Satellite TV News

Mediacom Communications has launched three new high-definition channels to its HD subscribers in Coralville and Iowa City, Iowa. The cable operator is now offering 17 HD channels in these cities.
Following new HD channels are available as of now:

CNN HD - Channel 837

TBS HD - Channel 836 and

USA HD - Channel 838

Mediacom is forced to launch new channels as other providers like Comcast and Time Warner are dumping new channels in many markets in recent times. More can be expected from Mediacom also.

Comcast recently launched five new high-definition channels nationwide and also Comcast Gift Card for the festive season. Comcast has come up with The Weather Channel in high-definition for the subscribers in Houston, Texas. Comcast subscribers in Houston is waiting for many new HD channels to be added and expecting to be launched by next year.

Comcast launches five new high-definition channels in its programming line-up nationwide on Dec.10. Few of these HD channels are owned by Comcast and others are added in HD programming line-up to expand its HD content. Comcast’s new HD channels are:

E! Entertainment Television HD

The Style channel HD and

Versus HD

Bright House Networks has announced that it has added four new HD channels in its high-definition programming line-up in Indianapolis, Indiana. Bright House is launching new HD channels after some time as the cable operator was busy in adding new HD in other markets. Following HD channels are added:

The Travel Channel HD

USA HD and

FX HD

AT&T has launched its U-verse TV service in Raleigh, Durham, Cary and Chapel Hill in North Carolina market. AT&T has launched this service in many cities and has announced during August that the service will be available in Triangle before the end of the year. The Telco has kept its words by coming up with the service in North Carolina area in December.

U-verse TV service will carry 75 high-definition channels, digital video-recording (DVR) facility and high-speed internet. The launch was possible with The North Carolina General Assembly passing the Video Service Competition Act in 2006 has opened AT&T to enter the market.

AT&T will now compete with cable giants like Time Warner Cable and other operator. AT&T’s service is offered at $44 a month and has various packages to select.

Dish Network will expand its high-definition offering in 2009 with the help of the new satellite Ciel II. This satellite was launched by Canadian satellite company The Ciel Satellite on Dec.10 from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Dish Network is expected to utilize the services of the satellite to increase the bandwidth and deliver more HD channels. Dish has launched AMC 14 this year and the satellite has failed to reach the orbit. The satcaster will have a target to launch at least 30 to 40 HD channels to compete with DirecTV.

Mediacom Communications has launched three new HD channels to its subscribers in Des Moines, IA. Following are the new HD channels available for the Des Moines subscribers:

The Sci-Fi Channel HD

The History Channel HD and

A&E HD

LATV has added Fourth Tribune Station in Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto, California. LATV has added ‘KTXL-FOX40′ on Dec. 5 and is available on Channel 40.

LATV already has agreements with three Tribune stations which include WPIX, WGN and KDAF and has added the fourth station.

Howard Bolter, president and COO, LATV said “Sacramento is a pivotal affiliate for us as we round out our presence in California. Now with the addition of the 11th-largest Hispanic market in our fold, we cover the state, in just over a year-and-a-half; LATV has extended its national footprint with the top broadcast stations in nearly every key DMA. With only two months to go before the FCC-mandated digital conversion, we are well-positioned for the future.”

Cox Communications is expanding its high-definition programming line-up in many markets and has added two new HD channels Versus HD and AMC HD in Oklahoma on Monday. Cox has recently added more than dozen HD channels in South Hampton Roads. Now the cable operator is planning to add following newHD channels in Oklahoma on Dec.31 :

FX HD

FOX News HD and

Cartoon Network HD

Cox has also lined up new channels for the Oklahoma subscribers, which will be delivered in 2009.

Last month was Time Warner Cable month for high-definition expansion and December belongs to Comcast. The cable operators is flooding with new HD channels in many markets and hope many Comcast subscribers gets new HD content. Now Naples, Florida subscribers turn to get new channels and they will be treated with three new HD channels this month.

AMC HD

The Golf Channel HD and

Versus HD

Comcast making lots of channel shuffling and will know only after December 15. MLB Network is to join in standard definition and hope to get HD soon.