Has Dish/Echostar responded to DIRECTV's January 6, 2005 announcement indicating that Direct will carry HD locals in 12 major cities in the second half of 2005?
DIRECTV Announces First 12 Markets to Receive Local Channels in High-Definition This Year
New HD Local Markets Mark First Stage in Dramatic Expansion of HD Programming Over the Next Two Years
Las Vegas, NV Jan 6, 2005 DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading and fastest- growing digital television service provider, announced today that 12 of the nation's largest designated market areas (DMAs) will be among the first to receive DIRECTV-delivered local channels in high-definition (HD) in the second half of this year. DIRECTV will begin a historic expansion of its capacity with the planned launch of four next- generation satellites that will deliver more than 1,500 local HD and more than 150 national HD channels and other advanced programming services to consumers nationwide by 2007.
The first group of DMAs to receive local HD channels is: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Dallas, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Detroit, Houston and Tampa. These markets represent nearly 36 million homes or 32.8 percent of all U.S. TV households. Additional markets to receive local HD programming this year will be announced at a later date. Today, DIRECTV offers local channels in standard definition in 130 markets, including these 12 markets. ...
(Full press release: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutus/mediacenter/NewsDetails.dsp?id=01-06-2005A)
New HD Local Markets Mark First Stage in Dramatic Expansion of HD Programming Over the Next Two Years
Las Vegas, NV Jan 6, 2005 DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading and fastest- growing digital television service provider, announced today that 12 of the nation's largest designated market areas (DMAs) will be among the first to receive DIRECTV-delivered local channels in high-definition (HD) in the second half of this year. DIRECTV will begin a historic expansion of its capacity with the planned launch of four next- generation satellites that will deliver more than 1,500 local HD and more than 150 national HD channels and other advanced programming services to consumers nationwide by 2007.
The first group of DMAs to receive local HD channels is: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Dallas, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Detroit, Houston and Tampa. These markets represent nearly 36 million homes or 32.8 percent of all U.S. TV households. Additional markets to receive local HD programming this year will be announced at a later date. Today, DIRECTV offers local channels in standard definition in 130 markets, including these 12 markets. ...
(Full press release: http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutus/mediacenter/NewsDetails.dsp?id=01-06-2005A)