DISH NETWORK EXPANDS LOCAL HIGH DEFINITION MARKETS

[Scott Greczkowski]

DISH NETWORK EXPANDS LOCAL HIGH DEFINITION MARKETS

Englewood, Colo., Jan 15, 2009 – DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH), the nation’s third largest pay-TV provider and the digital transition leader, today announced the addition high definition local channels in seven markets: Abilene, Texas (KTAB CBS Ch. 32 and KRBC NBC Ch. 9); Joplin, Mo. (KODE ABC Ch. 12 and KSNF NBC Ch. 16); Little Rock, Ark. (KARK NBC 4); Louisville, Ky. (WDRB FOX Ch. 41); Springfield, Mo. (KOLR CBS Ch. 10 and KSFX FOX Ch. 27); Wichita Falls, Texas (KFDX NBC Ch. 3 and KJTL FOX Ch. 18); and Wilkes Barre, Penn. (WYOU CBS Ch. 22 and WBRE NBC Ch. 28) . DISH Network® now offers local channels in 90 markets reaching 78 percent of U.S. TV households.

Consumers can sign up for the best high definition programming and service in the industry with DISH Network’s TurboHD programming packages, the only all-HD packages on the market, starting at $24.99 per month. TurboHD is available in three separate tiers and includes special “turbo-charged” features and benefits such as DISH Network’s award-winning and industry-leading technology, the highest quality HD available including 1080p resolution where available, and the most-watched HD channels that may be viewed on any TV – analog, digital or high definition.

Current DISH Network customers looking to add the industry’s best high definition experience can get a “turbo-charged” HD package for as little as $10 more per month.

For more information about DISH Network’s 1080p programming, new HD channels and TurboHD system and packages, visit DISH Network - 1.888.825.2557 or call 1-800-333-DISH (3474).

 

[djjenkins]

Come on get some more in the west!!! Give me Tucson local HD!

 

[PHANTOMMADMAN]

Come on Dish Give ME WWMT CBS HD in Kalamazoo,MI

 

[socalpanman]

Yawn

 

[tomyo10]

Erie, PA please

 

[jsaxon2]

I live in the Wilkes Barre, PA DMA, but the HD channels are on a spot beam that I cannot get. Good thing I "moved" to Philly a year ago.

 

[Walter L.]

Come on E* give me CSN NW HD here in Portland to watch the Blazers game

 

[VegasVoomer]

How can they forget about Vegas!!

 

[jerryez]

Nobody in Vegas should have the time or the need to watch tv at all.

 

[djjenkins]

Vegas and Tucson are in the same category: the west, and Dish hasn't been adding anything west of Texas. I am really hoping with the new satellite up this will change, but certainly Vegas has to be on the top of the list. I hope Tucson is too.

 

[Laddyboy]

Vegas and Tucson are in the same category: the west, and Dish hasn't been adding anything west of Texas. I am really hoping with the new satellite up this will change, but certainly Vegas has to be on the top of the list. I hope Tucson is too.

February onward is the earliest to probably expect to see any western DMAs added. I would expect to see the western DMAs that are on 129 CONUS beams be the first on the spotbeams followed by new markets. If E* has retransmission consents for the new DMAs and if the infrastructure is in place, they should come online fairly quickly.

 

[shortspark]

I don't understand something (although it makes little difference as my market is so small we'll never get HD locals). When I look at the original post I see some cities getting ABC and Fox HD or CBS and NBC HD but none are complete with all the networks covered. That is to say, if Dish opens a local market why are they not providing all the networks? All the networks are provding HD, right? I don't think I would subscribe if they gave me only Fox and CBS but left out NBC and ABC, or vice versa. Or am I reading this wrong?

 

[Fiveft20in]

I live in the Wilkes Barre, PA DMA, but the HD channels are on a spot beam that I cannot get. Good thing I "moved" to Philly a year ago.

If you "moved" to Philly, doesn't that explain why you can't get the Wilkes-Barre spot beam?

 

[MilSF]

I don't understand something (although it makes little difference as my market is so small we'll never get HD locals). When I look at the original post I see some cities getting ABC and Fox HD or CBS and NBC HD but none are complete with all the networks covered. That is to say, if Dish opens a local market why are they not providing all the networks? All the networks are provding HD, right? I don't think I would subscribe if they gave me only Fox and CBS but left out NBC and ABC, or vice versa. Or am I reading this wrong?

It has to do with the fact that most of the local market affiliates are owned by different companies. Here in the Little Rock DMA, all four majors are owned by a different company. All the channels that went live are owned by Nexstar (wikipedia.org/wiki/Nexstar_Broadcasting_Group). So Nexstar's corporate office concluded a carrying contract recently it looks like, so several of their stations went live at the same time.

 

[Jim S.]

If you "moved" to Philly, doesn't that explain why you can't get the Wilkes-Barre spot beam?

If he hadn't "moved", he still wouldn't be getting the beam. It doesn't cover Clinton County and about half of Lycoming, Northumberland, Union, and Snyder Counties.

Dish even admits it, but they seem completely unconcerned about it.

 

[Primus]

If he hadn't "moved", he still wouldn't be getting the beam. It doesn't cover Clinton County and about half of Lycoming, Northumberland, Union, and Snyder Counties.

Dish even admits it, but they seem completely unconcerned about it.

Do you seriously live in Montgomery PA? That's where my ex-wife is from. Her parents still live there. It's a small world but an even smaller town. Her parents live off of SR 54.

 

[BlackHitachi]

Come on E* give me CSN NW HD here in Portland to watch the Blazers game

I don't think D or E will do this any time soon.

 

[Jim S.]

Do you seriously live in Montgomery PA? That's where my ex-wife is from. Her parents still live there. It's a small world but an even smaller town. Her parents live off of SR 54.

I sure do. Yes, it's definitely a small town. It's still a pleasant place to live, except there are no jobs.

 

[tsduke]

It looks to me like the 2 Springfield, MO markets were only added for EA(77W) customers. Almost no current customers will see the additions in Springfield, MO.

 

[Laddyboy]

Springfield DMA subscribers need to call E* to request HD locals to be added to their account. E* usually charges $59 to install whatever dish is needed to receive the HD locals at 77W or they do it for free with an extended commitment.