DirecTV, Nexstar Strike Temporary Deal to Restore Local Stations Before NFL Season

DirecTV and Nexstar reached a temporary deal to restore 159 local stations that were blacked out since July 2. This lets viewers watch NFL games.

The blackout affected major markets like LA, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Denver. Nexstar said over 10 million DirecTV subscribers were impacted.

The companies are working to finalize a new carriage agreement. They aim to restore stations showing NFL games first.

Football season increased pressure to reach a deal after the blackout lasted through summer. A similar Disney-Charter dispute ended last week.

Nexstar is the largest local station owner. DirecTV is 3rd biggest pay-TV provider. Restoring signals will happen gradually across stations.