DirecTV Grows HDTV Bundle Promos

[Gregg Lengling]

By Greg Tarr
TWICE
12/8/2003
 
   EL SEGUNDO, Calif.— Following its recently announced HDTV bundling promotion with Samsung and Circuit City, DirecTV announced a similar program involving RCA and Best Buy.

The DBS provider announced it has engineered a joint marketing deal with Best Buy to offer a 52W-inch RCA HDTV monitor and DirecTV HD-capable receiver/descrambler in a $1,499 package. Installation is also included at no extra charge.

The offer is carried in 600 stores across the country, and runs through Feb. 28, 2004.

DirecTV continues to offer a tier of HDTV channels for a $10.99 monthly surcharge. The package includes ESPN HD, Discovery HD Theater, HDNet and HDNet Movies. In addition, DirecTV subscribers to the HBO and Showtime network tiers receive HBO-HD and Showtime-HD at no additional charge.

DirecTV recently announced a similar deal through Circuit City stores, in which customers who purchase one of eight Samsung HDTV monitors receive a DirecTV HD receiver box at no extra charge (TWICE, Nov. 24, p. 4). The promotion, which runs through January, is listed as a $400 value, and package prices range from $699-$7,999.

Rival Dish Network is also offering a pair of HDTV packages featuring Thomson-sourced direct-view and rear-projection monitors, a Super Dish antenna and a Dish Network HDTV receiver/descrambler through authorized dealers.