Univision Extends U-Verse Access Through Friday

Univision has agreed to extend U-Verse access to the Univision network and TV stations through 1 a.m. Saturday, essentially another 26 hours, as the two sides continue to try to hammer out a new contract.

Univision allowed AT&T's U-Verse to air the Democratic Debate from Miami Wednesday night (March 9), then agreed to extend that another 24 hours beyond the two-hour debate.

"Univision Communications Inc. and AT&T agreed today to extend the access of the Univision network and stations brought back for Wednesday night’s debate until 1 a.m. ET Saturday," Univision and AT&T said in a joint statement. "Univision’s other networks will continue to be unavailable," the statement added.

AT&T had asked that Univision extend the same carriage to Univision's other networks--UniMás, Galavisión, Univision Deportes.

"The two companies will continue to work to reach agreement on a new contract," they said.

Both Univision and AT&T ramped down the rhetoric Monday (March 7) in their ongoing carriage fight.

Univision nets and stations have been off AT&T's U-Verse since March 4, when Univision suggested AT&T was 'redlining' Hispanic viewers; AT&T countered that the charge was "despicable."

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.