The Weather Channel, in a dispute with DirecTV, is likely not returning to the cable provider anytime soon.
Most recently, DirecTV Chief Executive Mike White published a letter slamming television channels for acting like “it’s their absolute birthright to be paid more and more each year for the same content they offer, regardless of how many customers actually watch their channels.”
“In every other industry, when the demand for any product is reduced, prices go down, they don’t go up. That is the heart of this issue,” he added.
The Weather Channel is asking for a penny more for each subscriber, while DirecTV wants to cut the amount of money it gets.
White said that among the reasons the Weather Channel should cost less is that it is customers fourth choice when looking to get weather information. “They first turn to mobile devices and computers for instant weather information and then to local news sources that have a better grasp on local conditions,” he said.
In addition, The Weather Channel devotes 40 percent of its programming to reality television shows, White said. “Why should you pay for 100% weather information, and only receive it 60% of the time?”
On the other hand, Weather Channel spokeswoman told CNN that the drop had nothing to do with keeping costs down for customers. She noted that DirecTV recently said it would raise prices by 4.4 percent on average.
Jim Cantore, a meteorologist at the Weather Channel, used an analogy when asked whether the channel’s apps were pulling people away from television.
“If your knee is starting to ail a little bit, you may go online and see what the symptoms may be,” he said. “But at the end of the day, you’re going to the doctor to find out what’s going on with that.”
