the others?

I've been looking for a specific list of the 22 or so channels that are in jeopardy but I cannot find one.

 

[nelson61]

Viacom statement concerning at&t business practices.
"Viacom warns customers its channels may stop airing on DirecTV" - Viacom warns customers its channels may stop airing on DirecTV | Reuters




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[dishfan82]

I’m sick of the customer always the one who’s impacted from their disputes. Then they wonder why they’re losing subscribers. Tv is becoming unaffordable and to the point if they don’t lower the packages down .. they’ll continue to lose subscribers. Why not give a good heavy discount where it’s affordable to get a package with no a 2 year commitment but the price is affordable.

They need to figure out something.


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[Jimbo]

I read originally they changing only the NOW packages and not the regular satellite customers, but, now, it looks as if it will affect satellite subscribers too.

This may very well but one of the same ole same ole blackout wars we are used to seeing on a consistent basis, but, then again maybe not.

I imagine this would be a great beginning or a continuing of AT&T's destruction of DirecTV.

I was looking around last night and watching the Discovery channel and did not see any info about channels going off the air ... what channel did you see this on ?
Were talking Sat not Streaming ...

 

[Willh699]

I was looking around last night and watching the Discovery channel and did not see any info about channels going off the air ... what channel did you see this on ?
Were talking Sat not Streaming ...

he's talking about DirecTV now, the streaming service, they are dropping Viacom, Discovery and AMC channels on it's line up to turn it in a catch all AT&T/WarnerMedia only streaming service to compete with Disney's yet to launch streaming service and most likely PlutoTV once Viacom complete's it's buyout of it. the future of Paid TV is possibly all media companies giving us a "Cut the middle man out, buy directly from us" streaming services that will kill the old school Paid TV methods of paying for TV services.

 

[glen4cindy]

[QUOTE="Jimbo,
Were talking Sat not Streaming ...[/QUOTE]

From what I understand, originally, Viacom was only being pulled from the DirecTV Streaming service, not the sat service. Maybe I misunderstood that.

 

[jcrandall]

Viacom was removed from the new DirecTV Now packages, but many on older packages still receive it. There is also Viacom channels in all Satellite packages, and the Watch AT&T service.

With this dispute or lack of agreement, all of the AT&T services would lose these channels, so it impacts all levels of streaming and satellite (not sure about U-Verse).

 

[jamieh1]

Viacom must be asking a lot for there channels

Remember Directv dropped them for a couples months a few years back. Also suddenlink dropped them for a year or so and recently added them back.

But sad thing is even if Directv drops them. The prices still not gonna go down.

Cable and satellite prices are just getting out of hand.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Viacom Warns Viewers A Potential DirecTV & U-Verse Blackout Is Just Days Away

 

[Voyager6]

I’m sick of the customer always the one who’s impacted from their disputes. Then they wonder why they’re losing subscribers. Tv is becoming unaffordable and to the point if they don’t lower the packages down .. they’ll continue to lose subscribers. Why not give a good heavy discount where it’s affordable to get a package with no a 2 year commitment but the price is affordable.

They need to figure out something.


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How do you do that with content providers constantly raising their prices?

 

[ejb1980]

I was looking around last night and watching the Discovery channel and did not see any info about channels going off the air ... what channel did you see this on ?
Were talking Sat not Streaming ...

It's on Comedy Central to the point where it is nearly unwatchable. On regular Directv, channel 249. It's a banner that pops up that you can only read for a second that says "Your satellite provider is about to drop this an 22 other Viacom channels" or something like that. Then a crawl starts, but the banner is promptly blacked out by Directv. I will post a pic from yesterday's Daily Show recording later if no one else has posted a pic.

 

[Don in CT]

I was thinking of moving back to Comcast and one of their better 2 year deals, Maybe this is the excuse to do it.

 

[SamCdbs]

The next contract between every provider and every producer should ban the use of undercrawls to "inform" viewers of contract status.

 

[Howard Simmons]

It will be funny if this goes thru and all those Dish customers that were screaming they would go to Direct TV to get their HBO and find out they don't have the Viacom channels.

 

[slice1900]

It will be funny if this goes thru and all those Dish customers that were screaming they would go to Direct TV to get their HBO and find out they don't have the Viacom channels.

Probably a lot more people would be upset about losing HBO (which they have to really want because they pay so much extra for it) rather than the Viacom channels. Not saying there isn't some content I'd miss if I lost them (I have cable at home, not Directv) but of all the major network groups they are the one I'd miss the least. I'd stream South Park and just ignore the loss of the rest.

 

[ncted]

We would be very upset if we lost Comedy Central, but other than that....