THERE’LL BE A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER — AT DIRECTV

Satellite TV provider DirecTV has left The Weather Channel out in the cold after failing to reach a new distribution agreement. The channel maintained that it was asking for only a one-cent increase per subscriber per month; DirecTV insisted, however, that the channel was asking for substantially more. It also said that it didn’t like changes that The Weather Channel has made to its programming — particularly its weather-themed reality shows. The Los Angeles Times quoted Dan York, DirecTV’s chief content officer, as saying, “Consumers understand there are now a variety of other ways to get weather coverage free of reality show clutter.” Weather Channel chief David Kenney shot back, “I’m shocked they have put corporate profits ahead of keeping a trusted channel that subscribers rely on every day.” DirecTV has replaced The Weather Channel with WeatherNation, a smaller weather-news operation. DirecTV, however, left open the possibility that The Weather Channel could return. “We would prefer to continue carrying Weather Channel, but only at a value that makes sense for DirecTV customers,” it said.