Consumers in 177 Markets Across the U.S. – Including all of the
Top 100 – Can Now Receive HDTV Over Cable
HD Service Now Available to 90 Million TV Homes
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Reflecting a rapid deployment of high-definition television by the nation's cable industry during the past two years, the number of local TV markets in which consumers can now receive a package of HDTV services from their cable operator has grown to 177 (out of 210), including all of the top 100 Designated Market Areas, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) said today in releasing results of a recent survey of its member companies.
NCTA also reported that the number of local digital broadcast stations being carried by cable systems has increased to 454, up from 304 in December 2003, growth of nearly 50 percent.
Consumer availability of HDTV via cable has skyrocketed since its commercial introduction by cable operators in 2002. Of the 108 million U.S. TV households today, 90 million are now passed by a cable system that offers a package of HDTV programming, NCTA said, an increase of more than 28 percent over the 70 million mark since last December.
In addition, 17 cable networks now offer HD programming during some or all of their network schedules, in broad genres including movies, sports and general interest. The NCTA data reflects activity through mid-September 2004.
“With 90 million TV homes able to subscribe to HD from their local cable system, consumers now have a wide array of broadband services to meet their home entertainment, information and communications needs,” said Robert Sachs , NCTA President & CEO. “Consumers are the beneficiaries of this exciting new service that is revolutionizing TV.”
HDTV is the highest resolution digital television format, delivering theater-quality pictures and CD-quality sound. HDTV has been described as the most dramatic change for viewers since the introduction of color television. The selection of national and local HD programming available to consumers varies by cable operator and market.
Since 1996, the cable industry has invested more than $85 billion to upgrade its infrastructure and launch advanced broadband services such as HDTV, video-on-demand, high-speed Internet service, and local telephone service.
NCTA is the principal trade association of the cable television industry in the United States . NCTA represents cable operators serving more than 90 percent of the nation's cable television households and more than 200 cable program networks, as well as equipment suppliers and providers of other services to the cable industry.
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Cable Networks Offering HDTV Programming in Some or All of Their Program Schedule
Bravo HD+
Cinemax HDTV
Comcast SportsNet INHD
Discovery HD Theater
Encore HD
ESPN HD
HBO HDTV
HDNet
HDNet Movies
INHD
INHD2
MSG Networks in HD
NBA-TV
Showtime HD
STARZ! HD
The Move Channel HD
TNT-HD
Announced for Launch in 2005
ESPN2
Outdoor Channel