DIRECTV - FAQs
1. What is happening?
By law, FOX25 must negotiate carriage agreements with satellite companies like DIRECTV. Usually, these deals are reached without any disruption to service to viewers. In fact, our company has completed dozens of agreements – including several in the past few weeks – with only the rarest of disruptions. Unfortunately, DIRECTV has refused to reach a fair, market-based deal to carry FOX25. We are continuing to negotiate with DIRECTV, but DIRECTV has refused to agree to reasonable terms for the valuable programming we provide.
2. As a DIRECTV customer, what can I do to continue to watch my favorite shows on FOX25?
The best thing viewers can do is call your service provider at 1-800-531-5000, 1-855-380-6515 or 1-800-288-2020. Tell DIRECTV that you pay them a lot of money to watch your favorite shows on FOX25, including FOX25 News, Empire and the NFL on FOX. Tell DIRECTV that if it doesn't bring back FOX25, then you will drop them.
Telephone Numbers:
DIRECTV: 1-800-531-5000 or 1-855-380-6515
3. Why does FOX25 charge cable and satellite operators a fee to carry their programming?
FOX25 is among the highest rated channels on DIRECTV. Producing and broadcasting high rated, top-quality programming is very expensive. We invest hundreds of thousands of dollars in our local news, weather, and emergency programming. Without the fees from cable and satellite operators, this would not be possible. FOX25 could not afford to broadcast the FOX25 News, Empire, TMZ, New Girl, The Simpsons, Wendy Williams, the NFL on FOX, The World Series and the return of 24.
4. What is a “fair” price for FOX25’s programming and why is DIRECTV refusing to pay that price?
We have carriage agreements with every other major cable and satellite company that is carrying FOX25, including DISH and Comcast. In fact, we just recently concluded a new long-term agreement with Comcast that will ensure continued service from that provider. DIRECTV, however, insists that it should pay substantially lower rates than what it pays competing video providers. Naturally, we cannot give away our product for less than it is worth.
5. What does DIRECTV pay for other channels?
Based on publicly available information, DIRECTV pays over $6 per subscriber per month for ESPN. In other words, $6 from your monthly bill goes straight to ESPN. Our ratings are much higher than ESPN's! Yet, we are asking for far, far less than what DIRECTV pays to ESPN. More importantly, ESPN has NO local programming, NO local employees, NO local investments, and a very small local audience – unlike FOX25.
6. Won't my cable rates go up if DIRECTV has to pay FOX25?
Whether rates go up depends on decisions made by DIRECTV. Like all cable and satellite companies, DIRECTV is already charging you to receive FOX25 as part of your monthly bill. DIRECTV should stop over-paying for channels its customers do not watch and re-allocate that money to the channels, like FOX25, that its subscribers turn to every day. In any event, we do not control how much DIRECTV pays to other channels or how it manages its business. We simply ask that DIRECTV pay a fair market price for our content, just as its competitors do; and we have and will continue to negotiate with DIRECTV in good faith in an effort to successfully complete a deal with them.
7. If DIRECTV stops carrying FOX25, will I get a refund on my bill?
It is up to DIRECTV to resolve such questions with its customers. But, you could call DIRECTV at 1-800-531-5000, 1-855-380-6515 or 1-800-288-2020 to demand a refund because if DIRECTV drops your favorite programming you no longer will be getting what you pay for.
8. Is there anything the public can do to help make sure that FOX25 comes back to DIRECTV?
The best way to influence this controversy is for you to register your support of how important it is for them to continue to carry the station by calling DIRECTV at 1-800-531-5000, 1-855-380-6515 or 1-800-288-2020. You pay DIRECTV a lot of money. It will listen to your voices, or you can contact any number of other providers that are committed to providing you with the programming you watch every day:
o Comcast: 1-800-XFINITY (1-800-934-6489) or
o Verizon FiOS: 1-855-240-5162 or http://www.verizon.com/home/fiostv/
o DISH Network: 1-844-203-4552 or www.dish.com
Regardless, we will continue to work hard to try and get a successful outcome to this negotiation so that you can regain live access to any of your favorite programming, but the ball remains in DIRECTV's court to step-up like all of their competitors and peers have done.
Cox Media Group
