13 local markets launch Friday June 4th

[Chris Blount]

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Jun 3, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- DIRECTV Inc. (NYSE: DTV), provider of the nation's leading digital multichannel television service, announced today that it will begin offering local broadcast channel service to 13 previously announced designated market areas (DMAs), beginning tomorrow. The launch of these markets will bring the number of markets served with local channels by DIRECTV to 77.


The 13 new DIRECTV local channel markets are:

Albany, N.Y.
Baton Rouge, La.
Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, Mich.
Lafayette, La.
Monterey-Salinas, Calif.
Reno, Nev.
Spokane, Wash.
Albuquerque-Santa Fe, N.M.
Dayton, Ohio
Harlingen-Brownsville, Texas
Lexington, Ky.
Omaha, Neb.
South Bend-Elkhart, Ind.

"The launch of these 13 markets reinforces DIRECTV's commitment to aggressively expand its local channel coverage and to provide more customers with a robust, all-digital alternative to their cable providers," said Stephanie Campbell, executive vice president, Programming, DIRECTV, Inc. "Expanding our local channel coverage is crucial to maintaining our competitive edge over cable. With the launch of more local channel markets, our continued rollout of high-definition programming and digital video recording technology, DIRECTV offers consumers the most complete and compelling multichannel television experience available on the market today."

The successful launch of the DIRECTV 7S satellite on May 4 set the stage for the June rollout of 42 new local-into-local markets, with the first 13 markets launching on June 4.

DIRECTV will provide access to a full lineup of local stations for customers in these new markets as part of its base programming packages, including its TOTAL CHOICE(R) with Local Channels package at $39.99 per month. Currently, DIRECTV offers local channels in 64 markets and by year-end will offer local channels in a minimum of 130 markets, representing 92 percent of U.S. television households.

Source (http://ir.thomsonfn.com/InvestorRelations/PubNewsStory.aspx?partner=5276&StoryId=115293)

[scottchez]

Here is the list of all the local channels by channel numbers.
In case you want to know if ALL your Locals signed a contract with Direct TV.
Sometimes they will try to hold out for more money like Pappas channels do.

Some of the PDF files are not up yet. Most are.

If yours is not in the link simply find one that does work then change the City name with yours. For example OMaha is not in the link yet. Go to an other city then change the URL city name to Omaha and it comes right up. All the ones for this Friday have PDFs, others for the other weeks will be added soon if its not already there.

A big thanks to Richard for posting this in the other DBStalk thread.

Here is the link to the posting with the URLs (remember if yours is COULD NOT FIND YET try it anyway by subing in the City name at the end)

http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=244056&postcount=28

=============pasted========
Here is what I have been able to find so far:

These are by no means official yet, so please don't consider them to be.

4 June 2004 (13 cities)

Albuquerque/Santa Fe, NM (DMA #49)
Albany/Schenectady/Troy, NY (DMA #55)
Dayton, OH (DMA #59)
Flint/Saginaw/Bay City, MI (DMA #64)
Lexington, KY (DMA #65)
Omaha, NE (DMA #77) (couldn't find)
Spokane, WA (DMA #80)
South Bend-Elkhart, IN (DMA #87) (couldn't find)
Baton Rouge, LA (DMA #95)
Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen, TX (DMA #97)
Reno, NV (DMA #116)
Monterey-Salinas, CA (DMA #121) (couldn't find)
Lafayette, LA (DMA #124) (couldn't find)

10 June 2004 (11 cities)

Harrisburg/Lancaster/Lebanon/York, PA (DMA #47)
Little Rock/Pine Bluff, AR (DMA #56)
Tulsa, OK (DMA #60) (couldn't find)
Mobile, AL / Pensacola (Ft. Walton Beach), FL (DMA #62)
Wichita/Hutchinson, KS Plus (DMA #67) (couldn't find)
Ft. Myers-Naples, FL (DMA #70)
Portland-Auburn, ME (DMA #74)
Madison, WI (DMA #85)
Santa Barbara/Santa Maria/San Luis Obispo, CA (DMA #119) (couldn't find)
Eugene, OR (DMA #120)
Bakersfield, CA (DMA #130) (couldn't find)

17 June 2004 (8 cities)

Paducah, KY-Cape Girardeau, MO-Harrisburg-Mt Vernon, IL (DMA #76) (couldn't find)
Savannah, GA (DMA #98)
Tyler-Longview(Lfkn&Ncgd), TX (DMA #107) (couldn't find)
Tallahassee, FL / Thomasville, GA (DMA #111)
Fargo-Valley City, ND (DMA #118) (couldn't find)
Chico-Redding, CA (DMA #132) (couldn't find)
Duluth, MN-Superior, WI (DMA #136) (couldn't find)
Wilmington, NC (DMA #142)

24 June 2004 (10 cities)

Fresno/Visalia, CA (DMA #57) (couldn't find)
Charleston/Huntington, WV (DMA #63) (couldn't find)
Rochester, NY (DMA #75)
El Paso, TX (DMA #100)
Springfield-Holyoke, MA (DMA #106) (couldn't find)
Lansing, MI (DMA #110)
Yakima-Pasco-Rchlnd-Knnwck, WA (DMA #127)
Corpus Christi, TX (DMA #128) (couldn't find)
Topeka, KS (DMA #137) (couldn't find)
Medford-Klamath Falls, OR (DMA #140)

[scottchez]

I got all mine in Omaha, NE except for channel 32 IOWA PBS which I think they remap out of Des Mones like Dish Network does.

[dfergie]

According to the albuqurque hd forum at avs they are up. Will have to unhook my E*500 -119 and hook to my D* reciever to see(only have the 101 dish) if pq is better than E*, I might get them. :) The distants pq is better...

[scottchez]

Omaha Pic qualityis better than Dish Networks on Fox and WB.

I checked this also at a friends house.

Direct TV is the way to go for locals on 7s.

[Richard]

Albuquerque/Santa Fe, NM (DMA #49):FOX KASA 2
NBC KOB 4
PBS KNME 5
ABC KOAT 7
CBS KRQE 13
TFT KTFQ 14
WB KWBQ 19
IND KRPV 27
IND KAZQ 32
UNI KLUZ 41
UPN KASY 50
Albany/Schenectady/Troy, NY (DMA #55):CBS WRGB 6
ABC WTEN 10
NBC WNYT 13
PBS WMHT 17
FOX WXXA 23
WB WEWB 45
UPN WNYA 51
Dayton, OH (DMA #59):ABC WDTN 2
CBS WHIO 7
PBS WPTD 16
NBC WKEF 22
UPN WBQC 25
WB WBDT 26
FOX WRGT 45
Flint/Saginaw/Bay City, MI (DMA #64):CBS WNEM 5
ABC WJRT 12
PBS WDCP 19
NBC WEYI 25
PBS WFUM 28
TBN WAQP 49
FOX WSMH 66
Lexington, KY (DMA #65):NBC WLEX 18
CBS WKYT 27
ABC WTVQ 36
PBS WKLE 46
FOX WDKY 56
IND WLJC 65
Omaha, NE (DMA #77):CBS KMTV 3
NBC WOWT 6
ABC KETV 7
WB KXVO 15
PBS KYNE 26
PBS KBIN 32
FOX KPTM 42
Spokane, WA (DMA #80):CBS KREM 2
ABC KXLY 4
NBC KHQ 6
PBS KSPS 7
CBS KEPR 19
WB KSKN 22
PBS KCDT 26
FOX KAYU 28
South Bend-Elkhart, IN (DMA #87):NBC WNDU 16
CBS WSBT 22
WB WMWB 25
FOX WSJV 28
PBS WNIT 34
ABC WBND 57
Baton Rouge, LA (DMA #95):ABC WBRZ 2
CBS WAFB 9
WB WBRL 21
PBS WLPB 27
NBC WVLA 33
FOX WGMB 44
Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen, TX (DMA #97):CBS KGBT 4
ABC KRGV 5
NBC KVEO 23
FOX KDF 47
UNI KNVO 48
PBS KMBH 60
Reno, NV (DMA #116):CBS KTVN 2
NBC KRNV 4
PBS KNPB 5
ABC KOLO 8
FOX KRXI 11
UPN KAME 21
WB KREN 27
Monterey-Salinas, CA (DMA #121):ABC KGO 7
NBC KSBW 8
WB WB 14
PBS PBS 25
FOX KCBA 35
CBS KION 46
UNI KSMS 67
Lafayette, LA (DMA #124):ABC KATC 3
NBC WLBT 7
CBS KLFY 10
FOX KADN 15
PBS LPB 24

[junki]

Here is the list of all the local channels by channel numbers.
In case you want to know if ALL your Locals signed a contract with Direct TV.
Sometimes they will try to hold out for more money like Pappas channels do.

Some of the PDF files are not up yet. Most are.

If yours is not in the link simply find one that does work then change the City name with yours. For example OMaha is not in the link yet. Go to an other city then change the URL city name to Omaha and it comes right up. All the ones for this Friday have PDFs, others for the other weeks will be added soon if its not already there.

A big thanks to Richard for posting this in the other DBStalk thread.

Here is the link to the posting with the URLs (remember if yours is COULD NOT FIND YET try it anyway by subing in the City name at the end)

http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=244056&postcount=28

=============pasted========
Here is what I have been able to find so far:

These are by no means official yet, so please don't consider them to be.

4 June 2004 (13 cities)

Albuquerque/Santa Fe, NM (DMA #49)
Albany/Schenectady/Troy, NY (DMA #55)
Dayton, OH (DMA #59)
Flint/Saginaw/Bay City, MI (DMA #64)
Lexington, KY (DMA #65)
Omaha, NE (DMA #77) (couldn't find)
Spokane, WA (DMA #80)
South Bend-Elkhart, IN (DMA #87) (couldn't find)
Baton Rouge, LA (DMA #95)
Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen, TX (DMA #97)
Reno, NV (DMA #116)
Monterey-Salinas, CA (DMA #121) (couldn't find)
Lafayette, LA (DMA #124) (couldn't find)

10 June 2004 (11 cities)

Harrisburg/Lancaster/Lebanon/York, PA (DMA #47)
Little Rock/Pine Bluff, AR (DMA #56)
Tulsa, OK (DMA #60) (couldn't find)
Mobile, AL / Pensacola (Ft. Walton Beach), FL (DMA #62)
Wichita/Hutchinson, KS Plus (DMA #67) (couldn't find)
Ft. Myers-Naples, FL (DMA #70)
Portland-Auburn, ME (DMA #74)
Madison, WI (DMA #85)
Santa Barbara/Santa Maria/San Luis Obispo, CA (DMA #119) (couldn't find)
Eugene, OR (DMA #120)
Bakersfield, CA (DMA #130) (couldn't find)

17 June 2004 (8 cities)

Paducah, KY-Cape Girardeau, MO-Harrisburg-Mt Vernon, IL (DMA #76) (couldn't find)
Savannah, GA (DMA #98)
Tyler-Longview(Lfkn&Ncgd), TX (DMA #107) (couldn't find)
Tallahassee, FL / Thomasville, GA (DMA #111)
Fargo-Valley City, ND (DMA #118) (couldn't find)
Chico-Redding, CA (DMA #132) (couldn't find)
Duluth, MN-Superior, WI (DMA #136) (couldn't find)
Wilmington, NC (DMA #142)

24 June 2004 (10 cities)

Fresno/Visalia, CA (DMA #57) (couldn't find)
Charleston/Huntington, WV (DMA #63) (couldn't find)
Rochester, NY (DMA #75)
El Paso, TX (DMA #100)
Springfield-Holyoke, MA (DMA #106) (couldn't find)
Lansing, MI (DMA #110)
Yakima-Pasco-Rchlnd-Knnwck, WA (DMA #127)
Corpus Christi, TX (DMA #128) (couldn't find)
Topeka, KS (DMA #137) (couldn't find)
Medford-Klamath Falls, OR (DMA #140)
What do you mean (couldn't find)?

[scottchez]

The couldnt find is from an old post. The links have all been updated for the PDF file that shows all the channels.

[jdspencer]

Is there an updated DMA numerical list that shows which ones are being serviced by DirecTV?

[gor88]

http://richardk.digitalrice.com/locals.asp

This link didn't work yesterday afternoon, but appears to be working now.

[compubit]

Has anyone worked on a mapping of markets to transponders for 119?

Just curious.

Thanks!

[mini1]

anyone know when to expect a press release from DirecTV about the next round of locals that should go online thursday?

[Curtis0620]

You mean this?

http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/040609/95660_1.html

[mini1]

yes. thanks! it came out 2 minutes before my last post, so that why I missed it. does anyone know what time they will start being uploaded?

[Brett]

Harrisburg market jumps up to DMA #42 for the next Nielsen year. It gained 50,000 TV HH by adding Franklin County, PA (taking it away from D.C.). It is the largest market currently passed. I wonder if DirecTV will allow customers to choose both Washington DC and Harrisburg locals. Given its a PA county, I'd suspect majority of viewers want a closer market from PA. I also wonder how DirecTV will deal with no WB affiliate in that market. Will they just ignore the WB, when marketing locals to them? Echostar sells the WPIX KWGN and KTLA alacarte, and Comcast carries WPHL around the area.

[mini1]

no, costomers will not get a choice. the FCC will not allow that with satellite. if there is no WB in the market than no WB will be available to subscribers in the DMA. If they never had one- than they really are not missing much. DirecTV doesn't currently let customers choose a WB or UPN feed from out of market broadcasters if they offer local channels in that DMA. Dish does allow this. DirecTV for some reason will not. Its not important to me personally. I don't care for either channel, and plus I can get them OTA or provided on DirecTV with my other local channels. I do think there are quite a few cases where DirecTV should offer these channels to unserved customers.