CES: DIRECTV to Launch Channels in 10 New Markets in 2002

Reprinted from a DIRECTV press release:

Las Vegas, NV, Jan 08, 2002 — DIRECTV, Inc., which currently offers local channels in 41 major metropolitan markets via its high-power DIRECTV digital satellite television service, announced today that it will begin broadcasting local channels in 10 additional markets this year.
DIRECTV plans to launch local channels in Hartford, Conn., Las Vegas and Providence, R.I., in the first half of this year, with seven additional markets by year-end. With the addition of these 10 markets, DIRECTV will offer local channels in 51 markets, representing more than 67 percent of U.S. television households.

The new markets will receive local channels from a DIRECTV satellite at the 119 degrees West Longitude (WL) orbital slot, and will require the use of a multi-satellite capable DIRECTV System. Currently all local channels on DIRECTV are broadcast from its primary orbital slot at 101 degrees WL.

Last month, DIRECTV expanded its local channel packages in each of its 41 local channel markets to include UPN, WB and PBS affiliates as well as many independent and Spanish-language stations. The new channels were added at no additional cost to the customers.

The successful launch and deployment last month of DIRECTV 4S, a high power spot-beam satellite, provided additional capacity to expand the existing local channel packages and made available capacity at 119 degrees to enable DIRECTV to launch 10 additional local channel markets.