Today DIRECTV announced a deal to offer MeTV on its satellite service DIRECTV and streaming options like DIRECTV STREAM. MeTV is already live on DIRECTV and is rolling out now to DIRECTV STREAM customers and should be live for all later today.
MeTV offers a massive collection of popular shows like Adam-12, All in the Family, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Bugs Bunny and Friends, The Brady Bunch, Dragnet, The Flinstones, Hogan’s Heroes, and more.
“MeTV is ‘Memorable Entertainment Television,’ making it a uniquely valuable addition to the DIRECTV channel lineup nationwide,” said Neal Sabin, Vice-Chairman of Weigel Broadcasting Co. “We couldn’t be happier to seal this deal which allows us to add MeTV beyond the existing markets and deliver some of the most cherished and timeless television ever made to DIRECTV subscribers coast-to-coast.”
“This agreement provides Weigel additional reach to grow its viewership and sponsors, while furthering DIRECTV’s national and local programming interests,” said Linda Burakoff, senior vice president of content and programming at DIRECTV. “We continue to work creatively, and respectfully, with Weigel and other broadcasters to identify our mutual priorities, and then develop them together to expand our customers, sponsors and future prospects.”
MeTV will be available in the Choice packages and higher.
DIRECTV, U-verse, and DIRECTV STREAM also added the Family Movie Classics channel (FMC) today.
Since FMC launched two years ago, it is now available in 25 million homes, making it one of the fastest-growing networks in America. The network’s premiere movie event, The John Wayne Friday Night Feature, airs every Friday at 8p ET featuring the Duke’s best films, including Rio Bravo, El Dorado, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and Sands of Iwo Jima.
“We are thrilled to partner with DIRECTV to bring our beloved content to their customers across DIRECTV, DIRECTV Stream and AT&T U-verse,” said Cara Conte, SVP Affiliate Sales of FETV and FMC, in a statement posted on their website. “We look forward to entertaining and captivating these viewers with our lineup of curated classic movies the whole family can enjoy.”
This all comes as last week DIRECTV, U-Verse, and DIRECTV STREAM subscribers lost Nexstar-owned ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC affiliates, along with CW stations owned by Nexstar. Nexstar says DIRECTV rejected Nexstar’s offer to extend the current distribution agreement to Oct. 31, 2023, to give both sides more time to negotiate.
In total, 159 Nexstar-owned local TV stations are now dark on DIRECTV, DIRECTV STREAM, and U-Verse. NewsNation has also gone dark on DIRECTV.
DIRECTV, U-Verse TV, and DIRECTV STREAM customers can apply for the one-time credit as it will not be automatically included. If you are a DIRECTV STREAM customer, you can find how to request your $10 refund HERE. DIRECTV and U-Verse TV customers can get their refund by going HERE.