DirecTV at odds with Fox Networks, may drop channels

Fox issued a statement yesterday that brings along some potentially bad news if you’re a DirecTV subscriber. The network has apparently had a disagreement with satellite provider DirecTV, and if their carriage dispute isn’t settled soon, more than two dozen networks could be dropped from the satellite provider’s lineup.

A Fox spokesman had this to say about the carriage dispute with DirecTV:

“DirecTV sent us a proposal on Tuesday afternoon,” they said. “They have given us no chance to respond before taking an unnecessarily aggressive posture and going public. It is disappointing that they have chosen bad faith tactics over meaningful negotiation.”

The statement continues: “We have proposed to keep the Fox Networks on DirecTV for the same price, and on the same terms as they are currently carried while we attempt to work out a fair agreement. Unfortunately, DirecTV has decided that unless they get their way, they are going to pull the plug on their customers November 1.”

DirecTV, on the other hand, tells an entirely different story, one that conflicts with Fox Networks’ statement. According to a DirecTV’s statement, Fox Networks was trying to get a 40% increase in subscriber fees for their channels.

“We already provide News Corp. nearly a billion dollars a year for their channels, and we have no problem continuing to compensate them fairly,” DirecTV said in a statement, calling Fox Networks’ proposed deal “unfair and unwarranted.”

To further the finger-pointing shenanigans, a Fox Networks spokesman called DirecTV’s claims that they were attempting to get a 40% increase “ridiculous”, again pointing out that they offered the satellite provider to keep the same rates while a new deal is worked out.

DirecTV stated that while they hope to get the carriage dispute worked out, they’ll “do what’s necessary to protect our customers from excessive and unwarranted fee increases.”

Sources: Variety, LA Times