54 Scripps Local Stations Go Dark on DirecTV Amid Retransmission Dispute

Programming on Scripps Local Media's 54 broadcast stations across 36 Nielsen-designated market areas has been suspended as of 7 p.m. ET on Sunday. The suspension stems from an ongoing retransmission dispute between Scripps and DirecTV.

The affected stations span 36 Nielsen-designated markets. Scripps operates as the third-largest operator of ABC affiliates, according to Deadline. The retransmission battle between the two companies has escalated, resulting in the removal of the 54 local Scripps stations from DirecTV's service.

Both parties have attributed responsibility for the disruption to the other side. The dispute centers on retransmission consent agreements, which govern the terms under which pay-TV providers can carry local broadcast stations. When such agreements expire without a new contract in place, programming can be removed from the provider's lineup.

The 54 stations that went dark include Scripps' local broadcast properties across the affected markets. The suspension affects viewers who subscribe to DirecTV in those designated market areas.

As of the reported time, the stations remain unavailable on DirecTV, with no resolution publicly announced. The situation represents a continuation of broader industry tensions between content providers and distributors over retransmission fees and carriage agreements.