Satellite

Ergen: Threat of Lengthy Appeals Led to Voom Deal

Merger with DirecTV Not Being Discussed, but Worth Considering
By: Jon Lafayette (Broadcasting & Cable) Nov 6 2012 - 5:03pm
Merger with DirecTV Not Being Discussed, but Worth Considering

 

Decisions by the judge gave Dish Network very little chance to win its lawsuit against AMC Networks and its Voom HD programming venture, leading to last month's $700 million settlement, Dish Network Chairman Charlie Ergen said.

Viacom Dispute Impacts DirecTV Q3

Higher Churn, Slower Net Sub Growth Tied to Blackout
By: Mike Farrell Nov 6 2012 - 4:52pm
Higher Churn, Slower Net Sub Growth Tied to Blackout

A blackout of about 26 Viacom networks, including MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, in July helped push up churn and temper net new subscriber growth in the third quarter at satellite giant DirecTV.

DirecTV added just 67,000 net new subscribers in the period, well below the 327,000 net new customers the satellite giant added in the same period last year, and missing analysts’ consensus estimates of a gain of 105,000. Churn for the period was 1.74%, 12 basis points higher than last year and above analysts expectations of 1.68%.

Ergen: DirecTV Merger Could Work

But Dish Chairman Says There Are No Ongoing Talks
By: Mike Farrell Nov 6 2012 - 3:00pm
But Dish Chairman Says There Are No Ongoing Talks

Dish Network chairman Charlie Ergen refueled speculation concerning a possible merger with DirecTV, telling analysts that regulators today could find little fault with a merger with the No. 1 satellite TV service provider, but quickly adding the two are not in current discussions.

TWC, Comcast Also Will Credit Subs Knocked Out by Sandy

MSOs, DirecTV, Dish and Verizon Join Cablevision in Promising Breaks to Customers Affected by Storm
By: Todd Spangler Nov 2 2012 - 5:46pm
MSOs, DirecTV, Dish and Verizon Join Cablevision in Promising Breaks to Customers Affected by Storm

Comcast, Time Warner Cable, DirecTV, Dish Network and Verizon Communications have each promised to provide credits to customers who lost service in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, joining Cablevision Systems in extending gestures of goodwill to those in the path of the deadly storm.

White Staying On As DirecTV CEO

Exec’s Previous Contract Was Set to Expire in January 2013
By: Todd Spangler Nov 2 2012 - 2:32pm
Exec’s Previous Contract Was Set to Expire in January 2013

DirecTV’s board announced Friday that Michael White has agreed to continue as chairman, president and CEO after his current employment agreement expires Jan. 1, 2013.

White was hired with a three-year contract. But as of next year, he will have no fixed-term employment agreement with the company, as is the case with the company's other senior executives.

DirecTV Whips Up 'Hurricane Sandy' Channel

Satellite Operator Pulls in Feeds from Local TV Stations for 24-Hour Channel
By: Todd Spangler Oct 29 2012 - 9:32am
Satellite Operator Pulls in Feeds from Local TV Stations for 24-Hour Channel

DirecTV has launched a dedicated 24-hour "Hurricane Sandy Information" channel with live broadcasts from local TV stations in markets affected by the massive storm.

The DirecTV-produced information channel will begin broadcasting live coverage from local stations at 9 a.m. Eastern Monday on viewer channels 325 and 349. The operator plans to provide continuous coverage until the hurricane has “diminished in strength.”

Dish Lost, AMC Won: Analysts

Shares Up As Channels Restored
By: MIKE FARRELL Oct 29 2012 - 12:00am
Shares Up As Channels Restored

Shares of AMC and Dish Network soared to record highs following the $700 million settlement of AMC affiliate Voom HD’s breach-of-contract suit against the satellite giant, signaling investor relief that the four-year-old suit over a shuttered firm is over.

Dish customers ended their fourmonth national nightmare last week when their satellite provider finally reached a carriage agreement with AMC Networks, just in time for the latest airing of the channel’s latest hit, zombie series The Walking Dead.

Court Docket: Possible Settlement In Voom-Dish Lawsuit

AMC Networks Stock Jumps 4%
By: By Jon Lafayette (Broadcasting & Cable) Oct 18 2012 - 12:57pm
AMC Networks Stock Jumps 4%

A new posting on the court’s docket raises the possibility of a settlement in the case of AMC Network’s Voom high definition programming service against Dish Network.
In a note, Tom Claps, an analyst with Susquehanna Financial Group who has been following the case closely, wrote that “the Court’s docket just posted an entry for Monday, October 22 at 9:30 a.m.—‘Pos. Settlement.’”
Claps said the court is not commenting on this new development.

Voom Litigation Gets Testy

Dish Executive Storms From Court; Trial Adjourns Until Monday
By: Mike Farrell Oct 17 2012 - 3:50pm
Dish Executive Storms From Court; Trial Adjourns Until Monday

After a bizarre day where one Dish executive stormed teary-eyed from the court room, briefly pushing the elderly father of one of the plaintiff’s attorneys and prompting an aborted call for the local constabulary, both sides of the increasingly contentious litigation between Voom HD and the satellite giant are taking a breather.

AMC's 'The Walking Dead’ Takes Bite Out Of Cable Ratings Record

Series' Season-Three Premiere Draws 10.9 Million Viewers
By: R. Thomas Umstead Oct 15 2012 - 4:49pm
Series' Season-Three Premiere Draws 10.9 Million Viewers

Sunday night’s season-three premiere episode of AMC’s zombie-themed series The Walking Dead devoured a ratings record for an ad-supported series.
The series drew 10.9 million viewers with its Oct. 14 season-three debut, according to Nielsen live + same-day data, besting the 9.2 million viewers garnered by a Dec. 4 episode USA’s Monk, according to AMC officials. The viewership was up 50% over its second-season bow.

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