More new HD channels on the way from Discovery, CNBC and Chiller
You know times are good when we are surprised when it is more than a week between new HD channel announcements. This week we have a few more channels for you, but not as many of details as we would like on any of them. Discovery will be launching what they are calling four new channels, but one of them is an HD simulcast of the Discovery channel. We're not sure if this will replace the Discovery HD Theater that we have all come to love, or just add even more HD content, but they will also be launching HD simulcast versions of TLC, Animal Planet and The Science Channel. These new channels from Discovery will be carried at launch by at least DirecTV this September. Also mentioned in the press release as coming this year is CNBC and Chiller (who?). While it is still questionable if DirecTV will carry 100 HD National channel this year, -- at least without counting sports packages -- this will certainly be remember as a big year in the transition of cable TV channels to HD. A full list of the channels announced to date after the break.These are the channels that have been announced that will beadded to the HD lineup, which currently includes 9 national HD channels. While 44 HD channels is certainly impressive, it is not even half way to 100 -- yet.
- A&E
- National Geographic
- Bravo
- NFL Network
- Cartoon Network
- SciFi Channel
- CNN
- Speed
- Food Network
- TBS
- Big Ten Network
- The History Channel
- HGTV
- The Weather Channel
- MTV
- USA Network
- Disney Channel
- Versus HD
- Toon Disney
- TLC
- ABC Family
- Animal Planet
- ESPNNEWS HD
- The Science Channel
- Starz E/W feeds
- Discovery Channel
- Starz Edge
- The Tennis Channel
- Starz Comedy
- Showtime West
- Starz Kids & Family
- The Movie Channel
- CNBC
- Chiller
Filed under: Discovery-HD, Satellite, New content
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Dante @ May 23rd 2007 12:09PM
Sci Fi??
That's news to them, considering they don't have any plans to launch an HD channel. I believe that was wishful thinking on DirecTV's part.
Kimberly Smith @ May 23rd 2007 2:11PM
Another idiotic comment from someone who dosen't work in the broadcast industry. Thanks Very Much for the wasted time!
Brendan @ May 23rd 2007 2:59PM
Do you do any research before typing? Chiller is Universals/NBC old time horror movie/tv channel. It has been around for a few months in SD. Hitchcock fans rejoice.
Frankenstein Black @ May 23rd 2007 4:58PM
FOOD HD! Come on lets get that going...
GhostDoggy @ May 23rd 2007 7:14PM
If it is DirecTV then the need to identify what IS high-definition also must be challenged. The whole term HDlite results from DirecTV and their idea of HD--which differs from everyone else's definition of HD.
Brendan @ May 23rd 2007 9:19PM
That's all well and good if the competition is delivering a superior or even a noticeably better picture, but as of right now no one is. Most cities only get OTA HD Networks at superior quality copared to cable/satellite. So the choice now comes down 30+ HDlite channels from cable or 100+ HDlite from DirecTV the choice is the consumers and cable is going to lose.
Do I wish all broadcast media would decrease the compression? Of course, but until cable/fios or another satellite company emerging providing blu-ray quality (-The Fifth Element) anyone with a love of programming will pick DirecTV. Am I being a fanboy, no, I'm being a realist and the sooner some of you realize that DirecTV is about ready to lay the smack down in the HD-Def delivery wars and your company is not offering anything close, the mass-exodus can begin from cable and the improvements will follow.
SimbaDogg @ May 23rd 2007 11:10PM
100 channels or not...as long as they keep on adding more HD channels than anyone else i'm stoked. Especially NFL network (love my niners), Speed (love my F1), Versus (love my hockey games) and MTV (love my Rob and Big)
dgbellak @ May 24th 2007 7:20AM
Hmm...at least 4 of these are already on Dish HD. (A&E, Food Network, HGTV and Starz E.) Also, I could've sworn Nat'l Geo was one of the original 9.
Adam @ Jun 2nd 2007 9:43AM
F1 will be on Fox this year now right? Am I correct on this?
Jer @ May 25th 2007 3:47PM
That press release says at the bottom:
"DIRECTV announced earlier this year that it will have the capacity to launch up to 100 national HD channels by the end of 2007, and offer local HD channels in up to 75 markets, following the launch of its D10 satellite this summer."
UP TO 100 Channels. That's certainly not a guarantee that there will be that many.
Stephen Brown @ Jun 4th 2007 12:01PM
With the acquisition of the VOOM HD satellite system, Dish Network currently offers 32 national HD channels and HD locals in over 150 cities. And that is not counting any sports packages.
http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/our_products/dish_hd/programming/index.shtml
https://customersupport.dishnetwork.com/netqualweb/localmarkets.pdf