DirecTV, Cordillera Reach Retrans Pact

After a stalemate that lasted about 10 days, Cordillera Communications and DirecTV agreed in principle on a new retransmission consent deal that enabled ten local broadcast stations to return to DirecTV local customers’ homes.

The Cordillera stations went dark to customers in 10 Nielsen DMAs on Jan.1.

DirecTV began re-authorizing homes earlier today, with the satellite giant prioritizing Cordillera’s five NBC affiliates in Tucson, Ariz.; Colorado Springs-Pueblo, Colo., Lexington Ky.; Santa Barbara-San Luis Obispo, Calif.; and Corpus Christi, Tex.; so viewers could join today’s AFC Divisional Playoff game between the New England Patriots and Baltimore Ravens which was already in progress.

In a statement on its website, Cordillera's NBC affiliate (KOAA) in Colorado Springs-Pueblo, Colo. said it has reached an agreement with the satellite TV service proivider and that DirecTV hmave "flipped the switch," to return its programming to customers at 3:10 p.m. mountain time. 

The stations involved were: KOAA (NBC), Colorado Springs-ueblo, Colo.; WLEX (NBC), Lexington, Ky.; KATC (ABC), Lafayette, La.; KSBY (NBC), Santa Barbara, Calif.; KVOA (NBC), Tucson, Ariz.; KRIS (NBC) Corpus Christi, Tex.; KPAX (CBS), Missoula, Mont.; KBZK (CBS), Butte, Mont.; KTVQ (CBS), Billings, Mont.; KRTV (CBS), Great Falls. Mont.