Live TV streaming service DirecTV Now this week began expanding support for local stations on its platform, with numerous posts on r/DirecTVNow reporting that local network affiliates for ABC, NBC, and CBS have appeared in cities across the United States.
As pointed out by CordCuttersNews, these affiliates are owned and operated by Nexstar Media Group, a television broadcasting company that owns or operates around 170 TV stations across the country. In November 2017, Nexstar announced that it had reached `mutually satisfactory agreements` with three of the big four networks for participation in live TV streaming services like DirecTV Now and PS Vue, and then throughout 2018 a few local affiliates began trickling out for select cities.
This week, however, it appears like a wide rollout of local affiliates has begun on DirecTV Now. Over the past 24 hours on Reddit, users have mentioned seeing the following local stations:
CBS
WIAT in Birmingham, Alabama
WIVB in Buffalo, New York
KOIN in Portland, Oregon
WNCN in Raleigh, North Carolina
WROC in Rochester, New York
NBC
WCMH in Columbus, Ohio
KXAN in Austin, Texas
WOOD in Grand Rapids, Michigan
ABC
WKRN in Nashville, Tennessee
WRIC in Richmond, Virginia
WTNH in New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut This is far from every local affiliate owned by Nexstar, and there are likely more that have appeared on DirecTV Now and other over-the-top streaming platforms in recent days. The full list of stations owned and operated by Nexstar can be found on the company`s Wikipedia page.
The addition of local stations greatly adds to the convenience and value of OTT services, given that without these stations cord cutters don`t have the chance to get local news or watch TV shows on one the big four networks (ABC, FOX, NBC, and CBS). While services like Hulu and CBS All Access supplement missed shows on many of these networks, they require additional monthly fees to b ...
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