[Guest]

With the help of a future satellite, DirecTV is gearing up to expand its slate of local TV packages.

DirecTV is planning to unveil local channels in Hartford, Conn., Las Vegas and Providence, R.I., during the first half of the year, with seven additional markets added by year-end. With the addition of the 10 markets, DirecTV will offer local channels in 51 markets, covering more than 67 percent of U.S. television households.

DirecTV spokesman Bob Marsocci said debut of the extra markets is contingent on the successful launch of the DirecTV 5 satellite, which is set for lift-of sometime this quarter.

DirecTV 5 will be located at 119 degrees. That will require viewers receiving locals for the additional markets to get a multi-satellite DirecTV system that can receive signals from multiple orbital locations with a slightly larger dish.

Marsocci said the company hasn't determined the seven markets that will be added to DirecTV's local TV slate. Markets are determined by population, retail presence, consumer demand and competition among cable and satellite TV providers - including EchoStar. "It's not a process in which we put up a map and throw darts at it to see what markets we will add," Marsoci said.

While DirecTV wouldn't speculate on the cities it will add for local TV, some notable markets (as listed by DMA by the National Association of Broadcasters) show up as potentials. The SkyREPORT candidates include Grand Rapids (ranked No. 38 on the NAB list), Norfolk (No. 42), Oklahoma City (45), Albuquerqe (48 ) , Louisville (50) and Jacksonville (53). (Please note, this list is based on speculation, and it was not provided by DirecTV.)

In their quest to add additional local TV markets, proponents of the merger between DirecTV and EchoStar say if they can combine their platforms they will be able to deliver local TV packages to several more markets. EchoStar CEO Charlie Ergen said this week that the combined entity would deliver local TV packages to at least one market in every state if the merger wins approval.

From SkyReport (Used with permission)

 

[Guest]

Charlie Ergen comment "if the combined entity wins merger approval" there would be one market in every state. The comment scares me I live in the DMA 69 market 31 miles from Green Bay where our local NBC station reaches my outside antenna at a -5 snow, snow, snow.

 

[Guest]

Any idea when DTV will announce a complete list of the 10 new cities that will receive local channels this year? I'm tempted to get a stand alone Tivo or a Replay TV unit so I can record my local channels the same way I record our satellite channels with UTV and DirectTivo. But if our local channels are going on the satellite in the next few months, I won't bother.

Although Buffalo is not a very large TV market (#47 in the nation, I think) there was speculation in the newspapper a couple years ago that we would get the locals because we're an NFL city.

 

[Guest]

Welcome Snopple, a fellow Buffaloian Just curious, what part of the DMA do you live in? I dont think we'll see out locals up for a while. I highly doubt that one of the 7 remaining cities are Buffalo, were not that lucky Star Choice is carrying chs 2,4,7& 17 but I feel the only way Buff. will be up on US DBS is with a merger. But I hope Im wrong.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Steve. I live in the Shiller Park section of Buffalo. You're probably right. We're probably not lucky enough to get the locals on dbs. But it sure would be nice. After watching that crystal clear picture on DTV, I almost hate to switch over to that cable.

When I first signed up with DTV almost five years ago, I had the network package. Two feeds of NBC, CBS, and ABC- one from each coast. Along with a national feed of Fox and PBS. It was great. Then after a couple years, they cut me off due to a court ruling.

 

[Guest]

Ah, you must have had Primetme24 , I wish their network packages were still around on DBS, and it was a nice variety or locals from all around the country. I find my self watching more Rochester TV them Buffalo TV ever since I put up my outdoor antenna 2 years ago. Go Sabres!!!

 

[Guest]

HI, Let me start by saying I am a DirecTV Customer in the Buffalo, NY area.

Does anyone know if Adelphia Cable has any control over the DirecTV putting local channels on their system? It seems strange that other cities the same size or smaller have Local Channels on the DirecTV, but we keep getting the short end of the stick.

There are also a lot of people in the area that are fed up with Adelphia Cable and are just waiting for DirecTV to carry Local Channels so they can switch over. These people don't want to switch until they get everything they want carried by one system.

Wake up DirecTV!! The sooner you have LOCAL CHANNELS in BUFFALO, NY the MORE CUSTOMERS YOU WILL HAVE!!

Jim

 

[Guest]

Does anyone know if Adelphia Cable has any control over the DirecTV putting local channels on their system?

Nope, Adelphia has no control over locals on DBS.

There are also a lot of people in the area that are fed up with Adelphia Cable and are just waiting for DirecTV to carry Local Channels so they can switch over.

Same here 7 miles away from you, in TW country.
I cant beleve for how small Marilla is, that its the Aldlphia-TW boarder from most of WNY.