Why is wlos 13 off the air

Overview

WLOS 13 is an ABC-affiliated television station licensed to Asheville, North Carolina, serving Western North Carolina and parts of Upstate South Carolina. The station has been broadcasting since 1954 and is currently owned by Sinclair Broadcast Group, one of the largest television station operators in the United States. Sinclair acquired WLOS in 2019 as part of its purchase of Fox regional sports networks. The station operates on channel 13 for its digital signal and provides local news, weather, and ABC network programming to approximately 1.2 million households in its designated market area. WLOS has been carried by DirecTV, the satellite television provider, for decades as part of its basic channel lineup. The current dispute marks the third time in the past decade that Sinclair stations have faced carriage disputes with major providers, following similar conflicts with Dish Network in 2015 and Charter Spectrum in 2017.

How It Works

When television stations like WLOS 13 go off the air on a provider like DirecTV, it typically results from failed retransmission consent negotiations. Under U.S. law, broadcast stations must grant permission (retransmission consent) to cable and satellite providers to carry their signals. These negotiations occur every few years and involve complex financial arrangements where providers pay stations fees per subscriber. Sinclair Broadcast Group, as the owner of WLOS, was seeking increased retransmission fees from DirecTV to reflect what they consider the fair market value of their programming. DirecTV, facing its own financial pressures and subscriber declines, resisted the proposed fee increases. When the existing contract expired on September 30, 2023, and no new agreement was reached, DirecTV was legally required to remove WLOS from its channel lineup. During such disputes, stations often run on-screen messages directing viewers to contact their provider, while providers typically offer alternative viewing options like streaming apps or antenna use.

Why It Matters

The WLOS 13 blackout on DirecTV matters because it affects access to local news, emergency information, and popular ABC programming for millions of viewers. During severe weather events common in Western North Carolina, WLOS provides critical storm coverage and emergency alerts that satellite subscribers cannot access. The dispute also highlights the ongoing tension between broadcasters seeking higher fees and pay-TV providers trying to control costs as cord-cutting accelerates. For local businesses that advertise on WLOS, the blackout reduces their reach to potential customers. The situation demonstrates how carriage disputes increasingly disrupt television viewing as the industry undergoes significant transformation, with more consumers turning to streaming services that may not carry local stations.