Satellite

Dish Launches Clearwire Bid

Satellite Giant’s $3.30 Per Share Offer Could Trump Sprint
By: Mike Farrell Jan 8 2013 - 7:22pm
Satellite Giant’s $3.30 Per Share Offer Could Trump Sprint

Dish Network launched a surprise bid for Clearwire late Tuesday, offering more than $5 billion for the troubled WiMax pioneer and potentially setting the stage for a battle for control with its largest shareholder Sprint Nextel.

In a brief statement Tuesday, Dish said that it had approached Clearwire and made an offer of $3.30 per share for its outstanding stock, a bid that would appear to far outpace the $2.97 per share that Sprint-Nextel agreed to pay for the remaining shares it does not already own in the WiMax pioneer.

CES: Shull: Dish Looking to Expand 'Mini Packages' of Channels

Satellite Operator Sees Opportunities for Music, Urban Programming Bundles
By: Todd Spangler Jan 8 2013 - 6:33pm
Satellite Operator Sees Opportunities for Music, Urban Programming Bundles

Las Vegas -- While Dish Network isn’t charting a course toward full a la carte TV pricing, the satellite operator is planning to introduce more “mini packages” of thematically grouped channels similar to those it offers today to manage programming costs, according to senior vice president of programming David Shull.

“We think that’s the answer to the bundling conundrum the industry is facing,” Shull said in an interview here at the 2013 International CES.

White: RSN Surcharge Will Expand

But DirecTV Chief Says Only in Most Costly Areas
By: Mike Farrell Jan 8 2013 - 6:04pm
But DirecTV Chief Says Only in Most Costly Areas

DirecTV chairman and CEO Mike White said the satellite giant’s regional sports network surcharge will likely expand to a few additional markets in the coming year, but stressed the charge will only occur in its most costly markets.

EchoStar's Sling Media Sues Two Companies for Patent Infringement

Slingbox Maker Accuses Belkin and Monsoon Multimedia of Infringing Five Place-Shifting Patents
By: Todd Spangler Jan 8 2013 - 2:05am
Slingbox Maker Accuses Belkin and Monsoon Multimedia of Infringing Five Place-Shifting Patents

Sling Media, a subsidiary of EchoStar, filed a lawsuit against two companies -- Belkin International and Monsoon Multimedia -- alleging they infringe five patents related to place-shifting TV signals.

A Belkin spokeswoman declined to comment. Monsoon Multimedia representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Sling Media filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. It alleges that products sold by Belkin and Monsoon Multimedia infringe proprietary technology used in the Slingbox product family.

CES: Dish Stitches Slingbox Features Into Next Hopper

Multiroom DVR Also Will Let Consumers 'Sideload' Content to an iPad
By: Todd Spangler Jan 7 2013 - 7:26pm
Multiroom DVR Also Will Let Consumers 'Sideload' Content to an iPad

Las Vegas -- Dish Network is introducing a version of its Hopper multiroom DVR that integrates Slingbox place-shifting technology -- to let customers watch live or recorded TV over the Internet -- and also is launching an app to “sideload” DVR content to an iPad for offline viewing.

Pricing and availability for Hopper with Sling will be announced later in January, the company said. The product and related apps will be available in the "next few weeks," Dish vice president of product management Vivek Khemka said.

CES: Dish Turns iPad Into Guide and Remote for Hopper

Free 'Dish Explorer' App Acts as Remote Control for Multiroom DVR System
By: Todd Spangler Jan 6 2013 - 10:14pm
Free 'Dish Explorer' App Acts as Remote Control for Multiroom DVR System

Las Vegas -- Dish Network is releasing an iPad app that will let customers with the Hopper multiroom DVR use the tablet as a remote control as well as discover popular and recommended programs and chat about them on social networks.

The free Dish Explorer app will be available in Apple’s App Store on Jan. 7, the operator announced Sunday. Dish is scheduled to hold a press conference on Monday with CEO Joe Clayton here at the 2013 International CES.

EchoStar Satellite Services Hires SiriusXM's de Bastos as CTO

EchoStar Also Names Mirza Head of IT
By: MCN Staff Jan 3 2013 - 10:52am
EchoStar Also Names Mirza Head of IT

EchoStar announced that Derek de Bastos, previously vice president of engineering for SiriusXM Radio, has joined its EchoStar Satellite Services subsidiary as chief technology officer.

Separately, EchoStar announced that Mahmood Mirza, previously VP of IT and client operations at LightSquared, has joined the company as senior vice president of business systems, information technology and operations.

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DirecTV to Hike Rates 4.5% in 2013

Satellite Operator Claims Programming Costs Will Rise 8% Next Year
By: Todd Spangler Dec 27 2012 - 11:41am
Satellite Operator Claims Programming Costs Will Rise 8% Next Year

DirecTV will ring in 2013 with a price hike that will increase customer bills an average of 4.5%, while the No. 1 satellite operator claimed the fees it pays broadcasters and cable networks will rise by about 8% next year.

The new prices take effect Feb. 7, 2013. In a message sent to DirecTV customers, senior vice president of customer service Ellen Filipiak said “almost all programmers who provide channels to the DirecTV platform are increasing their rates at a level we've never seen before.”

DirecTV Aligns With Starz-Branded TV Everywhere Push

Satellite Operator Joins Cox, AT&T in Offering Premium Programmer’s Authenticated Services
By: Todd Spangler Dec 21 2012 - 11:02am
Satellite Operator Joins Cox, AT&T in Offering Premium Programmer’s Authenticated Services

Keeping the ball rolling on TV Everywhere, Starz Entertainment announced that DirecTV customers who subscribe to the premium network’s services now have access to its corresponding Starz Play and Encore Play websites and apps for no extra charge.

Mel Out, Meyer In As Interim Sirius CEO

Search For Permanent CEO Continues
By: Mike Farrell Dec 20 2012 - 6:15pm
Search For Permanent CEO Continues

Long-time media executive Mel Karmazin stepped down a little early as CEO of Sirius XM Radio, replaced by current president of sales James Meyer, who will serve as interim chief of the satellite radio giant.

Karmazin had originally said he would leave Sirius on Feb. 1. With the appointment of Meyer, Karmazin has officially resigned as CEO and from Sirius XM’s board of directors, the company said.  

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