Flixed Newsletter 1 - July.22/2019

Flixed Newsletter - AT&T Loses CBS Channels (And How to Find Alternatives), Shark Week is BACK, and MORE!

July 22, 2019

Issue 35: July 22, 2019

DirecTV Now just lost its local CBS channels, leaving subscribers in the lurch. Are there any options for DirecTV Now subscribers? Yes! This week, we explore what you can do if your live TV subscription service loses its local broadcast network contracts.As always, keep reading to check out some of the biggest news in the industry, and some upcoming TV premieres you may want to watch live.Read on to find out more in this week's Stream Report.

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Cord-Cutting Tip of the Week:

What To Do When Your Service Loses Channels

All live TV streaming services, like DirecTV Now, fuboTV, YouTube TV, or Sling TV, provide channels for a price. However, few own any of the channels they offer. Instead, they work through licensing agreements to provide those channels. Those licenses must regularly be renegotiation, and unfortunately, sometimes those negotiations break down. When that happens, subscribers can lose access to channels they once had.

This happened last year with

and happened just this week with

. What can subscribers do when their favorite channels are dropped? Here are a few tips.

1. For local broadcast channels, invest in an over-the-air antenna

One way to make sure you never lose your local broadcast channels is to invest in an over-the-air (OTA) antenna. Every major network (CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC) still send broadcasts over-the-air, as they're required to by the FCC. You can pick up these broadcasts for free with an OTA antenna, such as the

or other antennas. Depending on where you live, you may need a strong, outdoor antenna.

Before you decide on whether you can use an indoor OTA or need a stronger outdoor OTA antenna, check the

first. You can enter your address to see which channels offer signals to your exact address, and at what signal strength. If most of your channels have weak signal strength, invest in an outdoor antenna. Otherwise, a lower-cost indoor antenna will work just fine.

2. Try Locast, if it's available to you

Locast is a unique, free service that lets you watch your area's broadcast channels streaming online. The service is available in the following cities: Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Washington DC, Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, and New York City. If you're outside of those cities, you can't access the service.

Additionally, while it's free, we recommend you offer a donation $5/month donation. Otherwise, you'll get harassed with ads asking you to donate pretty regularly. That said, Locast is only able to operate for free by using a donation-based model, so if you're going to use it, we definitely recommend supporting the cause!

3. Switch services

There's a lot of competition for your valuable streaming dollars these days. Thankfully, that means you can easily switch your service if the channels you want go dark. Use our

to find out which services have the channels you need the most.

This Week's Streaming Guide

1. Shark Week Premieres this SUNDAY on the Discovery Channel

Discovery Channel's annual shark-filled event is back this Sunday, July 28. All you need is access to the Discovery Channel, which you can get easily through several cord-cutting options, such as Philo.-

2. 'Orange Is the New Black' Season 7 Premieres this FRIDAY

Netflix's hit show is back with more drama and comedy from the women in orange. It's also this show's final season, so it's definitely one you won't want to miss. Binge-watching will be available starting this Friday. -

News and Industry Developments

1. AT&T Loses Local CBS Broadcasts

After negotiations break down, CBS is going dark on a number of AT&T's TV services, including DirecTV Now, DirecTV (satellite), and U-Verse. -

2. Verizon Offering First Month of YouTube TV Free for New Fios Customers

Let the bundling begin. Fios customers can now get a free month of YouTube TV for free with a Fios subscription.

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