Customers Face Another Potential TEGNA Blackout

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the American Television Alliance (ATVA) issued a statement regarding the upcoming potential blackout of Verizon customers by TEGNA.

“TEGNA is once again demanding unreasonable price increases during their latest retransmission negotiation. They are threatening to blackout the channels of Verizon Fios customers in Washington, D.C., Buffalo, Harrisburg, and Norfolk. In Washington, D.C. alone, 400,000 subscribers to the CBS-affiliated WUSA-9 would be deprived of sports and entertainment programming as well as critical news coverage,” said Michelle Bowling, spokesperson for ATVA.

“TEGNA’s potential blackout will occur as a consequential presidential election has just unfolded, hurricane season is ongoing, the holidays approach, NFL games and college football are underway, and much more. This represents more of the same, unfair tactics from big broadcast’s well-worn playbook at the expense of American consumers. It’s time that the FCC and Congress take action to protect American consumers against these recurring tactics from TEGNA and other broadcasters.”

For nearly two decades, broadcasters like TEGNA have been charging cable and satellite providers, and their customers, to access local stations. Broadcasters often unilaterally remove their channels from TV lineups, blacking out content from cable and satellite subscribers. Broadcasters then hold their channels for ransom until TV providers agree to pay more – the same channels that are available free over-the-air. Broadcasters have gained billions of dollars, and growing, from these fees.

To learn more about ATVA’s work on these issues and their impact on the American consumer, visit https://americantelevisionalliance.org/about-the-issue/.