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- 🔥 Quick Facts
- What Happened and Why Customers Lost Everything Overnight
- Which Channels Disappeared from Your TV
- The Biggest Impact: Local News, Weather, and Hockey Games
- How to Watch Scripps Channels Now Without Xfinity
- When Will Scripps Channels Return to Xfinity, and Is This Pattern Getting Worse?
Comcast Xfinity just cut off 40 E.W. Scripps channels across 19 markets after a contract dispute turned ugly. As of March 31, 2026, at 5:59 p.m. ET, millions of customers lost access to local news, weather, and sports without warning.
🔥 Quick Facts
- Channel count: 40 Scripps broadcast stations removed from Xfinity nationwide
- Markets impacted: 19 cities including Denver, Detroit, and Florida markets
- Big Four loss: 19 ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC affiliate stations went dark
- Sports dispute: Disagreement over NHL team broadcasting rights stalled negotiations
What Happened and Why Customers Lost Everything Overnight
Comcast’s agreement with E.W. Scripps expired without a new deal in place. The company posted an on-screen message to affected customers stating, “Our contract with Scripps has expired. Scripps has refused our reasonable offers.”
Comcast claims it made fair offers, but Scripps wanted bundled sports rights that would raise TV prices. E.W. Scripps countered, saying Comcast demanded customers pay for sporting events only a tiny fraction would watch. The two sides remain at odds.
Comcast Xfinity cuts 40 E.W. Scripps channels, here’s what you’ve lost
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Which Channels Disappeared from Your TV
The blackout hit 40 broadcast stations in the Comcast service footprint. That includes 19 Big Four affiliates broadcasting ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC, plus 21 independent and specialty stations.
Colorado viewers lost Denver7 (ABC, KMGH), along with KOAA in Colorado Springs, plus Bounce TV and ION+ services. Michigan customers lost WXYZ-TV and WYMD-TV, cutting off Detroit’s primary ABC feed. Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Utah markets also went dark.
The Biggest Impact: Local News, Weather, and Hockey Games
| Impact Type | What You Lost |
| Local News | Essential weather alerts, emergency broadcasts, community reporting |
| Sports Access | Tampa Bay Lightning, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators, Utah hockey games |
| On Demand | All recorded Scripps content on Xfinity Stream and DVR future recordings paused |
| Specialty Channels | Court TV, Laff TV, Grit, ION Mystery, Bounce TV HD |
Scripps owns NHL broadcast rights for four professional hockey teams, and that’s what triggered the stalemate. Comcast refused bundling costs, saying it would force all customers to pay for niche sports content.
“Scripps is demanding all of our customers pay for sporting events that only a very small number of them will watch. Our intention is to provide our stations, and we are working very hard to reach a fair agreement with Scripps.”
— Comcast, official statement
How to Watch Scripps Channels Now Without Xfinity
Free over-the-air options let you get back local news and sports that same evening. Customers can use a digital antenna to receive these Scripps stations without paying Xfinity. Station websites and streaming apps also offer free access to local news.
Scripps’ official streaming apps like DenverNews7.com and local station sites provide news, weather, and select sports content for free. Paid alternatives include Hulu with TV, YouTube TV, or Sling TV, which still carry Scripps stations. Xfinity Stream app on tablets and phones no longer shows Scripps content either.
When Will Scripps Channels Return to Xfinity, and Is This Pattern Getting Worse?
No timeline exists for restoration as of April 2, 2026. Both companies claim they’re negotiating, but past carriage disputes with Xfinity lasted weeks or months. Bally Sports regional networks vanished for three months before returning in 2024. Fox programming disappeared in 2023 through Imagicomm disputes.
This marks a broader trend of cable carriers prioritizing pricing over local access. Xfinity customer complaints flooded forums asking for refunds on TV packages now missing entire channel lineups. Comcast’s statement confirms negotiations continue, but no end date has been announced.
Sources
- Xfinity Support – Official statement on E.W. Scripps agreement expiration and affected programming
- Detroit Free Press – Xfinity customer impact report and dispute timeline verification
- The Denver Post – Colorado station losses, Scripps sports rights details, and Comcast statement
