dailyloe.com – Comcast’s Xfinity TV service removed channels owned by E.W. Scripps Co. on Tuesday, March 31. The blackout affects customers in 19 markets across the United States. This follows the expiration of a distribution contract between the two media companies.
Xfinity notified customers via email about the sudden channel removals. The company stated Scripps refused its reasonable offers. Xfinity claimed Scripps’s demands would significantly increase consumer costs.
E.W. Scripps Co. countered that Comcast disrupted customer access. The broadcaster said its channels remain available online and via other providers. Scripps emphasized the loss affects local news, weather, and sports programming.
In Michigan, the blackout impacts several major local stations. Detroit customers lost access to WXYZ-TV Channel 7 and WMYD. West Michigan subscribers cannot watch WXMI FOX 17.
Mid-Michigan Xfinity customers also lost WSYM Fox 47. The affected stations announced the disruption on their websites and social media. They advised viewers on alternative methods to watch their programming.
Customers can still access Scripps content via streaming apps. Over-the-air antennas provide another viewing option. Other cable and satellite services continue to carry the channels.
Such carriage disputes are common in the pay-TV industry. They typically involve negotiations over retransmission fees. These fees are payments distributors make to broadcasters.
The last major dispute between these companies occurred in 2023. It resulted in a brief blackout for some markets. The current impasse shows ongoing tension in media distribution.[]
Source: Detroit Free Press
