[Rob Glasser]

DISH NETWORK® MEETS 100 HD CHANNEL MARK AHEAD OF SCHEDULE; ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF 17 MORE NATIONAL HD CHANNELS​

Introduces Industry-First TurboHD, the Only 100% HD Service, Available August 1​

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - July 10, 2008 - DISH Network (NASDAQ: DISH) today announced plans to launch 17 national HD channels, surpassing its goal of reaching 100 national HD channels five months ahead of schedule.

The new HD channels that will be added are:

• ActionMax HD (DISH Network Ch. 313)
• CBS College Sports HD (Ch. 152)
• Lifetime HD (Ch. 108)
• Lifetime Movie Network HD (Ch. 109)
• Planet Green HD (Ch. 194)
• Encore HD (Ch. 340)
• HBO 2 HD (Ch. 301)
• HBO Comedy HD (Ch. 307)
• HBO Family HD (Ch. 305)
• HBO Latino HD (Ch. 309)
• HBO Signature HD (Ch. 302
• HBO West HD (Ch. 303)
• HBO Zone HD (Ch. 308)
• Starz Comedy HD (Ch. 354)
• Starz Edge HD (Ch. 352)
• Starz Kids & Family HD (Ch. 356)
• Starz West HD (Ch. 351)

"In January, we promised our customers that DISH Network would boost our national HD channel lineup to 100 by year's end. Today, we are proud to say that in less than one year, not only did we deliver on our commitment, but we exceeded it," said Eric Sahl, senior vice president of Programming for DISH Network. "We continue our pledge to DISH Network subscribers to add more national channels and local HD markets, as well as offer the best sports and movies in HD."

In addition, DISH Network is thrilled to introduce TurboHD, the first-ever 100 percent, all-HD programming package in the pay-TV industry, with advanced equipment that works on all TVs. TurboHD offers the most-watched HD channels in four separate tiers and can be viewed on analog, digital and high definition TVs, making it the perfect solution for consumers who have or are considering upgrading to HD programming. All TurboHD packages can include HD locals where available.

"TurboHD is revolutionary to the industry; we're changing the way people watch TV by offering them all of the top channels - in HD only - with the best high-definition systems on the market," said Jessica Insalaco, Chief Marketing Officer for DISH Network. "When consumers add HD programming, their viewing habits change - they don't like to go back to standard definition - so their viewing switches over to all-HD channels. TurboHD will provide the next-generation high-definition television experience by offering only the best in HD programming and award-winning HD technology at incredible prices."

• TurboHD Bronze: $24.99/month or $29.99/month with local channels*
• TurboHD Bronze DishDVR Advantage: $34.99/month; includes core HD package, local channels and a free DVR receiver
• TurboHD Silver: $32.99/month or $37.99/month with local channels*
• TurboHD Silver DishDVR Advantage: $39.99/month; includes core HD package, local channels and a free DVR receiver; Regional Sports Networks where available
• TurboHD Gold: $39.99/month or $44.99/month with locals channels*
• TurboHD Gold DishDVR Advantage: $49.99/month; includes core HD package, local channels and a free DVR receiver; Regional Sports Networks where available
• TurboHD Platinum: $10/month - add TurboHD Platinum to any qualifying package and receive HD channels that do not have corresponding SD channels.

New DISH Network Digital Home Advantage (DHA) subscribers or DHA-24 customers (24-month commitments) who sign-up for America's Top 100 or higher, DishLATINO or higher, TurboHD Bronze or higher, or a qualifying International programming package will receive $50 off of their first statement and Cinemax for one year for just a penny. New or current DISH Network subscribers who commit to DHA-24 will also receive HBO and Starz free for the first three months of their subscription.

More information will be available at www.dishnetwork.com in the coming weeks. The new national HD channels and TurboHD packages are available beginning August 1, 2008.

DISH Network offers new customers the opportunity to upgrade for free to a dishHD DVR receiver like the ViP722™ - which recently received the top-ranking Editors' Choice awards from both CNET and PC Magazine. The ViP722 is a dual-tuner HD DVR that operates two televisions in separate rooms and offers up to 500 hours of storage capacity allowing customers to pause, rewind and fast forward their favorite TV programming.

For more information on DISH Network, visit www.dishnetwork.com or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474).

*In HD where available

# # #​

About DISH Network Corporation
DISH Network Corporation (Nasdaq: DISH), the nation's third largest pay-TV provider and the leader in digital television, provides more than 13.815 million satellite TV customers with industry-leading customer satisfaction which has surpassed major cable TV providers for eight consecutive years. DISH Network also provides customers with award-winning HD and DVR technology including the ViP722™ HD DVR, which received the Editors' Choice awards from both CNET and PC Magazine. In addition, subscribers enjoy access to hundreds of video and audio channels, the most International channels in the U.S., industry-leading Interactive TV applications, Latino programming, and the best sports and movies in HD. DISH Network offers a variety of package and price options including the lowest all-digital price in America, the DishDVR Advantage Package, high-speed Internet service, and a free upgrade to the best HD DVR in the industry. DISH Network is included in the Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) and is a Fortune 300 company. Visit www.dishnetwork.com/aboutus or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474) for more information.

 

[Justin23]

So when will they remove some channels like last time?

J

 

[razorbackfan]

They're all subscription movie channels. Oh boy.

 

[eudoxia]

I want my FX and SpeedTV!
Why all these bogus HD channels (Green, Lifetime X2)?

 

[Sphagnum]

What a bust... what good do additional STARZ and HBO channels do me if I don't subscribe to those? ::rollseyes::

 

[kkozma]

How is this going to work for those of us who already subscribe to the HD only package?

If I'm reading this right it looks like that $29.99 fee is about to go up.

 

[phrelin]

The numbers game again! Here's what I understand from this news release. Anything not being delivered in HD on August 2 will not be a part of the "by the end of 2008" 100 HD channels.

So they will add Lifetime HD, Lifetime Movie Network HD, Planet Green HD and (I guess) CBS College Sports to the national non-premium high definition lineup. Or is CBS College Sports some extra subscription?

Still missing from the March Charlie Chat list:
Rainbow Group: AMC, IFC
Viacom Group: BET, CMT, MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1

And, of course, no mention of anything from News Corp. (Fox cable channels).

HBO West is nice if you want to watch something then watch it again in 3 hours. I'd trade it in a minute for FX or AMC. But hey, it's progress.

So with the Turbo does an "all-HD programming package" really mean all-HD, or does it mean what it means with the "all HD" existing package which means some HD along with SD. Or what?

Oh well, I guess its progress.

 

[Taco Lover]

What are the differences in tier besides price? Who cares about premium HD channels if you don't subscribe to them?

Ugh.

 

[phrelin]

So who's going to be the first to call up some feckless CSR and ask what's in the TurboHD Platinum package?:sure:

 

[MikeW]

Viacom Group: BET, CMT, MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1

Are currently a waste of bandwidth. No HD, just better PQ.

 

[Stewart Vernon]

How is this going to work for those of us who already subscribe to the HD only package?

If I'm reading this right it looks like that $29.99 fee is about to go up.

That's how I'm reading it... however, there are about a dozen "what if" scenarios in the wind given past history with Dish.

Sometimes they keep you grandfathered almost indefinately in whatever you subscribe to unless you make an account change. So we may be able to stay in our DishHD-only accounts at least until next Feb if not longer. HOWEVER, with that scenario it sometimes means we will not get any new channels added to our package, and would have to convert to the new packages to get new channels.

I don't think Dish would suddenly force us into a $20 increase on a package they almost literally just introduced... but that is also possible. Also possible they will force us to convert and we can pick which level we want to be at.

I too am a little disturbed by the notion that in order to get the same channels I get right now for $29.99, I would have to pay $49.99 with the new scheme. Granted I would gain RSNs with the new scheme, but that isn't worth a $20 difference at all!

IF they let us stay in the DishHD package and we keep getting the new channels (just not the RSNs) then I can't complain, as long as we keep getting any new channels this year. Next year, as of Feb, all bets are off and I suspect they would then try and force us into the new scheme.

Thing is, right now I am DishHD + Locals + 4 Premiums. IF Dish forced me to go TurboHDGold + the TurboHDPlatinum add-on to keep all the HD channels, then I would drop my 4 Premium movie channels to counter that $20 price increase, and lower my bill net by $20 when all is said and done.. so this doesn't seem like a "win" scenario for Dish in my opinion to make such a huge jump in price.

I always figured the $29.99 DishHD package wouldn't be that low forever... but a $20 price increase when the package isn't even 6 months old seems a bit out of hand.

Toss in that they dumped 15 of the channels we used to have (Voom) and the majority of the new 8/1 HD channels will be in premium movie packages... this equates to a big lose-lose for existing customers. New customers might not mind, but existing customers would be majorly hosed.

Methinks Dish needs to follow-up their press release with a REALLY GOOD explanation of what current DishHD customers options will be, and what to expect in terms of grandfathering OR price increases.

There may not be many of us, but ticking off existing customers is never a good thing. Almost doubling the price of a package is a surefire way to accomplish that, so I'm reserving my angry reaction until I see if the interpretation of the press release we seem to be sharing is correct and what Dish intends.

 

[Mr. Vega]

i see the Silver had the Bronze plus Regional Sports networks.. not sure what Gold adds to Silver.

Platinum must be adding channels like HDNet and HDThr.

i guess for us HD Only subs they'll throw us into the Bronze by default. which means i'll have to 10 more a month to to get HDNet.

currently 29.99 for everything. Bronze 24.99 + 10 gets me to where i am right now. :nono2:

 

[HDRoberts]

Viacom Group: BET, CMT, MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1

Are currently a waste of bandwidth. No HD, just better PQ.

Not for us in HD Absolute, apparently being tiered and renamed TurboHD. We don't get those channels at all, and I miss Comedy Central more than any other channel. Now, with these additions, it is unlikely that we will ever see those channels added for a long time and Dish is not running very low on bandwidth.

Add to this a price increase, and this is a horrible move to those of us not subscribing to premiums.

 

[DBS Commando]

So Dish blows the 15 HD slots that they got from cutting Voom on premium movie packages.

I call BS just on that. . .

 

[phrelin]

TurboHD Platinum: $10/month - add TurboHD Platinum to any qualifying package and receive HD channels that do not have corresponding SD channels.

This one really baffles me. What's a qualifying package? You'd have to have HD equipment already. So does this mean that HD Theater, UniversalHD, MHD, HDNet, NDNet Movies, MGMHD, and Smithsonian are not included in the other TurboHD packages???

Boy, they sure know how to confuse their current customer base!

Taken as a whole, I find it hard to believe that 12 months ago Dish Network had a plan for HD.

 

[James Long]

I always figured the $29.99 DishHD package wouldn't be that low forever... but a $20 price increase when the package isn't even 6 months old seems a bit out of hand.

Without channel lists it is hard to discuss this intelligently, but that hasn't stopped me before.

Today $29.99 is DishHD Absolute ... HD Only, No RSNs, Locals, DVR. Locals, DVR and movie packs available separately. No RSNs available, period.

TurboHD $49.99 is a DVR Advantage package ... including local RSNs, DVR fee and locals. $4 more than today's price (if DISH allowed RSNs with DishHD Absolute).

The low end $24.99 is actually lower than $29.99. $5 less even with HD locals. But I suspect the channel list will have people looking for the Silver or better.

Metal packages return ...
Hmm - no MSNBC HD in that list for Olympic coverage?

 

[heisman]

Without channel lists it is hard to discuss this intelligently, but that hasn't stopped me before.

Today $29.99 is DishHD Absolute ... HD Only, No RSNs, Locals, DVR. Locals, DVR and movie packs available separately. No RSNs available, period.

TurboHD $49.99 is a DVR Advantage package ... including local RSNs, DVR fee and locals. $4 more than today's price (if DISH allowed RSNs with DishHD Absolute).

$14 more as the press release states an extra $10 for the channels without an SD equivalent. Dish HD Absolute gives you those channels without additional cost.

 

[James Long]

The Lifetime HDs are the most surprising ... must have been a good price.

 

[James Long]

$14 more as the press release states an extra $10 for the channels without an SD equivalent. Dish HD Absolute gives you those channels without additional cost.

So DISH will be selling TurboHD Bronze + Platinum?

I wish DISH would have ALL the details together before putting out press releases ...

 

[tpm1999]

Looks like there is a new HD leader...good job directv! I hope your putzin around with your sattelite was worth losing the title!