Xfinity and E.W. Scripps Dispute Sparks Channel Interruptions in Michigan Michigan Xfinity customers faced abrupt disruptions in their television service on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, as a dispute between Xfinity and E.W. Scripps Co. escalated. The conflict, which stemmed from an expired contract between the two companies, led to the loss of access to several local news and sports channels. Affected viewers in Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Lansing were disconnected from key stations operated by E.W. Scripps, including WXYZ-TV Channel 7, FOX 17 WXMI, and WSYM-TV FOX 47. Xfinity informed customers via a March 31 email that the dispute began when E.W. Scripps refused to accept the company’s reasonable offers, demanding significant increases in service costs. The email acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the channel lineup changes, stating, “We know unexpected changes to your channel lineup can be frustrating.” It also assured customers that if a new agreement was reached, they would be notified. However, the email did not specify when negotiations might resume or whether the channels would be restored. E.W. Scripps, in a statement to the Detroit Free Press, blamed Comcast for the disruption, accusing the company of unilaterally removing its local stations from Xfinity service in 19 markets. The statement emphasized the critical role of Scripps stations in providing essential local news, weather updates, and sports coverage. “Comcast has removed Scripps local stations from its Xfinity service in 19 markets, cutting off viewers from essential local news, weather and fan-favorite sports that Scripps stations provide Xfinity customers daily,” the statement read. Scripps reiterated its commitment to serving communities and urged Comcast to restore its stations’ signals.#xfinity #wxyz_tv #ew_scripps #fox_17_wxmi #wsym_tv
