Outdoor Channel Clears Up DirecTV Carriage Confusion

Channel Was Mistakenly Included In 'Total Choice' Package Since October

By Linda Moss -- Multichannel News, 5/13/2008 1:44:00 PM

Outdoor Channel clarified its situation with DirecTV Tuesday, saying that it was always on the satellite provider’s sports tier and has not been moved, but was mistakenly also being offered as part of the company’s Total Choice package.

On Monday, Multichannel News incorrectly reported that DirecTV had moved Outdoor Channel to a sports tier.

In fact, DirecTV has been carrying Outdoor Channel as part of its Sports Package—and also had rights to offer it a la carte, according to the network. But the satellite provider recently realized that since October 2007 it had mistakenly also been offering the network on its Total Choice offering, as well.

Last week Outdoor Channel’s parent, Outdoor Channel Holdings, reported in an 8-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it’s carriage has been “recently modified” by DirecTV.

“In conjunction with ongoing negotiations for the renewal and extension of their agreement, Outdoor Channel Holdings has learned from DirecTV that since October 2007 DirecTV has been making Outdoor Channel available to more customers than authorized in the agreement,” Outdoor Channel said in its filing. “DirecTV recently modified its carriage of Outdoor Channel."

“Although the Nielsen Media Research estimated number of households receiving Outdoor Channel has not increased significantly since October 2007, the company is unable to ensure that there will be no decrease in Nielsen’s estimated number of households receiving Outdoor Channel in the future as a result of this recent modification of carriage by DirecTV,” the network said in its filing. “The company continues its negotiations with DirecTV and has authorized DirecTV to continue carrying Outdoor Channel.”