How is E* determining what HD LILs to offer now

[Stephen J]

Just curious, how can smaller markets like Spokane, Raleigh, and Wilmington have their HD LILs, but yet much larger markets like Cleveland or Baltimore don't? Anyone know how E* is deciding what markets to put in HD? Does a member of the board have to live in one of those markets? Thanks.

[Stewart Vernon]

Just curious, how can smaller markets like Spokane, Raleigh, and Wilmington have their HD LILs, but yet much larger markets like Cleveland or Baltimore don't? Anyone know how E* is deciding what markets to put in HD? Does a member of the board have to live in one of those markets? Thanks.

Well, Raleigh is DMA #29... so there are lots of markets smaller than Raleigh. Also, we only have two HD locals up on Dish (NBC and ABC)... so it isn't like we are getting all the networks. I get them OTA, so I am not complaining though.

As for how they determine... I expect they launch with two competing priorities...

1. Try to launch where the most Dish subscribers are.
2. Try to launch where they get permission.

So... If you are in a market with alot of Dish customers, they are trying... but if they can't get agreements (this is likely since the larger markets know they are larger and hold out for more money)... then they go down the list to the next largest market and try with them.

The result is, no way for us on the outside to predict the order in which locals will launch on Dish.