DirecTV Spinoff Should Come With Local-Into-Local: Affiliates
Approval of AT&T's planned $7.8 billion spinoff of its DirecTV and U-verse video distribution business (see 2102240046) should be conditioned on New DirecTV providing local-into-local service in all 210 designated market areas, ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC affiliates told the…
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FCC International Bureau Monday. Applications "are entirely silent" on viewers' access to local programming and the 12 DMAs where DirecTV doesn't provide local-into-local even after years of promises, they said. All other MVPDs, including Dish Network, provide this and if that's not sufficient incentive, "the market won't provide one" and the FCC needs to step up, they said. AT&T didn't comment.