Dish Network announced today that, as of June 3, 2010, they will offer local channels in the 29 local markets they don’t currently serve. As of that date, they will provide local channels in all 210 television markets in the United States. The final 29 markets are:
Alpena, MI; Biloxi-Gulfport, MS; Binghamton, NY; Bluefield-Beckley, WV; Bowling Green, KY; Columbus, GA; Elmira, NY; Eureka, CA; Glendive, MT; Greenwood-Greenville, MS; Harrisonburg, VA; Hattiesburg-Laurel, MS; Jackson, TN; Jonesboro, AR; Lafayette, IN; Lake Charles, LA; Mankato, MN; North Platte, NE; Ottumwa-Kirksville, IA & MO; Parkersburg, WV; Presque Isle, ME; Salisbury, MD; Springfield-Holyoke, MA; St. Joseph, MO; Utica, NY; Victoria, TX; Watertown, NY; Wheeling-Steubenville, WV & OH; and Zanesville, OH. (Source: Dish Network press release).
The last time we checked, Dish offered HD channels in 157 of the 210 markets. To see whether HD locals are available in your market (and to compare to the offerings of DIRECTV), visit our local channel lookup page. By contrast, DIRECTV offered locals in about 155 markets, HD in 138 of those. These numbers are likely a bit higher now. In any case, HD local channels are available to the vast majority of Americans on both satellite providers.
When MyRatePlan began its side-by-side comparison of Dish Network and DIRECTV back in 2003, the two providers were just starting to carry local channels and the carriage at that time was limited to just the largest markets. This was one area that the cable companies had satellite beat. However, over the next few years, local channels were added to most markets, followed by the HD version of local channels in most locations.
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