Satellite TV providers have been working diligently to bring greater HD coverage to local markets. Although they were given four more years to transition to digital TV for their subscribers, the race continues between the two main satellite TV providers to offer HD content.
Television stations are due to transition digital by February 2009. At that time, all television broadcasts will say goodbye to analog broadcasts and transition to a new digital format. Consumers will still be able to get over-the-air television, however it will be in digital format. This may require additional equipment for some televisions.
One of the providers, the value company, has announced that it has added services from eight more local networks in high definition. They will add a ninth market for April. The new markets with local HD content are:
Baltimore, M.D.
or Columbia, South Carolina
Greensboro, North Carolina
or Green Bay, WI
or Providence, Rhode Island
or Burlington, VT
or Greenville, South Carolina
or Knoxville, Tennessee
or Huntsville, AL
Their goal for the year is 100 local HD markets. They now offer HD channels in 54 markets, while the leading provider will offer 75 new HD channels from local markets. This is 11% more households in the US that will have access to local channels.
Is this push for local HD channels by the value provider and neglect of unique HD content a day late and a dollar short? Consumers are quickly turning away from the value provider and setting their eyes on the leading provider’s court.
The leading provider currently offers a total of 95 channels in high definition. This beats Dish Network’s HD offerings by more than 20 channels. Although consumers will be delighted to receive local HD channels from Dish, there is growing interest in receiving many of the favorite channels in high definition.
Satellite TV providers have one thing in common when it comes to high definition. Both companies offer subscribers HD DVR equipment. These receivers have the ability to record multiple hours of SD or high definition programming.
The value provider offers more than 250 content channels, while the leader offers more than 265. Programming options are very similar for both companies. Subscribers to either service can receive movies, family entertainment, news, and sports coverage.
Sports coverage differs greatly between the two satellite providers. The leader in satellite television has the most important sports coverage in the country exclusively with NFL Sunday Ticket. Recently, Major League Baseball signed a contract with the leader to take away its exclusive content with the value provider. MLB airs MLB Extra Innings on both networks during the transition period. Both networks broadcast soccer, basketball, and hockey. This provider has exclusive coverage of NASCAR, college sports coverage, cricket and rugby.
The value provider has clearly lost the content wars and has now been fighting to try and outperform the competition with high-definition programming. Despite his attempts, it is a futile effort to try to outdo the leader, who has seen himself favored in the eyes of the United States. We can watch the race as it continues to unfold to see which company will wow viewers each week. Only time will tell.