DirecTV, Nexstar Officially Sign New Retrans Deal, With A Caveat

An ugly retransmission consent impasse between the nation’s No. 1 owner of broadcast television stations and DirecTV has formally ended, some 24 hours after the “temporary restoration” of Nexstar Media Group‘s broadcast TV stations and its NewsNet cable TV network — fueled by Week 2 of the National Football League regular season.

As dawn broke on September 17, word surfaced that the return of more than 170 TV stations, along with NewsNation to DirecTV, DirecTV Stream and U-Verse would commence over the next several hours.

However, 27 stations Nexstar operates via a shared services agreement remain absent from DirecTV.

A joint statement distributed Sunday morning noted that the “temporary” return of the Nexstar stations to the direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service was being made “in recognition and appreciation of the continued patience of DirecTV customers and Nexstar viewers.”

While a DirecTV spokesperson told RBR+TVBR on Sunday, “We’re not done yet but inching toward closure,” it turns out that the “inching” was more like a late-marathon burst toward the finish line.

At 9am Eastern on Monday (9/18), DirecTV and Nexstar, which trades on the Nasdaq, confirmed that the two companies have officially reached “a comprehensive new multi-year distribution agreement.” Terms of the agreements were not disclosed.

In a letter to customers, DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow explained the impasse as the company sees it by noting,”Unfortunately, over the past decade-plus access to your programming has become a battleground for networks and stations to try to drive up higher rates. As our customers, we recognize that while you may be able to access some programming over-the-air or on a streaming service during these periods, that is not the experience you expect. We understand you have a choice among your TV providers and appreciate your ongoing loyalty during this renewal. That’s what will enable us to offer you more choice, personalization, and further value in future programming you pay to receive in your home.”

With the early Sunday confirmation that Nexstar stations airing NFL games on Sunday afternoon and Sunday evening would be back first for DirecTV customers, ahead of full restoration, one of the ugliest retransmission consent battles in recent years has come to a conclusion after 2 1/2 months … at least with respect to Nexstar-owned and operated stations.

RBR+TVBR confirmed early Monday that the 27 stations in 25 metro regions that are controlled by Nexstar via agreements with independent licensees White Knight Broadcasting and Mission Broadcasting are not covered by this agreement.

This indicates that DirecTV’s battle with Nexstar is not fully over.

DirecTV on June 29 filed an informal complaint with the Commission alleging that Nexstar had violated various Commission rules by exercising de facto control over two independently owned licensees it has shared services agreements with.

White Knight is based in Lafayette, La., and dates to 1995. It is the owner of WVLA-TV in Baton Rouge and KFXK-TV and KFXL-LP in the Tyler-Longview-Lufkin, Tex., DMA. White Knight nearly became a part of Mission Broadcasting, owner of 29 full-power TV stations across 26 markets; it recently agreed to purchase WADL-TV in Detroit. However, an April 2013 arrangement tied to the sale of Communications Corporation of America to Nexstar was dissolved. And, as the prior White Knight SSA partner was CCA, that historical relationship was allowed to continue — even with Nexstar gaining control of station operations.

All of Mission’s television stations are operated by Nexstar via shared services agreements, and WADL will follow suit. Mission is led by Nancie Smith and its properties include WPIX-11 in New York; CBS affiliates KOLR-10 in Springfield, Mo., and WYOU-22 in Wilkes Barre-Scranton; and FOX affiliates WXXA-23 in Albany, N.Y.; WNAC-64 in Providence; KLRT-16 in Little Rock; KMSS-33 in Shreveport; and KLJB-18 in Davenport (Quad Cities), Iowa.

The White Knight and Mission stations been unavailable on satellite, streaming and IPTV services since mid-October 2022, resulting in a federal anti-trust suit and FCC complaints filed by DirecTV.

“We continue to seek every avenue to bring them back too,” a DirecTV spokesperson tells RBR+TVBR, noting that the White Knight and Mission stations are also unavailable to Dish customers, and have been absent since January 3, 2023, due to the lack of a retransmission consent accord.

Under FCC regulations, the relationships that Nexstar has with White Knight and Mission are allowed. That’s where the situation turns thorny. DirecTV, which has engaged in a series of “blackouts” in the absence of new retrans accords due to its tough negotiating tactics, has not had a retransmission agreement for the Mission or White Knight stations for nearly one year and argues that Nexstar’s “control” of these stations is an obstacle toward reaching a new deal.

A Nexstar spokesperson offered a different take on its relationships with White Knight and Mission, telling RBR+TVBR, “We don’t own the Mission or White Knight stations, and do not negotiate their retrans agreements.”