DIRECTV Accepts Tribune's Terms for Broadcast Stations, Tribune Denies Deal is in Place

DIRECTV

said Saturday that it has accepted financial terms Tribune's management offered to it by phone on Thursday, March 29 at 3:30 PM EST, to carry their 23 local broadcast stations to ensure customers do not lose their programming when the agreement with Tribune expires tonight at midnight. “We accept the rate proposal Tribune set forth on Thursday for the local channels and look forward to completing this agreement,” said Dan Hartman, senior vice president of Programming. “While we have been negotiating in good faith for two months, we believe Tribune's viewers and our customers are best served by making sure the local stations remain on our service without disruption first and will then negotiate a separate agreement for WGN America.” Tribune said late Saturday there was no deal in place. Subscribers in 19 U.S. markets have lost access to certain programming. DIRECTV responded to the Tribune statement: "We're extremely perplexed as Tribune management and DIRECTV had a handshake deal on Thursday with an agreed upon rate for their channels. Their actions are the true definition of “bad faith” in every sense of the term."