There are corporate blanket agreements for WVAH and WCHS (11 & 8) through Sinclair Broadcasting Group. A blanket agreement for WSAZ (3) through Gray Television and Bray Cary, CEO of WV Media Holdings has indicated an agreement is in place for WOWK (13) as well.
So what the holdup? It seems that even though we are in DMA #65, our penentration of both DirecTV and DirecTV subs with HD receivers is low. This is not surprising given a few facts: 1) Most residents in the Charleston/Huntington corridor (the majority of the DMA's population) can get HD locals via cable, 2) D* has lower satellite penetration due to E*had locals 8 months before D* and E* generally costs less.
So it seems that we will continue to wait. On a side note, the Roanoke, VA DMA #67 isn't getting them either.
So what the holdup? It seems that even though we are in DMA #65, our penentration of both DirecTV and DirecTV subs with HD receivers is low. This is not surprising given a few facts: 1) Most residents in the Charleston/Huntington corridor (the majority of the DMA's population) can get HD locals via cable, 2) D* has lower satellite penetration due to E*had locals 8 months before D* and E* generally costs less.
So it seems that we will continue to wait. On a side note, the Roanoke, VA DMA #67 isn't getting them either.