DirecTV plans to deliver local broadcast channel service in up to 50 additional markets by the end of this year, which would nearly double its current count of 51 markets. Ten of the new markets will be served by the end of June.
The first ten markets are Richmond, Va., Colorado Springs, Colo., Wilkes-Barre, Penn., Roanoke, Va., Green Bay, Wis., Tuscon, Ariz., Shreveport, La., Jackson, Miss., Louisville, Ky. and Des Moines, Iowa. To receive local channels from DirecTV, customers in most of the new markets will need to use a DirecTV Multi-Satellite System.
DirecTV is planning marketing campaigns in each of the new local channel markets through print and radio ads and direct marketing, mostly to target current cable customers.
Using the recently-launched DirecTV 7S spot beam satellite, DirecTV should be available to 84 percent of U.S. TV households by the years end, the company said. DirecTV reaches more than 11 million customers.
