Could Charleston, WV HD Locals be soon???

[herdfan]

I know it sounds crazy that Charleston could be coming sooner than later, but a few things seems to indicate it might happen.

A rumor is circulating though a local HT group that HD locals will go up on D* in the next round. (After the next 16 get lit up in May.) This rumor is based on a couple of things:

Mainly, a locally owned CBS affiliate who kicked and screamed against even going digital has increased power significantly. They only got HD the Wedensday before the NCAA's. This owner refused to care anything about OTA and only went HD after a local cableco agreed to carry it. (This cableco serves less than 20% of the DMA) A week ago, I could barely lock a picture from this affiliate and had signal strengths in the upper 60's. Now they peak in the low 90's. The LRF is about 2 miles from my house, so they need good signal there.

Also, we have 2 Sinclair stations in the market. Sinclair has a blanket agreement with D* for its HD locals so that eases contract issues. The other 2 affiliates are only on the aforementioned cableco covering less than 20% of the DMA, so they would do almost anything to get up on satellite.

Considering the lack of cableco carriage, and adding that the Sinclair stations won't be on cable for a long time (Charter and SBG are at odds all over the country, Adelphia is in the process of the buyout so no new deals there) D* has the opportunity to add a lot of higher-end HD subs by taking them from cable if they have the locals in HD.

Add all this with the fact that once you get into the DMA's in the 50's and 60's, they are all somewhat close in size, so other factors can come into play.

Just thinking out loud.

 

[charper1]

Is this you? #64 - Charleston-Huntington

The interpretation of DirecTV's rollout plan to say their aim is to serve the "76% of households" by the end of 2006.

On the current DMA list, add up the "% of US" column and you should know how close you will be at best guess. http://www.nielsenmedia.com/DMAs.html

I doubt they will get past the planned figure. I agree, although they a staying close to, but not exactly, to the list order, there should be some shakeups. I also assume there will be an updated DMA list toward the late summer or fall; it shouldn't change too much. Katrina areas may suffer some. Not sure how that works.

 

[herdfan]

Is this you? #64 - Charleston-Huntington

The interpretation of DirecTV's rollout plan to say their aim is to serve the "76% of households" by the end of 2006.

Yes.

IIRC, the last time I did the math, we rolled in at around 73%, so we should be this year. The big question is will it be sooner:up or later:down ?

 

[charper1]

Well best guesses (never set your self up for disappointments) woulds say the last group toward the end of the year and not before. If it happens before fall then GREAT, if not, its what was planned by DirecTV an expected by you.

 

[Ramy]

I have WOWK-HD on Armstrong in Cannonsburg (just outside Ashland, KY). They also cover South Point, Chesapeake, Procterville, and Rome Township, OH too, so it might be closer to 25% coverage. Not much difference as far as the masses because both Ashland, KY and Huntington, WV have Adelphia.