Skip to Content

Listen to the Joystiq Podcast (because your ears can't read)
AOL Tech

local posts

Tallahassee enjoys new DirecTV HD locals alone & lonely

by Richard Lawler posted Dec 12th 2008 at 4:24PM

Tallahassee, Florida DirecTV customers, we hope you're enjoying your WCTV/CBS, WTWC/NBC and WTLH/Fox high definition locals, because you're getting them alone. This solo market addition to the DirecTV offerings brings the total to 116 (five left for 121), although we're not sure that will make Panhandle residents feel more included. Unofficially, a commenter reports WTTV in Indianapolis is live now as well, maybe you can form a support group?

DISH Network, Young Broadcasting retrans dispute pulls 13 stations off the air

by Richard Lawler posted Dec 12th 2008 at 7:28AM


In yet another episode of retrans musical chairs, Young Broadcasting Inc. has yanked its 13 stations from DISH Networks satellites, demanding what is (depending on who you listen to) either a "small but fair" compensation or an excessive rate increase to continue distributing its broadcasts. No matter who you blame, the result is the same, with all the stations marked in the image above no longer available via satellite until a new agreement is reached. DISH Networks has some experience dealing with this, having worked out a deal with LIN TV earlier in the year, but judging from Young Broadcasting's straight-out-of-1995 website, they probably need whatever cash they can get.

[Picture via Jason Crandall, thanks J]

DirecTV adds HD locals in six more markets

by Richard Lawler posted Nov 19th 2008 at 7:41PM

Just six more to go until DirecTV hits the 121 markets promised HD locals by year end, customers in Des Moines-Ames, Iowa; El Paso, Texas; Fort Wayne, Ind.; La Crosse-Eau Claire, Wis.; Peoria-Bloomington, Ill.; and Rockford, Ill. joined the party today. Which ones are available in each market are your and are best guess, but Kevin let us know that Fort Wayne snapped on CBS, ABC, NBC, PBS, and FOX, so here's hoping for the best.

[Thanks, Kevin]

DirecTV adds HD locals in three markets

by Richard Lawler posted Sep 24th 2008 at 9:58PM

Summer's over, but DirecTV isn't done with its rollout of local HD channels. Leading off the fall additions are Champaign-Springfield-Decatur, IL, Burlington, VT-Plattsburgh, NY, and the Myrtle Beach-Florence S.C. areas. With these in, that brings the total of areas with local HD channels on satellite to 94, with 27 more planned for the rest of the year. Peep the read links to find out which channels in which markets.

Read - Champaign-Springfield-Decatur, Ill.
Read - Burlington Vt.-Plattsburgh N.Y.
Read - Myrtle Beach-Florence, S.C.

DirecTV adds local HD channels in Little Rock, Springfield, MO and Baton Rouge

by Richard Lawler posted Sep 5th 2008 at 4:19AM

Check a few more areas off of DirecTV's summer hit list, with the Little Rock-Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Springfield Missouri and Baton Rouge, Louisiana markets all experiencing HD locals starting today. According to the satellite company, that adds up to 85 cities and 78 percent of U.S. households served, with 36 more markets to add before the end of the year. The long list continues to unfurl, we're guessing DirecTV had a pretty awesome "what I did over my summer vacation" story for the rest of the class.

Read - Little Rock-Pine Bluff
Read - Springfield
Read - Baton Rouge

DISH Network adds four more HD local markets

by Richard Lawler posted Jul 3rd 2008 at 1:45PM

DISH Network just keeps on cranking down the list of its 22 markets slated for an HD upgrade in the summer/fall, with four going on line today: Albany - Shenectady - Troy, NY; Chattanooga, TN; Lansing, MI; and Syracuse NY. Hope the recent thunderstorms didn't knock anyone's power out, because now you've got one more reason to stay inside. As usual, we don't know what city will be next, but we expect more markets to be added soon.

DISH Network, LIN TV reach retrans agreement for 17 markets

by Richard Lawler posted Mar 13th 2008 at 2:20PM

LIN TV has been involved in squabbles over retransmitting of its signal with cable and satellite stations recently, but today its reached an agreement with DISH Network for both the SD and HD signal, as well as marketing and promotions to advertise the availability of HD locals via satellite in areas where they've been yanked from cable (hello, KXAN-TV in Austin). The two will also jointly "educate" customers about the digital transition and push Dish's digital converter box. Check after the break for a list of cities affected, with a deal like this in its pocket, we don't see LIN TV having a reason to reach out to the local cable co any time soon.

Continue reading DISH Network, LIN TV reach retrans agreement for 17 markets

Topeka, Kansas' CBS affiliate about to be dropped by Cox

by Darren Murph posted Feb 28th 2008 at 7:35AM

As enthralled as we are to see new HD channels arrive in varying parts of the world, it's equally depressing to hear when any vanish. Nevertheless, we're looking at yet another classic battle between station and carrier in Topeka, Kansas, as the region's CBS affiliate (WIBW-TV) is threatening to remove its analog and digital HD signals from Cox unless it ponies up in a hurry. Needless to say, WIBW feels that it's not being compensated fairly from Cox for its retransmission of signals, and unless the two parties strike a deal before midnight on Friday, citizens in the area will have to bust out the antenna (or switch to satellite) to catch the looming March Madness. So, what exactly is WIBW asking for? A penny a day for each Cox subscriber.

DirecTV continues to gift towns with HD locals

by Darren Murph posted Feb 7th 2008 at 5:41PM


It's no secret that DirecTV has been adding HD locals at a pleasantly quick rate of late, but apparently, it's not even close to being finished. According to a user in Louisville, Kentucky, DTV has just recently flipped the switch on locals in high-definition, and direct word from yet another subscriber in the Cedar Rapids / Waterloo, Iowa area confirms that he too is receiving CBS, NBC and FOX in HD (though ABC is strangely absent). Furthermore, we're hearing rumblings that customers in Wichita / Hutchinson, Kansas, Paducah, Kentucky and Cape Girardeau, Missouri should join the HD local camp any day now (like today), while those parked in Omaha and Lincoln / Hastings, Nebraska can expect 'em on February 13th and early May, respectively. If we just rung your bell, hit us up in comments below to confirm or deny, would ya?

[Thanks, Bryan and Rod]

DirecTV launches MPEG4 locals in Butte-Bozeman, Montana

by Darren Murph posted Feb 2nd 2008 at 11:47PM

Under a month after DirecTV announced that it would be migrating West Coast locals to MPEG4, the satellite provider is rolling out locals for the first time (in SD only for now, it seems) in Butte-Bozeman, Montana. Aside from giving residents of the area and visitors of beautiful Big Sky Resort a taste of KWYB / ABC, KBZK / CBS, The CW, KBTZ / FOX/ MNT, KTVM / NBC and KUSM / PBS, DirecTV also makes sure to point out that reception of said stations requires "MPEG4 equipment and a 5LNB satellite dish." So, the countdown to HD locals begins now, eh?

SuddenLink adds FOX HD to Longview, Texas lineup just in time

by Darren Murph posted Feb 1st 2008 at 4:10PM

NFL fans calling Lufkin, Nacogdoches or a surrounding locale home may be thrilled to know that SuddenLink and the Longview, Texas FOX affiliate (KFXK) have finally decided to put their differences aside and shake hands. Merely days before Super Bowl XLII kicks off from nearby Arizona, the station has apparently landed an agreement with SuddenLink (cash very likely involved, by the way) that will enable the cable company's subscribers to finally receive FOX in HD on channel 705. Better still, these very customers will also be able to tune into Fox Sports Network HD on channel 750 if they decide to plunk down $7.95 per month for the SuddenLink HD Plus package. According to Gene Regan, director of corporate communications at SuddenLink, the firm still plans on juicing up its lineup with additional high-def options in the near future, but unfortunately for Austin-area folks, there's still no end in sight to the drama keeping NBC HD off of your EPG.

DirecTV bringing HD locals to Waterloo / Cedar Falls, Iowa?

by Darren Murph posted Jan 30th 2008 at 8:23PM


DirecTV has been on somewhat of a tear lately, bringing HD locals to both Knoxville, Tennessee and Tyler-Longview, Texas, and it seems as if Waterloo-area residents may be next in line. According to numerous e-mails with varying DirecTV CSRs, Waterloo / Cedar Rapids, Iowa is all but set to receive its locals in HD via the satellite provider. We've heard both "early February" and "February 8th," so whatever the case ends up being, we're keeping our fingers crossed that FOX, NBC, ABC and CBS finally get the high-def treatment they deserve for those Iowans real soon.

[Thanks, Rod]

Tyler-Longview, Texas gets DirecTV locals in HD

by Darren Murph posted Jan 25th 2008 at 8:57AM


No sooner than DirecTV launched HD locals in Knoxville, Tennessee, we're finding that Tyler-Longview, Texas is being gifted as well. Granted, only the local ABC (KLTV) and CBS (KYTX) affiliates are included for now, but the satellite provider did state that it hoped to "add additional stations as they become available." This does mean that residents of the area will still be forced to bust out the OTA antenna or cruise over to a friend's house in order to catch Super Bowl XLII in HD, but hey, there's always next year.

DirecTV blesses Knoxville, Tennessee with HD locals

by Darren Murph posted Jan 23rd 2008 at 10:26PM


For those shacked up in Knoxville, Tennessee and relying on DirecTV for their tube service, we've excellent news. Starting today, you can catch the Big 4 -- ABC (WATE), CBS (WVLT), FOX (WTNZ) and NBC (WBIR) -- in high-definition without resorting to an OTA antenna. The addition of Knoxville brings the satellite provider's grand total of markets with HD locals up to 72, reportedly "representing more than 74.3-percent of US TV households." 'Tis a shame all that SEC football on CBS is so many months away, but hey, at least you've got March Madness to look forward to, right?

DirecTV blesses Palm Springs, California residents with locals... in SD

by Darren Murph posted Jan 17th 2008 at 12:46AM

Just over a month ago, whispers started swirling that Palm Springs, California residents could expect locals through DirecTV in mid-January. Right on cue, the satellite provider has delivered, as the aforementioned citizens now have access to PBS, ABC (KESQ), CBS (KPSP), NBC (KMIR), FOX (KDFX) and Telemundo (KUNA). Unfortunately, it seems that they're only available in MPEG4 SD (and The CW is sorely absent, too), but here's to hoping that forthcoming D11 satellite launch can provide those residing in the desert with a touch of high-definition.




AOL News

Other Weblogs Inc. Network blogs you might be interested in:

Joystiq
Download Squad
The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)
BloggingStocks
Joystiq Xbox
Autoblog
Big Download
Fanhouse NFL Blog