DirecTV Offers Local Channels in Hampton Roads
DirecTV satellite television service will begin
offering local channels to its Hampton Roads customers by late August.
At this time, the company does not know how many local channels will make
up the package, said DirecTV spokesman Robert Mercer.
Letters have been sent to area broadcasters asking for their
participation, and they are asked to respond within 60 days. Typically,
most stations in a market with a strong enough signal say yes, Mercer
said.
DirecTV and other satellite programmers that compete with cable companies
have been at a disadvantage because cable offers local stations. In 1999,
Congress passed the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act, which permitted
satellite programmers to offer local channels. Last year, DirecTV launched
a high-power, spot-beam satellite allowing it to collect local channel
signals and beam them to customers.
"It gives the customer a real alternative to the cable guys,"
said Mercer. "People want to get all their programming from a single
source."
The satellite company has been rolling out local service in larger
markets. It currently offers local channels in 43 major metropolitan
markets and expects to be in 51 markets by the end of the year. The
company has more than 10.5 million customers nationwide but doesn't
release figures for individual markets.
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