New DirecTV Locals Announced

[Chris Blount]

DIRECTV to offer Local Channels in Augusta and Macon, Ga., LaCrosse-Eau Claire, Wis., Myrtle Beach-Florence, S.C., and Rockford, Ill.
New Markets to Launch Early Next year; DIRECTV will offer Local Channels to more than 93 Percent of U.S. TV Households

EL SEGUNDO, CA, Nov. 10, 2004 - DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading and fastest growing digital television service provider, announced today that it will begin offering local channels to its customers in Augusta and Macon, Ga., LaCrosse-Eau Claire, Wis., Myrtle Beach-Florence, S.C., and Rockford, Ill., early next year. With the addition of these five new markets, DIRECTV will offer local channels in 135 markets representing 93 percent of U.S. television households.

The local broadcast channel package is available to consumers in combination with any TOTAL CHOICE® programming package. The TOTAL CHOICE® with Local Channels package is available for $39.99, and offers more than 130 channels.

"Part of being the best television service in the United States is the ability to offer all-digital local news, weather, sports and entertainment programming for our customers," said Stephanie Campbell, executive vice president, Programming, DIRECTV, Inc. "With the launch of five more local-into-local markets, 93 percent of U.S. households will now have access to a complete and even more compelling television entertainment experience, and one more reason to choose DIRECTV over their local cable service."

The new markets will be among the 29 local-into-local markets that will receive local channels from a DIRECTV satellite located at the 72.5-degree West longitude (WL) orbital slot. Due to the location of the satellite, customers in those markets will require a second 18-inch dish to receive their local channels. The dish and installation will be provided at no charge.

Source (http://phoenix.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=127160&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=642880&highlight=)

[RxMan1999]

Any ideas on Amarillo, TX being added? DISH added then earlier this year. I am expecting D* to add them when the new sat goes up next year. But, I am also expecting zero announcement from D* as usual.

[jdspencer]

I'm still a part of the left outs. DMA is 154.

[weirdude2304]

any sign of the wheeling,wv/steubenville,oh locals getting added next year? I would like to be able to get my locals on my satellite.

[Marvin]

I'm still a part of the left outs. DMA is 154.

And Im in DMA 150 (Salisbury MD). I could really care less about getting my locals on D* now that I get them digitally OTA, but I only get CBS and PBS in HD (ABC and UPN are iin digital but nothing is in HD). And it will be even longer after they do offer locals here before they offer them in HD..Im just hoping for significantly viewed to be available so I can get NBC/FOX out of Baltimore/DC instead of NY. But in order to get them, from what I read D* has to offer locals in the market...

[jamieh1]

According to DTV customer news channel, they talk about the new sats launching mid 2005 they say, "This will our last step in 100% local channel coverage" sounds like that all remaining locals will be added with spaceway1 and 2.
We'll see!!!

[Greg Bimson]

Don't forget that by mid-2005, DirecTV will be launching DirecTV 8 and DirecTV 9S. DirecTV 8 will be a CONUS replacement for one of the other birds at 101, and will also have a Ka-band payload. It is entirely possible that the Ka-band payload can broadcast the remaining local channels.

DirecTV 9S is a spare for DirecTV 4S and DirecTV 7S. My theory is that 9S will be used to replace 4S, since 9S can accept signals from more than two uplink sites. It therefore will net another six transponders in a spot beam configuration, and can therefore broadcast more locals than 4S does currently. If 9S is put into service, 4S can be put into a limited service, as well, and probably reach the rest of the nation.

[sikma]

Good news for Wisconsinites!