• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, December 21, 2020

Hulu + Live TV and Nexstar Media Group have come to terms, ending the vMVPD’s blackout of 23 ABC affiliates.

The agreement also adds Nexstar’s WGN America cable channel to the Hulu streamer.

The blackout, which began in mid October, affected Nexstar-owned stations in markets including Nashville (WKRN), Salt Lake City (KTVX), Hartford/New Haven (WTNH), and Grand Rapids (WOTV).

However, Hulu — which has just raised its monthly price from $54.99 to $64.99 — replaced the affected local affiliates with a national ABC feed during the carriage dispute.

Nexstar’s push to require partners to carry its WGN America, which it is trying to launch as a national news network, has been an issue in several carriage deals, according to The Streamable.

Nexstar recently inked deals for the network to be carried by YouTube TV and FuboTV. With the addition of 4 million Hulu Live + TV subscribers, WGN America now reaches about 75 million U.S. households.

In early December,

Nexstar and Dish Network have been unable to reach an agreement since early December, leaving 164 Nexstar-owned affiliates in 115 markets currently blacked out on Dish platforms.