DISH NETWORK® LAUNCHES THE CRIME & INVESTIGATION CHANNEL

[Scott Greczkowski]

DISH NETWORK® LAUNCHES THE CRIME & INVESTIGATION CHANNEL

DISH Network Continues to Enhance 100 Percent HD Lineup

Englewood, Colo. – Feb. 3, 2009 – DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH), the nation’s third largest pay-TV provider and the digital transition leader, today announced the launch of Crime & Investigation HD in the PlatinumHD – part of DISH Network’s TurboHD suite of programming packages, offering the only 100 percent HD services nationwide.

“DISH Network is the only pay-TV provider to offer our customers 100 percent HD programming with our TurboHD packages,” said Dave Shull, senior vice president of programming for DISH Network. “With the addition of Crime & Investigation HD, we continue our commitment to enhance our HD offerings while remaining the value leader in pay-TV – offering the lowest all-digital price nationwide.”

Crime & Investigation HD offers dramatic and award-winning non-fiction series combined with top caliber off-net series, opening the doors to police departments, crime labs, and prisons to expose the inner workings of the American justice system.

Crime & Investigation HD, DISH Network Ch. 387, is part of the PlatinumHD programming package, available as an add-on to any TurboHD or Classic programming package with HD for $10 per month. DISH Network’s TurboHD programming packages currently start at $9.99 per month for six months for new customers, offering over 50 all-HD channels. Classic programming packages also start at $9.99 per month for six months, offering over 100 channels and free HD programming for the first six months.

In order to view HD programming, DISH Network customers will need to upgrade to an HD DVR receiver like the award-winning HD DuoDVR™ ViP® 722. The ViP® 722 is a dual-tuner HD DVR that operates two televisions in separate rooms, one in standard definition and one in HD. The ViP® 722 includes up to 500 hours of recording time, and can pause, rewind and fast forward live TV, allowing DISH Network customers to have ultimate control over their favorite programming.

Qualified new DISH Network customers who sign up with a 24-month commitment will receive over 15 free premium movie channels for three months, a free DVR and free installation (a $49.99 value).

For more information about DISH Network’s HD offerings or DVR technology, call 1-800-333-DISH (3474), visit DISH Network - 1.888.825.2557, or visit your local DISH Network retailer.

 

[flyingsquirrel]

From a marketing standpoint, this seems silly.

We Know that they launched FBC and FNC last night.

We kinda assume that they are going to launch a few other things later this week.

Why not hold off and go with a BIG SPLASH announcement that says:

"Dish Activates new Satellite and XX new HD Channels!"

Also, not mentioning that they took down Smithsonian just begs the question, "Why?".

 

[nlk10010]

-snip-
Also, not mentioning that they took down Smithsonian just begs the question, "Why?".

Because Charlie thinks most of his subscribers are idiots and if he doesn't mention the channel(s) he removes then people will think they never were on in the first place.

Look at how he's got us all salivating over the prospect of new HD simply by making a net addition of one channel; i.e. FOXNEWS HD.

Gotta' love him.

 

[dennispap]

From a marketing standpoint, this seems silly.

We Know that they launched FBC and FNC last night.

We kinda assume that they are going to launch a few other things later this week.

Why not hold off and go with a BIG SPLASH announcement that says:

"Dish Activates new Satellite and XX new HD Channels!"

Also, not mentioning that they took down Smithsonian just begs the question, "Why?".

Supposedly the fbc and fnc-hd werent scheduled to start until wed. I am with you. Wait until wed and announce all of the additions, and be fair and tell about the subtractions also.

 

[Hall]

Because Charlie thinks most of his subscribers are idiots and if he doesn't mention the channel(s) he removes then people will think they never were on in the first place.

If it weren't for the uplink reports, I do wonder how long it would have been before someone noticed that the Smithsonian channel was gone.

 

[JEFFinINDY]

If it weren't for the uplink reports, I do wonder how long it would have been before someone noticed that the Smithsonian channel was gone.

+100.

From what I can read here, about a dozen people watched it. A dozen people who love to make lots of posts.

 

[Juan]

+100.

From what I can read here, about a dozen people watched it. A dozen people who love to make lots of posts.

or 1 person with a dozen usernames !!

 

[jerryez]

Add 1, take one away. Add 23 take 15 away. That is the Dish Way or away.

 

[grb]

Because Charlie thinks most of his subscribers are idiots and if he doesn't mention the channel(s) he removes then people will think they never were on in the first place.

Look at how he's got us all salivating over the prospect of new HD simply by making a net addition of one channel; i.e. FOXNEWS HD.

Gotta' love him.

I think he would have been great in the carnival. The master of smoke and mirrors...

 

[Mojo]

mys

Add 1, take one away. Add 23 take 15 away. That is the Dish Way or away.

Could not have said it better myself :up

 

[joeyjojojnr]

"DISH Network Continues to Enhance 100 Percent HD Lineup"

Yea, this is just a BS press release.

CI? Fine, I'm sure people will watch it. But taking a way a station MADE for HD (Smithsonian) is ridiculous.

 

[nlk10010]

If it weren't for the uplink reports, I do wonder how long it would have been before someone noticed that the Smithsonian channel was gone.

Good question, which applies to any channel Charlie has taken (or will take) down.

Unfortunately, there's no way to tell.

People can speculate, but that's all it would be. For example, I might offer that if Charlie removed Speed only a small fraction of Dish subscribers would notice, or care, and therefore it should go. But I would just be saying that because it makes me feel "warm and fuzzy", not because I had any hard evidence.

 

[Fitzie]

Good question, which applies to any channel Charlie has taken (or will take) down.

Unfortunately, there's no way to tell.

People can speculate, but that's all it would be. For example, I might offer that if Charlie removed Speed only a small fraction of Dish subscribers would notice, or care, and therefore it should go. But I would just be saying that because it makes me feel "warm and fuzzy", not because I had any hard evidence.

That's right, Speed Channel is a niche channel. The only difference betwee that channel and Smithsonian is that the niche is a whole lot bigger.

 

[nlk10010]

That's right, Speed Channel is a niche channel. The only difference betwee that channel and Smithsonian is that the niche is a whole lot bigger.

And you know this exactly how? Or is it just that you'd like to believe it?

Even if you were correct (and, again, you've provided no evidence to back up your statement) the niche SPEED occupies could still easily be way too small to justify keeping it on the air.

 

[AdamGott]

+100.

From what I can read here, about a dozen people watched it. A dozen people who love to make lots of posts.

Doesn't that seem significant to you? A dozen people out of how many ACTIVE posters? To me that seems to be near the same amount of people that bitched about losing VOOM.

 

[Hall]

Hey, I have watched things on the Smithsonian Channel myself, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't notice it if it were gone. Smithsonian is one of those that was only in the high-300s range, right ? I look for HD channels in the 94xx range myself.

 

[Hall]

And you know this exactly how? Or is it just that you'd like to believe it?

Hmmm, my money says he's a Speed Channel fan...

 

[nlk10010]

Hmmm, my money says he's a Speed Channel fan...

Which is fine. No complaint there (although I never watch the channel).

My only objection is piling on those who watched Smithsonian and want to see it back. My other objection is to try to take an opinion, or feeling, and turn it into fact. You really can't draw legitimate inferences from being exposed to a limited group of people.

Frankly, I wasn't a big fan of Smithsonian but I liked having it around.

Assuming the boxes transmit the necessary information, only Charlie knows how many people watch what and only Charlie decides how many have to watch in order for him to carry the channel.

 

[Hall]

Assuming the boxes transmit the necessary information, only Charlie knows how many people watch what and only Charlie decides how many have to watch in order for him to carry the channel.

I've no doubt at all that that data is available to Dish and often used in their favor, especially with 'niche' channels such as Smithsonian.