A contract dispute between communications giant Verizon and the media company Tegna has led to a blackout of the CBS network television affiliate for Verizon Fios customers in Montgomery County.
The two sides could not reach an accord after their existing agreement was up for renewal, leaving Washington-area customers without WUSA Channel 9 since Jan. 1.
Verizon Fios subscribers in Buffalo, New York, and Norfolk, Virginia, have lost access to network programs at TV stations also owned by Tegna, the broadcast unit spun off by the newspaper publisher Gannett.
Cable TV providers pay for content and access to programming from major production and media companies, such as Disney’s ESPN.
The channel remains available on other cable TV services, such as Comcast.
Tegna is asking for nearly double its current monthly rates despite a decrease in broadcast television ratings, Verizon spokeswoman Adria Tomaszewski said.
“Tegna is no longer negotiating with Verizon and has not responded to our last offer,” Tomaszewski said in an email. “We remain hopeful that Tegna will respond to Verizon’s last proposal so we can focus on reaching a fair deal and returning the channels to customers.”
A statement by Verizon said the increases proposed by Tegna would force subscribers to undertake the additional costs, which the company is unwilling to do.
Tegna has made multiple market-based offers to Verizon and is working to restore the missing broadcast channels as soon as possible, Tegna Director of Corporate Communications Steve Kidera said.
“Tegna is ready to reach a fair deal with Verizon, just as we have with every major cable and satellite company in the country over the past few years,” Kidera said in an email.
In a news release on Dec. 31, Tegna said its channels remain available on every other service provider as well as many over-the-top providers, referring to streaming platforms.
Fios customers have a pair of options to continue viewing CBS content during the blackout, as outlined in emails and messages posted by Verizon. The CBS All Access app allows users to stream live and on demand content, beginning with a free seven-day trial and then costing $5.99 a month. Customers can also watch their local CBS channel using an over-the-air antenna.
Verizon Fios has 4.5 million total subscribers, Tomaszewski said. The company does not break down subscriptions by individual areas.
