Dish Says HD Plans Still On Track

-- TWICE, 3/18/2008 1:27:00 PM

Englewood, Colo. — Despite “an anomaly” in the operation of a recently launched satellite, Dish Network said its plans are still on track to expand the satellite TV service's HD programming lineup this spring.

Some observers had speculated that Friday’s malfunction in the launch of the AMC-14 satellite had threatened to delay plans to add more HD channels, but the satellite service provider said Tuesday that despite the launch anomaly the HD channel expansion is still on as planned.

Over the next two months, Dish Network said it will increase its local HD offering by more than 60 percent with the addition of HD broadcast networks in the following markets.

April:

Abilene, Texas

Austin, Texas

Baltimore, Md.

Columbia, S.C.

Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, Mich.

Ft. Myers, Fla.

Greensboro, N.C.

Milwaukee, Wis.

Orlando, Fla.

Providence, R.I.

Tampa, Fla.

West Palm Beach, Fla.

May:

Beaumont, Texas

Burlington, Vt.

Grand Rapids, Mich.

Green Bay, Wis.

Greenville, S.C.

Huntsville, Ala.

Knoxville, Tenn.

Norfolk, Va.

Richmond, Va.

“Dish Network customers can be reassured that the expansion of our HD programming over the next few months will proceed as planned,” stated Charlie Ergen, Dish Network CEO. “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.”

The company said upcoming national HD announcements may include the addition of ABC Family HD, AMC HD, BET HD, The Biography Channel HD, Bravo HD, Cartoon Network HD, CMT HD, CNN HD, Disney Channel HD, ESPN News HD, HBO2 HD, IFC HD, MGM HD, MoreMAX HD, MTV HD, Nickelodeon HD, Sci-Fi HD, Smithsonian Channel HD, Starz Edge HD, Tennis Channel HD, Superstation WGN HD, The Weather Channel HD, Toon Disney HD, USA Network HD and VH-1 HD.