AT&T is negotiating a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice to "resolve allegations that DirecTV executives improperly colluded with other pay-TV providers three years ago, effectively blocking carriage" of the Dodgers' SportsNet LA in Southern California, according to Meg James of the L.A. TIMES. A source said that a settlement "could come in the next two weeks," but the proposed settlement "would not require AT&T or its DirecTV subsidiary to begin carrying SportsNet LA." James notes this means the Dodgers channel "shutout -- which is about to enter its fourth season -- will continue unless AT&T agrees on its own to carry the channel on its DirecTV and U-Verse pay-TV systems." DirecTV is the second-largest pay-TV provider in the L.A. region with about 1.5 million subscriber homes. The DOJ sued AT&T and its DirecTV subsidiary in November, alleging that Dodgers fans had been "shut out of the action because of unfair play by DirecTV." James notes Charter Communications "remains the only pay-TV company that carries SportsNet LA" (L.A. TIMES, 3/10). VARIETY's Ted Johnson noted word of the settlement was "reported in a court filing this week, in which AT&T and the DOJ asked the court to delay a hearing until March 27 as 'the parties are currently engaged in productive settlement negotiations'" (VARIETY.com, 3/9).
