DirecTV Adds PBS Local HD in 10 More Markets

DirecTV has launched a second wave of local public TV stations in HDTV, adding 10 more markets, officials said Wednesday.

DirecTV, the only satellite provider to offer local PBS stations in HD, rolled them out in 14 markets last week and plans to launch additional markets through the end of the year and in 2009.

The most recent launches are in: Burlington-Vt.-Plattsburgh, N.Y.; Toledo, Ohio; Youngstown, Ohio; Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, Mich.; Indianapolis; Knoxville, Tenn.; San Diego; San Francisco; Springfield-Holyoke, Mass.; and Tampa-St. Petersburg, Fla.

Under an agreement reached last year, DirecTV, the Association of Public Television Stations and PBS, DirecTV will offer HDTV programming from local PBS stations in markets where it now provides local HD channels to its subscribers.

DirecTV offers local HD programming in 116 markets, announcing Wednesday it had added it in Tallahassee, Fla.