DISH Network Spins HD Plans

DISH Network went into spin mode yesterday, issuing a press release detailing their HD plan for the rest of 2007. The release promised local HD in several new markets over the next two months. Overall, DISH Network claims it will increase its local HD offerings by 60 percent. Here is a rundown of the new local HD markets DISH is promising:

April
Abilene, TX
Austin, TX
Baltimore, MD
Columbia, SC
Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, MI
Ft. Myers, FL
Greensboro, NC
Milwaukee, WI
Orlando, FL
Providence, RI
Tampa, FL
West Palm Beach, FL

May

Beaumont, TX
Burlington, VT
Grand Rapids, MI
Green Bay, WI
Greenville, SC
Huntsville, AL
Knoxville, TN
Norfolk, VA
Richmond, VA

So why this announcement, and why now?

Consider it a big spin move by DISH Network. The release says the “anomaly” suffered by the low orbit will not affect their HD rollout, however it is in contradiction to what they filed in their 8-K form on Monday with the SEC. That release said point blank that “the launch anomaly will result in a delay in our roll out of some high definition channels, including some local network channels.”

Clearly DISH was positioned to roll out these local HD’s with or without AMC-14, but the company has successfully split hairs as to the rollout of national HD through the rest of 2008.

Later in the press release, DISH references the two additional satellites scheduled to launch later this year. According to Charlie Ergen, CEO and President of Dish Network:

“We are fortunate to have two more satellites scheduled for launch later this year to continue our HD rollout and reach our year-end goal of 100 local HD markets and 100 national HD channels.”

DISH then references a laundry list of 25 channels that may be added in 2008. The key word there being “may.” Not much assurance there for current DISH subscribers looking for HD now. The fact is there are still 9+ months left in 2008, so they may still reach 100 HD by the end of the year, but not anytime soon.

List of 25 National HD’s DISH Network may add by the end of 2008: