More than 500,000 DirecTV customers in central and eastern Kentucky lost access to their local ABC stations on May 31. LEX18 and ABC36 went dark after DirecTV and the E.W. Scripps Company failed to reach a new contract before their agreement expired. The DirecTV Scripps ABC Kentucky outage 2026 hit at the worst possible moment. The NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup Finals both air exclusively on ABC. Affected viewers cannot watch either series through their standard DirecTV service.
Who is affected and where
The outage covers the Lexington media market. That market ranks 63rd largest in the country and serves approximately 517,660 viewers across central and eastern Kentucky. DirecTV and Scripps disputes hit 36 markets nationally. In Kentucky, the blackout affects customers in 40 counties: Anderson, Bath, Bourbon, Boyle, Breathitt, Casey, Clark, Clay, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Franklin, Garrard, Harrison, Jackson, Jessamine, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lee, Lincoln, Madison, Magoffin, Menifee, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owsley, Perry, Powell, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Scott, Wayne, Whitley, Wolfe and Woodford.
What DirecTV and Scripps are each saying
Both sides have staked out firm public positions. DirecTV says Scripps demanded the highest rates the company has ever paid a station group. In its public statement, DirecTV argued that accepting those terms would push costs higher for consumers and businesses already struggling with affordability. The company says it rejected the original demand and sought a more reasonable deal. The two sides could not find common ground before the contract expired.
Scripps CEO Adam Symson publicly criticized DirecTV in response. He argued that DirecTV does not value what Scripps does in local communities delivering local news and live sports to viewers every day. Symson noted that local sports rights did not sit at the center of the dispute. Even so, both sides acknowledge that sports access has become a major point of frustration for viewers caught in the middle.
What viewers are missing right now
The timing of this blackout is particularly painful for sports fans. The New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs are playing the NBA Finals on ABC. The Stanley Cup Finals are also airing on the same network. DirecTV customers in the affected Kentucky counties cannot watch either series through their regular service.
The outage also cuts off daily programming. ABC36 carries Good Morning America, Good Afternoon Kentucky, Family Feud and Jimmy Kimmel Live. Viewers who rely on DirecTV as their primary TV source have lost access to all of it with no clear end date in sight.
How this fits a broader pattern
DirecTV has a history of these standoffs with major broadcasters. Scripps itself pulled its local channels from Comcast just months earlier in a separate dispute. That fight lasted 35 days before Comcast and Scripps reached a deal on May 5. The DirecTV dispute started that same month.
Before the Scripps situation, DirecTV spent 13 days without Disney-owned channels in September 2024. That dispute ended after both sides agreed to bundle Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu into certain DirecTV packages.
Scripps Local Media operates 54 local broadcast stations. The company acquired ABC36 from Morris Network Inc. in March 2026, expanding its Kentucky footprint just months before the current dispute began. That acquisition made Scripps one of the largest ABC affiliates in the country.
When will service return?
Neither side has announced a timeline for resolution. No new talks have surfaced publicly. For now, DirecTV customers in affected counties have a few options. They can use an over-the-air antenna to pick up local ABC stations for free. They can also stream ABC content through services that carry local affiliates. Alternatively, they can contact DirecTV directly to ask about account credits or accommodations during the outage.
Source: Lexington Herald-Leader / Yahoo News
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