Just as DirecTV resolved its retransmission impasse with Hearst Television that ended a weeklong blackout of 33 network affiliates, a similar broadcast licensing issue threatens to take 18 News-Press & Gazette (NPG) stations off the satellite TV service.
According to NPG, which has been giving regular updates regarding its negotiations on its website, the station group agreed to a 24-hour extension Tuesday with DirecTV to keep its channels on the service.
The new deadline is reportedly set for 6:00 p.m. EST today.
Channels affected included Central Oregon FOX affiliate KFXO-TV, Idaho CBS station KIDK-TV (CBS) and Palm Springs, California, FOX station KESQ-TV among the total of 18 affiliates. News of the potential blackout was first reported by TV Predictions.
RELATED: AT&T reaches retrans deal with Hearst, ends weeklong blackout of 33 stations
"We want to keep [the stations] in your lineup, but the owner, News-Press & Gazette, is threatening to block (them) from reaching your home unless they receive a significant increase in fees," DirecTV said in a statement.
Unlike the Hearst impasse, this retrans battle doesn’t appear to involve DirecTV’s corporate pay-TV cohort AT&T U-verse.
The tough negotiations are among at least a half-dozen retrans standoffs currently ongoing in the pay-TV business.
Most notably, Charter Communications was at odds with NBCUniversal as the new year approached. The two sides announced an extension on Dec. 31 but have yet to announce a deal.
Meredith Corp., meanwhile, has threatened to pull Connecticut station WFSB-TV off of Altice USA’s Optimum system (formerly Cablevision) on Jan. 13 if a new deal isn’t done.