Direct TV Dish

HDNet to broadcast “The Outlaw Trail: Where Outlaw Legends & Outlaw Music Meet” on Sunday, May 18th at 8:00 p.m. ET. In the Old West, desperadoes eluded lawmen using a series of get-away routes across the Western frontier, creating the legendary Outlaw Trail. With the same “outlaw spirit,” country artists in the 1970s rebelled against “Nashville Country,” bringing the grit and life back to Country music. The Outlaw Trail: Where Outlaw Legends and Outlaw Music Meet is a one of a kind tribute performed in honor of the Outlaw, in music and in lore. Performers include Joe Ely, Jessie Colter, Rodney Crowell, Carlene Carter, Asleep at the Wheel, and many more.

This will be broadcasted as a part of “Classic Country Night” on HDNet and is followed by “Allison Krauss and Union Station” at 10:00 p.m. ET and “Vince Gill: Live at the Ryman” at midnight ET.

ESPN Media Networks announced Brett Hurwitz as VP of ad-sales operations based in New York and will head the operations of customer marketing and sales across all platforms, as well as technical support for sales. Before joining ESPN, Hurwitz served as VP, Commercial Sales Initiatives at NBC Universal, GE. He also served as Director at MRM Gillespie.

Tennis Channel and ESPN gets the rights to broadcast the U.S open from 2009. Both
Tennis Channel and ESPN clinched a six year deal to broadcast the matches and ESPN networks will beam the matches in all its channels and mostly on ESPN2, approximately 100 hours of live coverage from the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens annually and on ESPN360.com.

Tennis Channel will also cover about 60hours of the live coverage which include the first Saturday and Sunday primetime coverage of the tournament. “Tennis has provided many memorable moments in ESPN history, and to finally acquire the excitement and drama of the U.S. Open is a crowning achievement, truly making ESPN2 ‘The Grand Slam Network,’” executive vice president of content John Skipper said. “The sport is a perfect fit for our growing digital businesses, and fans will know to find the best tennis action all year on ESPN2 and on ESPN360.com.”

DIRECT TV has joined The Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) membership. MoCA develops specifications for home networking over in-home coaxial cable, which is commonly used for antenna connections to TVs and radios, and cable TV. DIRECT TV will be at the Contributor level member, which enables DIRECTV to become even more involved in the formation of the organization including development of the next generation specification.
“DIRECTV’s membership is continued proof of our evolution as a truly global standard with appeal to all major broadband industry segments,” said MoCA president, Charles Cerino. “They are a welcome addition to our organization and we look forward to their vital input in shaping the alliance.”

MTV Networks owned cable channel Spike TV has acquired five unscripted programming to focus on young subscribers. Human Predators, Tank and Cobra, USA vs. the World, River Men and Idiot Hall of Fame are the scripts picked by the channel. This announcement by the Spike TV came on the heels of the debut of DEA, an unscripted series that has proven to be a winner for Spike, reaching 1.3 million viewers per week during its time slot, a 50% increase over the same time slot last year.

CBS College Sports Network is available in high-definition in major satellite operators like DIRECT TV and on cable. The network is producing major games which also include five Navy games to be presented in HD this fall. CBS College Sports Television Network will provide 2008 NCAA Division I men’s basketball championship and SEC football games in high-definition. CBS College Sports Network executive vice president of distribution Bob Rose said “Fans now demand their sports in high-definition and we’re thrilled to bring the HD experience to viewers nationwide, CBS College Sports Network continues to grow across all platforms, and the conversion to HD further demonstrates our commitment to providing fans and distributors with relevant and compelling content on the screens they want to watch it.”

The cable news network MSNBC will present interactive gaming world with news in fun, surprising and useful ways. The network is also introducing Spectra, a new way to view the news in three-dimensional space. MSNBC says that includes news stories appearing as “colorful, graphic whirlwinds.” Or, if the surfer has a Webcam, content can be accessed with body motions, or triggered by the color of clothing.

CBS Television Distribution and Sci Fi Channel has reached an agreement, which will provide Sci Fi Channel to distribute off-network rights to Ghost Whisperer. This deal will allow Sci Fi Channel to broadcast Ghost Whisperer, starring Jennifer Love Hewitt making only NBC Universal network to beam the show. Ghost Whisperer produced by Sanders/Moses Productions in association with ABC Studios and CBS Paramount Network Television, was also sold to Women’s Entertainment Television and broadcaster Ion Television. Sci Fi will simulcast Ghost Whisperer, in which Hewitt’s character Melinda Gordon communicates with earthbound ghosts who cling to the living because they have unfinished business that prevents them from moving beyond the familiar earthy plane of existence, in HD

Discovery Communications will screen archival NASA footage to NASA on May 6 at a Capitol Hill ceremony. Discovery Communications has digitalized the footage for a new HD programming special When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions. Discovery Channel will broadcast the six-hour series premieres on June 8, from 9 PM -11 PM. Sen. Bill Nelson, whose state played such an integral part in the space race, would also attend.

Fox Network is launching a Comedy Script Contest along with New York Television Festival called Fox-NYTVF. The winner will receive $25,000 prize money and a development deal with the network. The comedy writers can submit a pilot comedy script for a half-hour time schedule.
Fox is announcing such a contest for first time and this will provide more cost-efficient ways to develop new programming for a host of programming streams after the writers strike. “Fox is proud to continue to support the NYTVF,” said Kevin Reilly, president of entertainment for the network. “And this contest will not only expand that mission, but will also give us an opportunity to discover fresh new writing talent and invigorate the network’s comedy-development process by reaching out to a wider artistic community.”