Satellite

Dish Gears Up For Retrans Battle

Says Schurz Demands Huge Rate Increase, Surcharge for Auto Hop
By: Mike Farrell Dec 17 2012 - 5:37pm
Says Schurz Demands Huge Rate Increase, Surcharge for Auto Hop

Dish Network subscribers in six cities could lose access to local programming if the satellite giant does not reach a retransmission consent agreement with Schurz Communications by midnight Friday.

Mishawaka, Ind.-based Schurz owns TV stations KTUU (NBC) in Anchorage, Alaska; KY3 (NBC), KCZ (The CW) and KSPR (ABC) in Springfield, Mo.; WDBJ (CBS) in Roanoke, Va,; WSBT (CBS) in South Bend, Ind.; WAGT (NBC) in Augusta, Ga.; and KWCH (CBS) and KSCW (The CW) in Wichita, Kan.

CNN Airport Network Lands 50th Affiliate Pact

New Deal in Spokane, Follows Renewals in Memphis, Miami, Phoenix
By: Mike Reynolds Dec 13 2012 - 1:49pm
New Deal in Spokane, Follows Renewals in Memphis, Miami, Phoenix

CNN Airport Network has touched down on its 50th runway.

The airport service has inked a carriage deal with Spokane International Airport in Washington, lifting its presence to half a hundred locations in the U.S. and building its reach to some 263 million annual passengers.

The new accord in Spokane follows CNN Airport Network renewals at Memphis International Airport , Miami International Airport, and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

EchoStar Brings Back Former CFO

Rayner Returns, Carroll Promoted
By: By Mike Farrell Dec 4 2012 - 4:09pm
Rayner Returns, Carroll Promoted

EchoStar said Tuesday that it has named David Rayner as its new chief financial officer, replacing current CFO Kenneth Carroll, who will become executive vice prosident of corporate and business development.

Gannett, DirecTV Work Toward Retrans Pact

'Intense' Negotiations, Consumer Messaging as Deadline Looms
By: Mike Malone (Broadcasting & Cable) Nov 29 2012 - 2:34pm
'Intense' Negotiations, Consumer Messaging as Deadline Looms

Staring at a Nov. 30 deadline, Gannett Broadcasting says its "in intense negotiations," with DirecTV aimed at a rreaching a retransmission-consent deal.

At the same time, the parties have begun to craft their positioning statements with consumers as well.

DirecTV, ViaSat Push Satellite TV-Broadband Bundles

Companies Offer Double-Play Subscribers $10 Monthly Discount for 12 Months
By: Todd Spangler Nov 21 2012 - 2:55pm
Companies Offer Double-Play Subscribers $10 Monthly Discount for 12 Months

DirecTV and satellite-data provider ViaSat are both marketing a double play of satellite TV and Internet -- touting ViaSat’s Exede speeds of up to 12 Mbps as an alternative to “slow DSL,” even as DirecTV continues to resell DSL services through existing partnerships with telcos.

The two companies are offering a $10 per month discount for the first 12 months and waiving ViaSat’s normal $50 setup fee for subs who also take a DirecTV video package.

DirecTV Reduces Stake in GSN

Transaction Expected to Close in Q4
By: Mike Farrell Nov 19 2012 - 1:00am
Transaction Expected to Close in Q4

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — DirecTV Group said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that it has exercised its “put right” to sell a portion of its interest in GSN, the former Game Show Network, to partner Sony Pictures Entertainment for $234 million.

According to its 10-Q quarterly financial statement filed with the SEC on Nov. 7, Direc- TV said the deal reduced its ownership stake in GSN to 42% from 60%. The satellite giant said it expects the transaction to close in the fourth quarter.

CEA Fetes Dish's Controversial AutoHop Ad-Skipper

Trade Group Bestows CES ‘Innovations’ Award on Satellite Operator, Which Is Under Attack from TV Broadcasters
By: Todd Spangler Nov 15 2012 - 1:33pm
Trade Group Bestows CES ‘Innovations’ Award on Satellite Operator, Which Is Under Attack from TV Broadcasters

The Consumer Electronics Association named Dish Network’s AutoHop ad-skipping feature -- the subject of ongoing copyright-infringement litigation by major TV broadcasters -- an International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Innovations 2013 Design and Engineering Award Honoree.

The AutoHop feature lets users choose to automatically zap through commercial pods in DVR recordings of primetime TV shows on the four big broadcast networks. It’s available with Dish’s Hopper Whole Home HD DVR, introduced at the 2012 International CES.

Fox Appeals Hopper Decision to Ninth Circuit

Programmer Wastes No Time in Wake of Lower Court's Rejection of Preliminary Injunction
By: John Eggerton Nov 10 2012 - 3:03am
Programmer Wastes No Time in Wake of Lower Court's Rejection of Preliminary Injunction

Fox late Friday filed an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit asking the court to block Dish's AutoHop ad-skipping function.

Dish's TV Everywhere Exec Eisen Departing

Will Resume Consulting Business After Three Years With Satellite Operator
By: Todd Spangler Nov 8 2012 - 4:28pm
Will Resume Consulting Business After Three Years With Satellite Operator

Dish Network’s lead executive for online video and TV Everywhere, Bruce Eisen, is leaving the company effective Friday, Nov. 9.

Eisen, Dish’s vice president of online content development and strategy, said in an email that he is leaving the company to resume his consulting business, Digital Advisors. 

AMC Networks' Q3 Profts Hampered by Dish Takedown

Ad Revenues Rise 9.1% on Strength of Original Shows
By: Jon Lafayette (Broadcasting & Cable) Nov 8 2012 - 12:17pm
Ad Revenues Rise 9.1% on Strength of Original Shows

AMC Networks reported lower profits in the third quarter after losing viewership and affiliate revenue because of its dispute with Dish Network.
Net income was $36.6 million, or 51 cents a share, down 8.5% from $40 million, or 55 cents a share a year ago.
As part of last month’s settlement in a lawsuit over the Voom high definition service (which became a part of AMC when it was spun off from Cablevision Systems), AMC and Cablevision received $700 million in cash and AMC’s cable channels, taken down form Dish since the summer, were restored.

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