DMA and Market Resources Update 12/3/2025

[Gary Toma]

This is a Directv 'Designated Marketing Area' (DMA) database with status and reference information, including the complete history of HD Local-Into-Local implementation.

The data attached is based on the Nielsen 2025-2026 Season information released in September, 2025.

The 2021 data showed a 13% uptick in the number of "TV Homes" nationwide even though total "TV Homes" had been steadily declining for years. However, that increase was a reflection that for the first time, Nielsen began including "BBO Homes" (BroadBand Only) as a part of the count.

The "In Service Date" shown for each DMA is the date HD Locals were first provided. I have not been able to find reliable records for the true beginning of LIL service, which began providing SD only service in 2002.

 

[Gary Toma]

DMA Geographical Maps

Attached are "Very High Resolution" PDF Geographic views of US Domestic Designated Market Areas. Each DMA is a non-overlapping geographical area for measuring TV audiences, in terms of 'TV Households'. A DMA is an assembled collection of their smallest building blocks: Counties. [Yes, in a few isolated cases, a county is divided by ZIP code.]

Counties making up a DMA are not necessarily contiguous - take a close look at the Denver DMA and the remote counties which it includes. Or notice the Salt Lake City DMA, which includes all the counties of Utah along with another 9 counties from 3 other states.

Several maps are provided. There are no significant differences in the DMA definitions, but minor map presentations vary from one year to the next.

 

[Gary Toma]

Cities that make up each DMA

DMA boundaries and the cities within a DMA are relatively static information, that is, there is little change from year to year. New data and DMA rankings are published by Nielsen each September; if there are changes in the cities which comprise a DMA, this Excel will be updated.

 

[Gary Toma]

Directv Official Website Market Resources
The links below provide Interactive Access to the official DIRECTV.com website, providing information regarding different aspects of DIRECTV Service

Neighboring DMA Local Channels
Often referred to as "Significantly Viewed Channels". These channels from an adjacent DMA are offered by County and then by Zip Code within that County.
Raleigh-Durham NC -Fringe SD Locals is a good example.

Local Broadcast Signal Strength Detector
This interactive tool will display the signal strength and direction of local broadcast signals. Useful information for those using the LCC, Local Channel Connector.

HD Local Channels
This link takes you to the TPN Map thread which provides a current Excel of all channel information.

edit 230808
removed the 'Local Channel Lookup' link, which no longer exists at the DIRECTV website

edit 230818
updated the 'Neighboring DMA Locals' link and added the reference to Raleigh-Durham. Thanks for your input, directvfansince2016.

 

[Gary Toma]

Directv Uplink Facilities

 

[Gary Toma]

Local Receive Facilities (LRF)

These are DIRECTV 'Meet-Points' with broadcasters. The listing is in city name sequence.

 

[Gary Toma]

Here is a most interesting source of Marketing information. The data files are lifted from ustvdb.com, the source and owner of the information.

More information is available at the source website. For example, would it be interesting to know the number of TV Households there were for the 1946-1947 Season ?


Some current examples below:

The Top 50 Networks and the Top 50 Programs