DISH Gets Interactive with Upcoming Election

[Gregg Lengling]

EchoStar's DISH Network is getting interactive with this year's presidential election.

The satellite TV company said it's teaming with six networks to create unique coverage of the upcoming U.S. elections, giving viewers the ability to watch national and state election coverage simultaneously from six networks on a single TV screen. Networks that are part of the application are CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, CSPAN, MTV and Comedy Central.

The service, which runs Oct. 25 through Nov. 5, will be free to more than 9 million DISH Network customers with access to "dish home" iTV services. OpenTV built the Election 2004 Coverage channel.

The interactive television application, called DISH Network Election 2004 Coverage, will provide iTV multiple picture-in-picture technology for election coverage. Using remote controls, DISH Network customers can reach the Election 2004 Coverage channel through "dish home" on DISH Network channel 100 or by pressing "select" when an Election 2004 Coverage commercial is shown on DISH Network.