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Sinclair issues blackout warning as AT&T carriage deal nears expiration

In the latest round of major carriage disputes, Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. and AT&T Inc. are bracing for what could lead to a disconnect later this month.

Sinclair said on Friday that DIRECTV and U-verse customers, as well as subscribers to virtual provider AT&T Now, formerly DIRECTV Now, in 86 markets could lose access to 136 stations, as well as its national cable network Tennis Channel, among other properties. Sinclair said it had granted the distributor a five-week extension of their contract that was set to expire in August to avoid harming consumers. The deal is now slated to conclude Sept. 27 at 5 p.m. ET. The contract does not pertain to the 21 regional sports networks Sinclair acquired from The Walt Disney Co. last month.

AT&T recently settled lengthy retransmission-consent-induced blackouts with CBS Corp. and Nexstar Media Group Inc. The distributor, which did not respond to queries by press time, has so far averted a service disruption with Disney amid extended negotiations for the programmer's eight-owned ABC (US) stations and its suite of ESPN Inc. and other cable networks.

A Sinclair website encourages viewers to call AT&T to tell the distributor about the importance of its content, noting that a blackout could disrupt the viewing of major sporting events as well as the kickoff to the fall TV season.

Sinclair Senior Vice President and General Counsel David Gibber in a press release also encouraged viewers to access alternative ways to watch the company's "in-demand programming."