Does the DIRECTV entertainment package include local channels?

DIRECTV entertainment is a satellite television service that provides more than 140 entertainment channels, sports, news, and other programs. As much as this entertainment package brings together many channels, people are left asking whether the channels also encompass the local ones such as ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox among others. Sadly, the answer is no – local channels are not a part of the DIRECTV entertainment package.

If you subscribe to the DIRECTV services, then you can incorporate local channels on for a certain amount of money in monthly subscription. Local channels are not on the list of offerings provided under the basic entertainment package or any of the basic DIRECTV packages. If you want local channels, you have to pay an additional $5-$12 per month depending on the location.

Why is the entertainment package missing local channels?

There are a few reasons why local broadcast stations are not part of the entertainment package or other DIRECTV core packages:There are a few reasons why local broadcast stations are not part of the entertainment package or other DIRECTV core packages:

1. Licensing – DIRECTV has to enter into carriage deals with local stations across the country, in order to be permitted to relay those stations by satellite. It actually takes a lot of time and some amount of money to make individual deals market by market.

2. Capacity – one of the most significant problems that directly affects DIRECTV is the limited satellite capacity that determines the number of channels offered in each package tier. As compared to cable stations, local channels need a large amount of bandwidth.

3. Cost – acquiring local channels would greatly raise the cost of programming per subscriber to DIRECTV. Cutting the cord also means that people have to be able to switch off the local channels individually, so that the overall package remains cheap.

   Local Channels on DIRECTV: How to Get Them

   If you want to receive local ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox stations where you live, DIRECTV makes it relatively easy to add them onto your entertainment plan:If you want to receive local ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox stations where you live, DIRECTV makes it relatively easy to add them onto your entertainment plan:

4. Local Channel Connector – For only $5 monthly access fee tacked on your current bill, you will receive all local channel broadcasts originating from DIRECTV in standard picture quality. This one is the most straightforward as well as the cheapest of them all.

5. DIRECTV HD Extra Pack – for an additional $10/month, it allows watching local channels in HD and some extra HD cable channels.

6. Specific Channels - You can select and subscribe to one or two local channels at an additional fee of $3 monthly per channel.

   When you get your DIRECTV package installed, the installer will do the integration and activation of the local stations in case you opted to include them at a fee. Another way is to contact the DIRECTV customer support or visit the My DIRECTV portal to enable or disable local channels at any time.

   Which Channels Fall Under Entertainment Package?

   But with just the entertainment package, what you have is actually a fairly good number of channels although local channels are not included. Some highlights involve:

   • More than fifteen sports channels including ESPN, FS1, Golf Channel, etc. • 50 and more popular entertainment cable networks including HGTV, Food Network, Discovery, TBS, AMC and others. • Shows on Discovery Family, Science, History Channel and BBC America sort of programs on learning. • Cartoon cartoons all day on Disney channel, nick and cartoon network. • Headlines from CNN, FOX News, MSNBC, Bloomberg, and so on • More than 25 music channels including hip hop, country, rock, pop and many others. • Niche programming like the game shows on GSN, travel on Travel Channel and cooking shows on Food Network

   It is an excellent starting point in case you are interested in the formation of your channel selection. Although abc , cbs , nbc and fox are only available with extra local charges you still get many great channels to be informed and entertained.