Analyst: DirecTV customer service reps saying deal is “imminent”

Is our weeklong national pay TV nightmare really close to being over?

Influential media technology analyst Richard Greenfield tweeted Thursday afternoon that DirecTV  “appears to have caved” in its fee-negotiation standoff with Viacom, and that the satellite carrier’s customer service reps are telling subscribers a deal is “imminent.” That would, of course, put the conglomerate’s channels back onto the set-tops of DirecTV’s nearly 20 million U.S. subscribers.

Responded a Viacom spokesman: “That’s news to us.” Viacom has already accused DirecTV of “spinning” the negotiations to look like they’re closer to fruition than they actually are in order to hold off a subscriber exodus.

DirecTV has to yet to respond to paidContent’s inquiries seeking confirmation.

Viacom channels were pulled off the service a week ago after the two sides weren’t able to reach renewal terms.

Would DirecTV customer service reps really lie? Will I really be able to watch The Daily Show tonight?

More to come on this matter as it develops:

Here’s Greenfield’s tweet:

.@DirecTV appears to have caved and is signing deal with @Viacom – CSRs telling subs deal is imminent – Welcome back Dora and Daily Show

— Rich Greenfield (@richgreenfield1) July 19, 2012