Some MA Residents Are NOT Getting Their NBC Affiliate

Now that football season began, a big opening match between Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants will take place on Sunday night and there are some Massachusetts residents who are subscribers to Direct TV will NOT be able to catch the game as the satellite provider is in a battle with local NBC affiliate, WWLP 22 over financial disagreements between both parties. NBC also airs college football games every weekend and fans are also deprived of watching that live coverage as well. The blackout also affects the city's CW network (channel 22.2), Ion Television (channel 22.3) and Ion Mysteries (22.4).

The Springfield based channels are owned by Nexstar as this company has been at odds with Direct TV which results in customers being deprived of prime time football and their favorite NBC programming. Morning viewers are unable to check in to The Today Show and they are shut out from viewing their local news as the only alternative is going to Western Mass News which is simulcast on CBS (channel 3) and ABC (channel 40) in that particular market.

Nexstar is equally dependent on football broadcasts for ratings and advertising, particularly when there’s a writers/actors’ strike that keeps both parties from debuting new programs this fall. Live sports are more important than ever now to both DIRECTV and Nexstar, but it's always a matter of money and corporate greed that gets in the way and leaves customers out in the lurch. Direct TV customers can get more information by logging on here.

There is no guarantee, but this carriage impasse has reached a point where it could start having a serious economic impact on both companies. History has repeated itself as a similar scenario occurred in 2019 and the settlement took almost two months to complete, but the waiting was always the hardest part in getting things back on track. But when will this drama finally end in 2023? Inquiring minds would like to know.

Other Nexstar affiliates affected within our listening area that are associated with Direct TV include WTEN-TV (News 10) in Albany, New York, WTNH-TV (News 8) in Litchfield county (northwestern Connecticut) and CW flagship station, WPIX-TV in the New York metropolitan area which also serves the Hudson Valley.

BOTTOM LINE: Once again, cable subscribers are being given a raw deal and the other alternative is to immediately seek other options as soon as possible.