Tribune Co. warns DirecTV customers about being cut off

The two companies are squabbling over retransmission fees. That's how much the L.A.-based satellite provider is supposed to pay Tribune, owner of 16 TV stations, including KTLA. The current contract expires March 31, and Tribune is threatening to pull the plug. From the LAT:

Feuds over programming fees have become commonplace in the media industry. Usually a deal is reached before a contract expires, or the two sides agree to keep a channel available to subscribers while they continue to negotiate. On some occasions, though, subscribers lose a channel while the two sides try to hammer out an accord. In 2010, ABC pulled its signal from Cablevision, depriving viewers of a portion of the Oscar awards.