Retrans deals accomplished without blackouts

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CBSCBS broadcast stations and co-owned cable channels will be back on AT&T’s U-verse MVPD systems, and television group Local TV has reached a similar agreement with satellite MVPD DirecTV.


As usual, terms were not disclosed in either case. And although there were no blackouts, there appears to have at least been a modicum of strife before Local TV and DirecTV came to an agreement.

The CBS/AT&T pact covers CBS owned stations, Showtime, The Smithsonian Network and CBS Sports Network.

“We are pleased to have reached these comprehensive renewal agreements which recognize the value our stations and our cable channels bring to AT&T’s U-verse service and to the audiences we share,” said Martin Franks, Executive Vice President for Planning, Policy and Government Relations, CBS Corporation.

“We’re proud to have reached agreements to continue to offer CBS owned stations and cable channels to our subscribers,” said Jeff Weber, President of Content and Advertising Services, AT&T Home Solutions. “Our agreements with CBS continue to bring our customers more value with high-quality and compelling content.”

DirecTV announced its pleasure to have a new deal with 21 stations in the Local TV portfolio. However, in making the announcement it noted that Local TV had threatened to pull the stations if an agreement hadn’t been reached before the old contract expired.

Nonetheless, DirecTV said it believed a “fair and equitable” deal for its subscribers.