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Viacom/DirecTV Class Action Lawsuit Over Channel Blackout Could Be Filed
By Sarah Pierce
The Viacom/DirecTV dispute over subscriber fees has gotten ugly, but the real losers in the battle are millions of subscribers who lost access to 26 channels owned by Viacom, including popular channels like MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, BET and VH1. Angry customers may pursue a class action lawsuit against DirecTV and/or Viacom for removing the channels, despite the fact they paid for the channels and signed up for the service with the belief that they would have access to them.
DirecTV blacked out the channels on July 11, 2012 because it could not reach an agreement with Viacom on subscriber fees before their seven-year deal expired. The company tried to defend the DirecTV channel blackout by saying it was protecting subscribers from Viacom, who “wants YOU to pay 30% more.”
According to the DirecTV blackout statement:
“DIRECTV is not willingly removing MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, Spike, or any other channels even though Viacom began telling viewers exactly that at approximately 11:24 p.m. EST last night. The truth is, only 5 minutes later, Viacom sent an express letter via courier to DIRECTV threatening legal action if DIRECTV did not comply with Viacom’s demand to turn off the channels. Viacom is forcing us to take down the channels, while publicly claiming they are against it.”
Viacom responded that its proposed increase totals “a couple pennies per day per subscriber,” and that it remains “hopeful that DirecTV will work with us toward a resolution, and stop denying its subscribers access to the networks they watch most.”
Viacom and DirecTV subscribers are unimpressed with the rigmarole about the channel blackout, however, and are angry they’re being punished for the companies’ inability to reach an agreement. Some are wondering if they can file a class action lawsuit against Viacom and/or DirecTV for breaking their customer agreements by removing their access to the channels.
Updated July 19th, 2012
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6 thoughts onViacom/DirecTV Class Action Lawsuit Over Channel Blackout Could Be Filed
Direct TV conned me into a service package when my DVR broke and when i later found out that they should have just replaced the DVR i tried to get the money back from the service plan they denied me, i then cancelled my subscription and they are now trying to get 400 dollars for early cancelation from me. I said good luck getting blood from a stone!
Direct TV lied to me from the beginning of my contract. First they said I would receive TV and Internet as a package deal but after the TV was hooked up they called to say they were not able to give me Internet in my area but still charged the same price. Every few months they send an email saying that a channel will no longer be avalible unless I pay more. I feel that under their contract the channels are avalible when I sign up so it is their obligation to make sure I. Get those channels. When I called to have it disconnected they promised 3 free months if I would keep their service . I agreed however before that 3 months was up they turned the service off stating I was behind on payments. What’s more I could not reach them by phone if I did not pay the 3 months that was suppose to be free. This is the worse company I have ever sealed with.
I experienced rude and unprofessional behavior from Direct TV Staff. I ask there Customer Service for some type of compensation for the blackout of TV Shows. They did nothing for me and when I said they where in breach of contract, they said basically I was at there whim, and that when there contract issues where settled with Via-Com then they might do something for there Customers. So when I asked to get they tried to bill me for almost $700.00 in early disconnection fees.
If Direct tv fails to provide a services agreed under their contract, then the breech of contract is on the burden of Direct t.v. I was called and harassed by this company and threatened when I decided to leave due to my services not being what I paid for and agreed to. I was treated very unfairly by this company, they even refused to disconnect my service when I asked and then charged me for leaving their company. This is not right! The station lost 26 channels not a few! So what they are back, the contract was violated by Direct tv. As a paying customer that was never late paying my bill, this is unjust behavior from this business. They are trying to charge me for leaving but I will never pay them a dime for how I was treated and Direct tv not providing me the contracted services we agreed upon. End of story! My story! Nobody threatens me!
When did the buy back occur? Dtv has raised my rates so much that I’ve decided to remove them from MY lineup.
Direct TV Just brought back ALL the stations, why is this a possibility of a law suit?