DirecTV, Tribune Reach Agreement to Restore Stations

Tribune’s stations went dark for DirecTV subscribers over the weekend, but this restores them just in time for baseball season

Tribune Broadcasting and DirecTV have reached an agreement that will restore Tribune’s television stations to the satellite provider's 5 million customers.

Tribune’s stations went dark over the weekend for those customers, which DirecTV blamed on Tribune’s bankruptcy.

Now, those customers will have access to Tribune’s 23 local stations and its national cable network, WGN America.

“We are extremely pleased to have reached an agreement with DirecTV and to return our valuable news, entertainment and sports programming to DirecTV subscribers,” Nils Larsen, Tribune Broadcasting president, said in a statement. “On behalf of Tribune Broadcasting, I want to thank viewers across all of our markets for their support, understanding and patience during the negotiating process —we truly regret the service interruptions of the last several days.”

Also Read: DirecTV Blames Bankruptcy Mess for Pulled Tribune Stations, Seeks FCC Intervention

Just Monday, the satellite provider had asked the Federal Communications Commission Monday for an expedited ruling against Tribune, accusing it of "failing to negotiate in good faith." Tribune accused DirecTV of using "bad faith" as a negotiating tactic. 

Instead, the two sides wrapped up the dispute just as the baseball season is getting underway.

Both WGN in Chicago and WGN America air the games of the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox while WPIX airs the New York Mets in New York, PHL7 the Philadelphia Phillies and WDCW the Washington Nationals.

Tribune owns KTLA in Los Angeles

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