DirecTV Inc., the satellite TV subsidiary of Hughes Electronics Corp. [NYSE: GMH], unveiled a plan to introduce local broadcast stations in 50 additional U.S. markets by the end of the year. Ten of those new markets will be served by June 30, which would boost the number of metropolitan areas where DirecTV provides local signals from 51 to 61, company officials said.

The expansion of local signal delivery into additional markets became possible with the successful launch of the DirecTV 7S spot-beam satellite during the fourth quarter.