Every so often DISH Network will offer some of their premium channels for free for a weekend. This is one of those weekends.

From June 25th to June 28th DISH Network subscribers will be able to watch three HBO channels for free, even if they are not subscribed to those channels.

Channels 303, 304 and 305 will all be free during this period.

These free weekend promotions are a great way to find out if some of DISH’s premium channels are something you would like to have access to on an on-going basis – a sort of “test drive” for the programming available on various premium channels.

HBO, or “Home Box Office” started out showing movies but has since moved into developing their own successful series-oriented programming as well. Perhaps the best-known HBO series was the very popular Sopranos.

Just about everyone on planet Earth has heard about the FIFA WorldCup, even if they have no interest whatsoever in the game soccer, or football as it is known in other parts of the world. The WorldCup is a huge event, and has the attention of millions and millions of fans all over the world.

DISH Network has joined in on the fun by launching a new channel devoted entirely to the 2010 FIFA WorldCup South Africa. With baseball, football and basketball still being more popular here in the United States, the new channel is focused on Spanish-language viewers. Soccer is very popular in many South American countries, and many Spanish-language consumers here in the U.S. are likely to be very interested in the WorldCup games.

On DISH Network channel 826, The Univision FIFA World Cup Channel is online now, but is available only to DishLATINO customers. What’s unique about the new channel is that it also provides viewers access to Univision recaps, highlights and primetime replays of the best, most exciting games from the previous day.

Senior VP of Programming for DISH, Dave Shull said: “The Univision FIFA World Cup(TM) Channel, combined with Univision, TeleFutura and Galavision in high definition, offers our DishLATINO customers unprecedented access to the best the World Cup has to offer. We’re proud to partner with Univision to deliver more World Cup coverage than any other pay-TV provider in the country.”

Currently,the Univision FIFA World Cup Channel is free to all DishLATINO and DishMEXICO subscribers. Customers who subscribe to DishLATINO Dos or higher can also take advantage of DISH Network’s “HD Free for Life” promotion. For more information on DishLATINO’s exclusive WorldCup coverage, see the DISH Network Packages page.

DISH Network has announced that Jus One, a religious channel that originates in India, is now available to subscribers. DISH is the first distributor to bring the channel to television viewers here in the U.S.

Jus One is now showing on channel 581, and carries religious programming, which encompasses a variety of religions that are prominent in  India. Programming is offered for  Hindus, Indian-Christians, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists.

Included are programs that include daily religious hymns, discourses, prayers, educational features, yoga and live call-in programs.

Jus One is available to DISH Network subscribers for $19.99 per month as part of the Punjabi Pack, which consists of five Punjabi channels. Subscribers can also opt to receive the new channel for $9.99 per month if ordered separately.

DISH Network viewers who live in the Upper Peninsula area of Michigan can now watch the new FOX UP station that started broadcasting earlier this summer.

FOX UP can be found at channel 35 or 6523, which probably depends on which satellite their system is set up to receive programming from.

A 10:00 p.m. news broadcast appears on FOX UP during the week, but the station also carries FOX prime time shows, NFL football games and syndicated programming such as “Two and a Half Men,” My Name is Earl” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”

Comments from WLUC President and CEO Rob Jamros welcome the addition of FOX UP to DISH Network’s offerings. “It means our viewers can get the news, entertainment and information they need in parts of Upper Michigan  that can’t receive us over the air,” he said.

DISH Network has announced a deal that will please fans of the Versus channel. The sports/outdoors channel will be available for all DISH Network subscribers for free until December 2nd. It can be found on channel 151 and is also available in HD.

Personally, I’ve never watched the Versus channel and don’t anticipate doing so anytime soon. A quick glance at their official website makes it  appear to be more team-sports oriented than “outdoorsy” programming like hunting and fishing, although the website does include information about that kind of programming that the channel carries.

Regardless of my viewing habits, there are probably a great many DISH Network subscribers who will enjoy this opportunity to check out the Versus channel for free.

Apparently, DISH Network’s chief rival, DirecTV is not getting along too well with the folks that run the Versus channel, and it was recently dropped from their programming line-up. DISH Network has seized this opportunity to lure some DirecTV customers with a free offer. It appears to be a good move on DISH Network’s part, but it will probably be a while before they are able to gauge the effect on their subscriber numbers.

I guess I’ve said more than once that I’m not a sports fan, but this development announced by DISH Network should certainly be of interest to football fans.

The NFL RedZone channel starts broadcasting on September 13th and sounds pretty much like a football fanatics dream come true. It is described as follows:

“NFL RedZone, produced by NFL Network, whips around every NFL game on Sunday afternoons delivering touchdowns and the most exciting moments live and in high definition. When a team goes inside the 20-yard line, known as the "red zone," fans see the crucial plays as they happen. The channel keeps fans up-to-date in real time, switching from game to game with live look-ins, highlights and a chance to see every important play.”

It sounds like the perfect content for the football fan who likes to follow more than one game at a time.

The new channel will be available on DISH Network in both standard and high definition and is part of the Multi-Sport Package, which is said to be available for the majority of DISH Network subscribers for $5.99 a month.

DISH Network announced yesterday that they are now the exclusive providers of programming from Ecuadorian TV network TeleAmazonas, a 24-hour network that offers exclusive home match coverage of more than 50 percent of "Series A" Ecuadorian National Soccer League teams — including Barcelona, Universidad Catolica, Liga Universitaria de Quito, Deportivo Espoli, Deportivo Azogues, Olmedo and Club Tecnico Universitario.

In addition TeleAmazonas offers news programs which include "24 Horas" and "Hora 7, and a number of variety-oriented programs like "La  Noche Con Pimental" and  "La Plena.”

TeleAmazonas is going to be available in the DishLATINO basic programming package and some of the other higher tier packages.

"We are thrilled to provide TeleAmazonas to our DishLATINO customers, giving them access to some of the best Ecuadorian programming — including the most popular soccer matches," said Eric Sahl, senior vice president of Programming for DISH Network Corporation. "Nowhere else will consumers find the high-quality Ecuadorian programming content TeleAmazonas offers."

DISH Network customers with eligible programming packages can view TeleAmazonas on channel 842.