INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Comcast Xfinity customers in Sebastian and Vero Beach lost access to local television channels late Tuesday after the cable provider’s contract with Scripps expired without a new deal.
Viewers who tried to tune into stations like WPTV saw a blue screen with a message blaming the broadcaster. “Our contract with Scripps, the owner of this channel, has expired,” it read. “Scripps has refused our reasonable offers, and their demands would significantly increase the price you pay.”
The disruption started Tuesday evening and lingered into Wednesday morning. WPTV, which serves the Treasure Coast, said this was only the second time in the station’s history it had been blacked out by a cable or satellite provider…