Jun. 4 at 9:39 PM
$SSP This looks much more like contract pressure / retransmission-fee negotiation than an immediate legal problem for SSP.
Scripps and DirecTV are in a carriage dispute: Scripps-owned stations went dark on DirecTV after the contract expired, affecting 54 local stations across 36 markets, including Las Vegas. The blackout has affected major sports viewing, including the Stanley Cup Final and NBA Finals availability on Scripps/ABC stations.
For SSP, the risk is real, but I would classify the legal risk as low to moderate.
A blackout by itself is usually not illegal if the retransmission agreement expired and the parties have not reached a new deal. These disputes are common in U.S. broadcasting. The FCC can get complaints, politicians can complain, and customers get angry, but normally this is handled commercially, not through damages litigation.
