Scripps’ 54 TV Stations Go Dark on DirecTV Amid Retransmission Dispute

Programming on Scripps Local Media’s 54 broadcast stations across 36 Nielsen-designated market areas was suspended at 7 p.m. ET after Scripps and DirecTV failed to reach a new retransmission agreement. The dispute has left viewers in multiple major U.S. markets without access to local news, network programming and live sports, with both companies blaming the other for the blackout.

DirecTV said Scripps was seeking the highest carriage rates the distributor has ever paid to a station group, arguing that the proposed terms would drive up costs for consumers and businesses already facing affordability pressures. In response, DirecTV said it declined the demand and accused Scripps of removing its stations from viewers in several markets nationwide rather than accepting a more reasonable deal.

The outage affects cities including Baltimore, Boise, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Lexington, Miami, Milwaukee, Nashville, Omaha, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Tampa-St. Petersburg and West Palm Beach, among others. DirecTV warned that the timing is especially disruptive because it comes ahead of key state and local primary elections in June and during major sports events.

Among the programming potentially affected are the upcoming NBA and NHL championship series, the Stanley Cup finals coverage on ABC, and the U.S. Open golf tournament on NBC. DirecTV highlighted the impact on viewers of Scripps’ ABC affiliates, including KTNV-ABC in Las Vegas, where local interest is heightened by the Golden Knights’ NHL title matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes. The company also pointed to an upcoming NBA title-deciding game between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs as another high-profile event at risk of being unavailable to affected households.

In its statement, DirecTV accused broadcasters such as Scripps of using exclusive local sports and civic content to pressure distributors into paying higher retransmission fees, despite the fact that much of the programming is available for free over the air and through other streaming platforms. DirecTV said it is trying to limit what it calls unnecessary cost increases while working to restore access for customers who rely on the stations.

Scripps rejected DirecTV’s account and said it has been negotiating in good faith for an equitable agreement that works for both companies and for consumers. The company said DirecTV chose to remove Scripps stations from its lineup and described the tactic as common in pay-TV disputes. Scripps also said its stations have gone dark only twice since it began broadcasting in the 1940s.

Scripps said it remains committed to reaching a fair resolution that would return its local stations to DirecTV subscribers. The company emphasized the importance of local journalism, weather alerts, emergency information and live sports, calling them essential public-interest services that communities depend on every day.