TEGNA Blackout Disrupts Verizon Fios Customers

WASHINGTON – Today, ATVA issued a statement responding to the blackout of Verizon Fios customers by TEGNA. 

“Over the past year, TEGNA has blacked out millions of TV viewers across the country – and now they are at it again – this time blacking out channels from Verizon Fios customers in Washington, D.C., Buffalo, Harrisburg, and Norfolk,” said ATVA spokesperson Jessica Kendust. TEGNA’s latest blackout began last night as TEGNA tried to secure unreasonable price increases during retransmission negotiations. This blackout marks the third of TEGNA’s recent major blackouts across the country, including:

• A blackout of nearly 3 million DISH TV customers’ local channels across 53 US markets starting in October 2021.

• A blackout of Mediacom customers which hit its one-year anniversary on New Year’s Eve – beginning on December 31, 2020. 

“We are counting on Congress and our leaders at the FCC to reform the video market,” stated Kendust. “American consumers cannot continue to be used as private leverage to extort higher fees for broadcast conglomerates like TEGNA.” 

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The American Television Alliance (ATVA) brings together an unprecedented coalition of consumer groups, cable, satellite, telephone companies, and independent programmers to raise awareness about the risk TV viewers face as broadcasters increasingly threaten service disruptions that would deny viewers access to the programs they and their families enjoy.