Weather Channel to Return to DirecTV

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DirecTV on Tuesday said that it will once again offer the Weather Channel to subscribers after reaching a carriage deal with the cable channel’s owner.

The Weather Channel has not been available to subscribers since Jan. 14, when talks broke down between the El Segundo satellite TV provider and Atlanta-based Weather Co,, whose backers include NBCUniversal, Bain Capital and Blackstone Group.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but the companies said in a joint statement that the channel had agreed to cut reality TV programming by half on weekdays. The agreement also allows subscribers to stream Weather Channel content on their other Internet-enabled devices.

During the blackout, the Weather Channel mounted a media campaign urging subscribers to pressure DirecTV to renew carriage. DirectTV countered by signing a multiyear deal with competing service WeatherNation. The status of that deal was not addressed in Tuesday’s announcement.

“It’s a shame these disputes are played out on a public stage, but I’m pleased that we’ve been able to work together with the Weather Channel in a way that will benefit everyone,” Dan York, DirecTV chief content officer, said in a statement. “I know this was frustrating for many of our customers, but their patience was ultimately rewarded with a better deal and a better product.”

DirecTV shares closed up $2.04, or 2.6 percent, to $78.77 on the Nasdaq.

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