American Television Alliance Statement on Potential TV Blackout from Mission Broadcasting Impacting Verizon Customers

Subscribers Set to Lose Key News, Sports and Weather Programming as Deadline Approaches

For Immediate Release
December 10, 2025
Contact: Hunter Wilson
Email: [email protected]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the American Television Alliance (ATVA) released a statement in response to Mission Broadcasting’s decision to hold stations for ransom across two markets while demanding exorbitant retransmission consent fee increases for programming that is free over the air.

“Mission Broadcasting is the latest broadcaster to threaten TV blackouts for FOX and CW affiliates in key markets while demanding unjustified retransmission fee hikes that raise costs for American consumers,” said ATVA spokesman Hunter Wilson. “These tactics underscore the urgent need for retransmission consent reform and exemplify how broadcasters exploit disruptions to extract excessive profits, sidelining viewers who rely on affordable access to local stations.”

Big Broadcasters have levied more than 2,400 TV blackouts and increased retransmission consent fees by an overwhelming 2,000 percent since 2010. Mission Broadcasting’s TV blackout could impact Verizon customers in Albany, N.Y. (WXXA) and Providence, R.I. (WNAC), jeopardizing their access to regular programs, news and sporting events that they care about.

For decades, Big Broadcasters have been charging cable and satellite providers and their customers to access local stations, often forcing the removal of channels from TV lineups and blacking out content until TV providers agree to pay more. When blackouts finally end, consumers get their programming back, often at a higher cost. American consumers continue to pay the price for outdated regulations, allowing broadcasters to continuously weaponize TV blackouts, deliberately targeting live sports and other must-see TV.

ATVA stands ready to work with Congress to modernize dated regulations that turn sizable profits for Big Broadcasters at the expense of consumers. To learn more about outdated broadcast regulations and their impact on the American consumer, visit https://americantelevisionalliance.org/about-the-issue/.