Latest in AT&T

CBS and AT&T have struck a carriage deal, ending the blackout on AT&T-owned satellite giant DirecTV. The companies’ dispute saw CBS stations in New York City, Los Angeles and across the nation go dark on DirectTV, DirecTV Now and U-verse cable systems beginning July 20. The multi-year deal announced Thursday also…

CBS may be hurting from the nearly two-week old blackout born of its carriage dispute with AT&T, but CBS All Access is reaping some of the benefits. "We have seen an uptick since AT&T blacked us out," admitted an almost sheepish CBS Interactive boss Marc DeBevoise today at TCA of the small screen battle and the…

AT&T is rebranding DirecTV Now as AT&T Now as the satellite brand it acquired in 2015 loses currency in the streaming era. The telecom giant started notifying customers Tuesday morning of the change. According to a company website, current DirecTV Now customers won’t need to do anything as the change takes effect…

Debra Lee, who last year stepped down as chairman and CEO of BET Networks after a three-decade career at the Viacom brand, has been added to the board of directors at AT&T. She becomes the first media-tied name to join the board as the company continues to evolve after its $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner and…

While it didn’t reference comments Wednesday by AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson on his company’s earnings call, CBS Corp. issued what it called a “fact sheet” about its ongoing carriage dispute with the telecom giant. The company did not divulge exact numbers, but reported a “dramatic spike in new subscribers” to its CBS…

AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said the telecom giant has heard “crickets” from CBS since presenting its latest offer last week in a nearly week-old carriage battle. CBS-owned stations in 14 major markets serving more than 6 million viewers have been dark on DirecTV, DirecTV Now and U-verse since late last…

UPDATED with more executive commentary. AT&T has scheduled its big reveal of HBO Max details — presumably covering pricing, subscription features and product demos — for the afternoon of October 29 on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank. CEO Randall Stephenson also said live sports and news will be elements in the…

AT&T reported second-quarter financial results that met Wall Street expectations, with earnings per share of 89 cents and revenue of $45 billion. WarnerMedia revenue increased 5.5% to $8.4 billion in the quarter, with operating income rising to $2 billion from the year-earlier period. Bright spots for WarnerMedia…

With multiple carriage battles leaving broadcast TV signals dark for millions of pay-TV customers, Gordon Smith, the ex-Senator who heads the National Association of Broadcasters, is pinning blame on Dish Network and AT&T. CBS and AT&T reached an impasse late last Friday, leaving CBS-owned stations (including a…

Xandr, AT&T’s advertising technology unit, has added A+E Networks, AMC Networks and Cheddar as partners in Community, its marketplace for publishers. The new companies join WarnerMedia's CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, B/R Live, Otter Media, and Warner Bros., as well as VICE, Hearst Magazines, Newsy, Philo, Tubi, and Xumo as…

UPDATED with additional company statements and details. CBS stations in more than a dozen markets, including New York and Los Angeles, have gone dark on AT&T’s DirecTV satellite systems, DirecTV Now internet-delivered bundles and U-verse cable systems. The dispute went public earlier this week, with the usual exchange…

As the deadline nears in AT&T’s carriage dispute with CBS stations, the telecom giant is accusing the broadcaster of trying to “up-sell” customers to subscription streaming service CBS All Access. The current contract between CBS stations in more than a dozen markets, including New York and LA, and AT&T-owned…