Outer Banks satellite TV customers could lose network affiliates over contract disputes

Negotiations between the network television affiliates available to satellite television customers on the Outer Banks are coming down to the wire, and could lead to several major channels disappearing from their line-ups.

Dare and Currituck counties are part of the Norfolk television market, and therefore customers of DirecTV and Dish Network are limited to the network channels broadcast from southeastern Virginia.

Ocracoke and mainland Hyde County are considered a part of the Greenville television market, and both DirecTV and Dish Network carry those signals.

Tegna, owners of ABC affiliate WVEC-13, are in a dispute over the retransmission fees paid by DirecTV. NBC affiliate WAVY-10 and FOX-43 WVBT are owned by Nexstar, which is having the same spat with Dish Network.

Contracts for both stations were scheduled to end this week, which means they would no longer air on the respective satellite services if a new payment plan from the satellite companies to the local stations can be worked out.

The Nexstar/Dish Network dispute also would impact WNCT-9, the Greenville CBS affiliate.

Tegna announced late Sunday they had reached an agreement to extend their negotiations with DirecTV until at least Tuesday.

There’s no word yet if Nexstar and Dish Network have worked out a similar arrangement before their deadline of Wednesday at midnight.

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About Sam Walker 1512 Articles
Sam Walker was news director for OBXToday.com, Beach 104, 99.1 The Sound, Big 94.5 WCMS and Z 92.3 from August 2011 to March 2022.