tvpredictions article

Word!

Yeah i've been thinking the same thing for a while now. I'm slowly losing interest in directv Especially the 20 or more HDPPV channels and there promise to deliver pbs hd and the other local channels in hd that i have to use an antennae for.

from swanni's mouth......wonder whose column he ripped off or what website he went to and ripped material from. this guy is a joke (and, i, a retired reporter, am being polite here)!

Icould care less where he got it from or if he ripped it off from someone else the truth of the matter is IS it is TRUE

iceturkee said:

from swanni's mouth......wonder whose column he ripped off or what website he went to and ripped material from. this guy is a joke (and, i, a retired reporter, am being polite here)!

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I have no idea. Just ran up on this site a while back. If he's a confirmed joke, I'll send it to the bookmark graveyard.

DirecTV is adding channels that they believe will garner them the most subscribers. Right now, their feeling is adding locals will do that. They know that it won't be that long before cable, dish, FIOS, etc. have the same national HD channels...so the fight is to grab the subs from their competitors and OTA where they don't offer locals yet. Especially before 2/2009.

iceturkee said:

from swanni's mouth......wonder whose column he ripped off or what website he went to and ripped material from. this guy is a joke (and, i, a retired reporter, am being polite here)!

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I concur ice.

The material may be ripped off, but it's pretty much on-target.

Jeff

Ken S said:

DirecTV is adding channels that they believe will garner them the most subscribers. Right now, their feeling is adding locals will do that. They know that it won't be that long before cable, dish, FIOS, etc. have the same national HD channels...so the fight is to grab the subs from their competitors and OTA where they don't offer locals yet. Especially before 2/2009.

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Exactly, especially considering the digital transition is now five months away and some fringe viewers will be looking for a bigger antenna or a paid TV provider (one that obviously carries their locals).

tcusta00 said:

Exactly, especially considering the digital transition is now five months away and some fringe viewers will be looking for a bigger antenna or a paid TV provider (one that obviously carries their locals).

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I think you're dead on with that, especially in rural areas like mine where there is no cable in the town. it will be easier for most people to just use D* than adding a quality OTA setup.

While the messenger may lack credibility, the message is on point.

I understand why they are adding locals instead of national channels now. But, I would love to see them start adding some national HD channels very soon. One here on there would be nice.

Honestly, if D* stopped adding HD channels today I would be perfectly happy. I get all my locals and RSNs in HD, and the majority of all other channels I watch are already carried in HD. Sure, Travel or AMC would be nice, but I rarely watch those anyway. My local Comcast system only carries about 10 HD channels total and I have not heard any plans for them to add more anytime soon. Fios won't be available for at least another year in this neighborhood. I think D* is doing the right thing by penetrating as many local markets as possible to gain new customers.

I agree with most of your analysis, but still, they could dribble out a few per month, kind of like the lack-luster additions in September. Adding locals is very important for their penetration but so is keeping current subs excited about their commitment to be the HD leader.

I agree with the point swami is making. It is becoming a joke even the locals that are put up, some areas don't get all the locals in that area. In my area alone we've had HD locals for well over a year and still don't have CBS not to mention the 3 others. My local cable has all the local channels NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, MNT, CW, and PBS. The only thing that keeps me with Directv is their National HD which is now almost a mute issue as local cable now has most of the channels my family watches in HD. After this football season I might just switch since cable will eat my early disconnect cost.

I am sure more people are starting to feel this way. So don't come flaming me because for one time a agree with Swami.

that Andrew Smith of the Dallas News said on the 1st. It's been talked about in this thread.

The Mad Men discussion started rumbling back in late July.

Hello Forum,

Like me, I am sure that many of you read about HDTV's and HDTV services outside of DBSTALK. I have found none that are more reliable than DBSTALK.com

Many of you may read Swanni's column over at tvpredictions.com. Normally his news and "predicitions" are either late, or stated elsewhere, but the prediction I read this morning borders on 'baffoonery'.

"DIRECTV has reported strong subscriber gains this year thanks to its national high-def expansion in the fall of 2007. However, I predict that if it doesn't start adding national HD channels again -- and soon -- those subscriber gains will begin to slow down dramatically."

Is there really a need to predict that levels will change if the desired channels are not offered? Isn't that common sense, rather than a prediction?

Mr. Obvious does have a point though. However it is difficult to grasp his site being called "tv predicitions" as he nearly always is reporting on last months information.