UPDATED: Citadel, DirecTV Extend Retrans Talks
Related: Three Citadel Stations Prepare To Go Dark At Midnight
Citadel Communications and DirecTV have extended their retransmission
consent deadline, keeping the three Citadel-owned stations on for
DirecTV viewers until 1 p.m. central time, April 1.
In a statement,
Citadel's Ray Cole said the discussions have been "productive."
"We
are hopeful that the few remaining, but important, business issues which
stand in the way of a new, final agreement can be resolved before this
extension period lapses," he added.
The possibly affected stations
are Citadel's ABC affiliate WOI Des Moines, ABC affiliate KLKN Lincoln
(Neb.) and CBS affiliate WHBF Davenport (Iowa). Until the extension, the
three were in danger of going dark at midnight central time tonight.
Broadcasting & Cable Newsletter
The smarter way to stay on top of broadcasting and cable industry. Sign up below
Michael Malone is content director at B+C and Multichannel News. He joined B+C in 2005 and has covered network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television, including writing the "Local News Close-Up" market profiles. He also hosted the podcasts "Busted Pilot" and "Series Business." His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The L.A. Times, The Boston Globe and New York magazine.