A retransmission dispute between Scripps and DirecTV has escalated into a blackout affecting 54 local Scripps stations across 36 Nielsen-designated markets. The stations went dark at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, leaving DirecTV subscribers in many cities without access to local news, weather alerts, emergency information, network programming and live sports. The blackout comes at a sensitive time, just ahead of several state and local primary elections in June and before major sports events including the NBA and NHL finals on ABC and the U.S. Open golf tournament on NBC.
Both companies blamed the other for the disruption. DirecTV said Scripps is demanding the highest rates it has ever asked from a station group, arguing that the proposed deal would significantly increase costs for consumers and businesses already dealing with affordability pressures. DirecTV said it sought a more reasonable agreement but that Scripps chose to pull its stations from viewers in several major markets.
Scripps disputed that account, saying it had engaged in good-faith negotiations to reach an equitable agreement that would serve both companies and consumers. The company said DirecTV opted to remove Scripps stations from its lineup and accused the pay-TV provider of using subscribers as bargaining chips in contract disputes. Scripps also said its stations have gone dark only twice since the company began broadcasting in the 1940s, emphasizing the rarity of such blackouts.
DirecTV pointed to a separate carriage dispute involving Scripps and Comcast Xfinity, noting that 40 stations were removed from Xfinity in 19 markets for more than a month beginning April 1. DirecTV said this showed a broader pattern in Scripps’ negotiations.
The dispute highlights the recurring tension between broadcasters and pay-TV distributors over retransmission fees, which have become a common source of service interruptions for viewers. Rob Thun, DirecTV’s chief content officer, said customers are understandably frustrated by losing access to the stations, but argued that Scripps is demanding unusually high rates for programming that is still available free over the air and through various streaming and network apps. DirecTV said it wants to prevent unnecessary price increases while working to restore the stations that viewers rely on.
Scripps maintained that its local stations provide important public-interest programming and that restoring them is in the best interest of subscribers. The company said the loss of access affects trusted local journalism, severe weather coverage, emergency alerts and live sports that help strengthen community ties. It framed the issue as one of fair compensation for content it invests in every day.
Markets affected by the blackout include 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.
In the meantime, DirecTV directed sports viewers to the ESPN app, while Scripps suggested using an antenna for free over-the-air reception or alternative services such as Tablo TV, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo and other cable or streaming providers.
