Earlier this week, DIRECTV lost rights to Nexstar-owned local channels including ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC due to a contract dispute. Now, DIRECTV has announced that blackout-affected customers will receive a one-time $10 credit.
The catch is that DIRECTV, U-Verse TV and DIRECTV STREAM customers need to apply for the one-time credit as it’s not automatically included. If you’re a DIRECTV STREAM customer, learn how to claim your $10 refund HERE. DIRECTV and U-Verse TV customers can get their refund HERE.
Just scroll down where you can enter your zip code and select which service you would like to subscribe to. After you’ve determined if you’re eligible (you must have lost a local), you can follow the steps there to claim your one-time $10 credit.
Here are the refund details as posted on the DIRECTV STREAM website: “Note: In order to receive your refund online, the email address you provide must be linked to an active DIRECTV STREAM account. You must also have a valid credit or debit card as a payment method. Online refunds are not available for accounts paid for with PayPal.”
A total of 159 Nexstar-owned local TV channels are now in the dark on DIRECTV, DIRECTV STREAM and U-Verse. NewsNation has also taken a backseat to DIRECTV.
This comes as Nexstar warned its customers late last week that their channels on DIRECTV and DIRECTV STREAM could be down. Nextstar is the largest local television network in the United States. Now, Millions will have to give up some of their local channels on DIRECTV, U-verse and DIRECTV STREAM.
DIRECTV, in a statement sent to Cord Cutters News, has accused Nexstar of asking for unjustified price hikes. “Nexstar has a long track record of forcing program outages to unnecessarily raise prices for everyone, at the expense of the communities for which they are licensed and entrusted,” said Rob Thun, DIRECTV’s Chief Content Officer. “We will continue to work with Nexstar to reach an agreement and will take all necessary measures to provide our customers with access to their favorite programs while protecting them from unjustified price increases.”
In a statement to Cord Cutters News, Nexstar emphasized that they are only looking for a fair price. “Since May, Nexstar has been negotiating relentlessly and in good faith to secure a mutually acceptable multi-year deal with DIRECTV, offering the same competitive rates it has offered to other distribution partners it has successfully negotiated with over the past year. Nexstar regularly enters into amicable retransmission and transport agreements with its cable, satellite and telecom partners – in the last three years alone the company has successfully closed agreements with more than 500 distribution partners.”
Both sides appear to be embarking on a long battle. For now, at least DIRECTV subscribers can get credit to restore the lost channels.