July 21 (UPI) — CBS went dark for DirecTV and U-verse customers Saturday after a dispute between the network and AT&T on a new carriage contract.
The previous contract expired without a replacement at 2 a.m.
Markets affected by the blackout include Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Sacramento, San Francisco, Seattle and Tampa.
“This is just the latest example in AT&T’s long and clear track record of letting its consumers pay the price for its aggressive tactics to get programmers to accept below market terms,” CBS said in a statement. “While we continue to negotiate in good faith and hope that AT&T agrees to fair terms soon, this loss of CBS programming could last a long time.”
AT&T called CBS a “blackout offender” and accused the network of pricing its CBS All Access streaming platform higher to try to take advantage of customers leaving cable and satellite.
“CBS continues to demand unprecedented increases even as CBS advances content on CBS All Access instead of on its local broadcast stations,” AT&T said in a statement. “In short, CBS is seeking to convert a free, publicly subsidized broadcast station into a high-cost channel while leaving cable and satellite customers holding the bag.”
