DirecTV to Expand RSN Surcharge in Spring

DirecTV will expand its regional sports network surcharge in
the spring to include existing customers, chairman and CEO Mike White told
analysts Thursday.

DirecTV began
implementing a $3 monthly surcharge in August
for regional sports networks
in markets that had multiple RSNs,  but only to new customers. That
surcharge, mainly in markets like New York and Los Angeles, will expand to
existing customers in those areas in the spring, White told analysts on a
conference call to discuss fourth quarter results.

Other distributors have followed DirecTV's lead with the RSN
charge -- Verizon's
FiOS TV began implementing a $2.42 monthly charge for RSNs
in California,
Texas and Florida in February, with plans to expand to its remaining sates in
March. In Maryland and Virginia, the surcharge will take effect in April.

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