Dish Network Adds HD Local Markets, NESN HD

Austin, Texas; Flint, Mich.; Orlando and West Palm Beach, Fla., Get Local HD Feeds from Satellite-TV Operator

By Alex Weprin -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/27/2008 2:19:00 PM

Dish Network added four new local markets to its HD-programming lineup.

Austin, Texas; Flint, Mich.; and Orlando and West Palm Beach, Fla., are the latest local markets to get the HD treatment on Dish, bringing the satellite-TV provider’s total number of HD local markets to 39.

“We announced earlier this year that we would reach our goal of 100 local HD markets and 100 national HD channels by the end of 2008 and, over the next two months, we will continue toward this goal by increasing our local HD offerings by more than 60%,” said Eric Sahl, senior vice president of programming for Dish Network, in a statement.

“We understand that our customers watch some of their favorite TV programming through their local networks and, by adding these markets, we are again demonstrating our continued commitment to enhance how our customers watch TV,” he added.

Dish also added New England Sports Network HD to its HD lineup. NESN is home to Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and the National Hockey League’s Boston Bruins.

“We are pleased that Dish Network subscribers will have Red Sox and Bruins game in high-definition on NESN HD,” NESN president Sean McGrail said in a statement. “NESN has been a leader in the industry, delivering more HD sports programming than any other RSN [regional sports network] in the country.”