DIRECTV STREAM Adding CW Affiliates in California, Florida, More
The timing of the additions coincides with a great deal for new DIRECTV STREAM subscribers.
The retransmission dispute between Nexstar and DIRECTV may be little more than a memory now, but over the summer it wasn’t so easy to dismiss. In early July, over 200 Nexstar-owned affiliates of local channels were blacked out on DIRECTV and DIRECTV STREAM, and the two sides did not reach a new deal until mid-September.
- DIRECTV is adding five additional Nexstar-owned channels to its lineup in as many markets.
- Four of the channels are affiliates of The CW, while one is independent.
- DIRECTV is still pressing for investigations into whether Nexstar is exercising improper control over stations nominally owned by White Knight and Mission Broadcasting.
What New Channels Are Coming to DIRECTV STREAM?
The September agreement restored hundreds of local channels to DIRECTV customers, including affiliates of The CW. Nexstar has been majority owner of The CW since summer of 2022, when it bought a 75% stake in the channel.
Now, even more DIRECTV and DIRECTV STREAM markets will have access to CW programming. DIRECTV will incorporate four more CW affiliates into its channel lineup, as well as an independent station in the Washington, D.C. market. Check out the new channels available for DIRECTV and DIRECTV STREAM customers below.
| Market | Channel No. | Callsign | Affiliation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington, D.C. (Hagerstown) | 25 | WDVM-TV | Independent |
| San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose | 4 | KRON | The CW/MyNetworkTV |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Sarasota | 38 | WTTA | The CW/MyNetworkTV |
| Denver | 2 | KWGN-TV | The CW |
| Portland, OR | 32 | KRCW-TV | The CW |
Does the Move Affect Customers in White Knight/Mission Broadcasting Areas?
Unfortunately for DIRECTV and DIRECTV STREAM customers whose local channels are owned by Mission Broadcasting or White Knight Broadcasting, the addition of the five stations above won’t have any effect on those channels being blacked out.
DIRECTV sued Nexstar in March for colluding with the two station owners, alleging manipulation of retransmission fees and other transgressions. The company has also urged the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to investigate Mission, Nexstar and White Knight, saying that Nexstar is unlawfully exercising de facto control over the channels ostensibly owned by the two smaller broadcasters.
Are Any Deals Available on DIRECTV STREAM?
If you live in one of the new markets where The CW is now available on DIRECTV STREAM, or you’ve simply been considering picking up the service for a while, now is the perfect time. DIRECTV STREAM always offers new customers a five-day free trial, but for a limited time you can get $25 off each of your first two months of DIRECTV STREAM, no matter which plan you subscribe to!
That lowers your price to just $54.99 per month for two months of the Entertainment plan, which grants you a huge variety of the top cable news, sports and entertainment channels available. Other plans have even more channels, including regional sports networks, so browse DIRECTV STREAM's plans now and start watching as soon as you pick the tier that’s right for you.
DIRECTV STREAM
DIRECTV STREAM is a live TV streaming service, which is essentially the streaming version of the DIRECTV service. All packages include local channels and at least 31 of the top 35 cable channels. New subscribers can get a free Gemini streaming device from the company, in which case the service is called “DIRECTV via Internet.”