DIRECTV has unlocked a handful of new channels for customers of its genre-based streaming entertainment package, while satellite and streaming customers in parts of the Southeast will have access to more local sports.
This week, subscribers of DIRECTV’s MyEntertainment genre package have access to AMC, IFC, BBC America, Sundance and We TV as part of an expanded distribution agreement with AMC Networks. A number of free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels from AMC will also be available on DIRECTV’s streaming platforms and the free, ad-supported plan called MyFree DIRECTV, the company affirmed.
The MyEntertainment genre pack is adding channels from Hallmark Media as well, just in time for the brand’s “Countdown to Christmas” event. Hallmark is known for its Christmas-themed original movies and shows that start airing in October, while AMC Networks offers classic holiday movies on several of its channels.
“This is the time of year when people want to gather, unwind, and enjoy stories that make them smile,” Vince Torres, the Chief Marketing Officer at DIRECTV, said in a statement. “With Hallmark’s beloved holiday movies and AMC’s mix of classics and fan favorites, we’re giving our customers a flexible and affordable way to keep the season’s spirit alive every night.”
In addition to Hallmark and AMC channels, the MyEntertainment genre package also includes channels from Fox Corporation, Comcast’s NBCUniversal, Weigel Broadcasting, the Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) and A+E Global Media. The plan offers access to the ad-supported tiers of network-owned streaming apps like Disney Plus, Hulu and HBO Max.
On Friday, DIRECTV also announced it was adding a handful of local channels from Gray Media that offers locally-televised sports from its the Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network, a collection of broadcast TV stations that offer live games from the National Basketball Association (NBA) and other sports franchises across parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and east Texas. Gray Media formed the Gulf Coast Sports network last year.
The channels will be added to DIRECTV’s streaming and satellite platforms and its U-Verse service, available in its Signature plans that resemble traditional pay TV bundles. DIRECTV subscribers will be able to watch games in high definition, while U-Verse customers will have access to standard definition and high definition feeds.
The regional sports network is supported by its flagship station, WVUE (Channel 8, Fox) in New Orleans. Gray Media stations in other parts of the country redistribute WVUE’s feed of local NBA games and other sporting events through their participation in the Gulf Coast Sports network.
“Since this incredible partnership began, we have been working to make the Gulf Coast Sports & Entertainment Network available to as many New Orleans Pelicans fans as possible and this is another major step in that process,” said Mikel Schaefer, the General Manager of WVUE-TV. “As the official broadcast partner of the New Orleans Pelicans, we believe this will dramatically increase viewership across the entire network.”
Linda Burakoff, the Senior Vice President of Content & Programming at DIRECTV, said the addition of the Gulf Coast Sports network reaffirmed the platform’s commitment to local sports “at a time when many providers are either getting out, not getting in or potentially making them more-expensive to keep.”
“We welcome the opportunity to work with fan-friendly broadcasters like Gray to ensure all the most-loyal fans can access their favorite hometown teams,” Burakoff said.
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