Direct TV Dish

DIRECTV has announced that they are implementing Entropic Communications’ Channel Stacking Switch technology to broadcast HD programming. This technology will be incorporated in DIRECT TV’s SWM-ODU dish units. The dish unit delivers the full suite of DIRECTV’s high-definition programming directly to all of the consumer’s set-top boxes in the home via a single wire. Additional benefits of CSS technology include greater customer acceptance due to improved aesthetics, shorter installation times, decreased customer installation wait time, and the ability to easily support upgrades where the consumer can add additional STBs by plugging them in with no new wires or truck rolls needed. Entropic’s core CSS technology supports up to 12 tuners and enables the simultaneous reception of multiple channels from multiple satellites over a single wire.

Discovery Communications has agreed to join with The Siemens Foundation the National Science Teachers Association to promote “Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge.” This will provide standard-based lesson plans and teacher materials to middle schools this September to encourage more eco-friendly study, according to the company. The challenge will expand to kindergarten and elementary school students in 2009 and to high school students in 2010.

“Education and the environment have always been part of Discovery’s core mission and we are proud to be a partner in encouraging students to learn about and create sustainable solutions through the ‘Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge,’” said David Zaslav, president and CEO, Discovery Communications in a statement.

PBS will broadcast a programming focused on Alzheimer’s disease on Sunday, August 3 starting at 9:00 PM ET. PBS’s programming starts with a national encore broadcast of the Emmy-Award-winning THE FORGETTING: A Portrait of Alzheimer’s, followed by a new half-hour discussion, The Future of Alzheimer’s, moderated by actor and Alzheimer’s champion David Hyde Pierce, which features a panel of medical experts and scientists discussing the latest developments in Alzheimer’s. Together, the programs approach the subject of Alzheimer’s in a unique manner, balancing the scientific quest to eradicate Alzheimer’s disease with heartfelt, first-hand stories of families whose lives have been ravaged by it. Produced by Twin Cities Public Television, and made possible by public television viewers and PBS, along with major funding from MetLife Foundation, both will be available in Spanish through the SAP channel.

Universal HD in August will honor the upcoming 2008 Beijing Olympics with a themed month of Olympic events and athletes and a schedule packed with fan favorite sporting events that include the continuation of Showtime Championship Boxing. Universal HD viewers can see all their favorite celebrities with the hottest movie premieres in 1080i High Definition. The final season of “Battlestar Galactica” also lands on the network in August.

“We are so thrilled to be supporting the long awaited 2008 Beijing Olympics this August on Universal HD,” said Dan Harrison, Senior Vice President, Emerging Networks, and
NBC. “Throughout the month, our viewers will get all of their favorite sporting events with wall-to-wall Olympic programming in superior high definition.”

Pheasant Forever has announced that fourth season of the popular outdoor show the stars of Pheasants Forever Television pheasants, quail, bird dogs, and wildlife habitat conservationists will return on Outdoor Channel. The schedule of the show will be released later. Pheasants Forever and the protection and enhancement of pheasant, quail, and other wildlife populations in North America is accomplished in part through public awareness and education, and the new partnership with Outdoor Channel will help further that mission.

“At Pheasants Forever, we’re passionate about conservation and our outdoor heritage, so we’re extremely excited to be part of the Outdoor Channel community that shares those values,” said Howard Vincent, President and CEO of Pheasants Forever, Inc. and Quail Forever, “Viewers across the country can expect another hit season full of flushing birds, helpful dog training, shooting and habitat tips, and plenty of those interesting characters that make being outdoors an adventure.”

National Geographic Channel has launched real-time simulation game “Habitat Rescue! With National Geographic Channel” partnering with RealNetworks. National Geographic Channel’s game in which users help a pride of lost lions restore their natural paradise. The game is the centerpiece for the launch of NGC’s new online game site, http://www.natgeotv.com/games, which includes a collection of hundreds of Real’s games, categorized to align with NGC’s content and brand: Animals & Nature, Science & Technology, History & Events, Exploration & Adventure, People & Places, and Preserve Our Planet.

Lifetime Television will pay a special on-air and online tribute on Friday, July 25 to Estelle Getty, who played the cantankerous “Sophia Petrillo” on the iconic comedy series “The Golden Girls.” Ms. Getty passed away today at her home in Los Angeles at the age of 84.
Lifetime will air 10 episodes showcasing “Sophia” in all her blustering, sarcastic splendor, beginning with the show’s pilot. The last episode at 4:30PM will be the #1 favorite “Sophia episode” as decided through a vote of her legion of devoted fans at myLifetime.com.

HDNet Movies subscribers will get a chance to sample some of the early work that helped solidify Spielberg’s position as a top Hollywood director, including “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” and “Jaws” as HDNet Movies is to celebrate director Steven Spielberg with six of his greatest films in six days. The tribute kicks off on Monday, July 28 at 8:05 p.m. ET with Spielberg’s first theatrical film, “The Sugarland Express ” starring Goldie Hawn and William Atherton. Tuesday, July 29 at 8:00 p.m. ET is the drama “Empire of the Sun,” on Wednesday, July 30 at 8:00 p.m. ET it’s “Duel,” on Thursday, July 31 at 8:00 p.m. ET is the classic film, “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial,” and On Friday, August 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET it’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” The celebration wraps up on Saturday, August 2 at 8:00 p.m. ET with the classic thriller “Jaws” starring Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw.

‘IN PLAIN SIGHT’, newest original scripted series returns to USA Network for the second season. USA Network has ordered for 16-episode and the production will start from October. IN PLAIN SIGHT will once again be shot entirely on location in and around Albuquerque, NM. David Maples has created, written and executive produced the series and star Mary McCormack returning. Jeff Wachtel, executive vice president, USA original programming & co-head, original programming, Universal Cable Productions has announced the relaunch of the series.

DIRECT TV to include Major League Baseball’s new cable channel MLB Network, based in Secaucus, N.J, in its basic programming package to be launched on January 1. MLB’s new channel is expected to reach 50 million homes during its launch. Tony Petitti channel’s CEO said “We will have the definitive highlights show in the last hour of the studio each night, ESPN has very good talent, and we will need a strong team that people see as entertaining and credible.”