Raycom Media has begun prominently posting messages on the websites of its 53 broadcast stations, warning DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV) subscribers that they could be blacked out from Raycom channels if a broadcast retransmission renewal deal isn't made with the satellite provider by Aug. 31.
Louisville, Ky.-based NBC affiliate WAVE 3 posted this message on the station's site Wednesday: "Our parent company, Raycom Media, is diligently working to reach an agreement for the continued carriage of WAVE 3. However, after August 31, if an agreement is not reached, customers of DirecTV could lose access to WAVE 3."
Headquartered in Montgomery, Ala., Raycom operates stations mostly in the Southeastern U.S., but among its 37 markets, it does have affiliates in Cleveland and Cincinnati. Its stations cover 13.1 percent of U.S. TV homes.
As TV Predictions points out, it's not the first time Raycom has threatened DirecTV blackout in the run-up to a renewal, with the station group also employing the tactic in January 2011.
DirecTV has yet to respond to Raycom.
For more:
- read this TV Predictions post
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