Another Move????
- Thread starter BLW
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Or possibly a saint?jeslevine said:
Saint Pope John Paul II the Great ... Too wordy.
On Voom ... We have not received any word from "Voom HD LLC" saying to stick tight and stay with Voom service until the end. I don't see how a well written press release would be a violation of the agreement to shut down.
Voom is in the process of shutting down service at the end of April. Voom service will continue through April 30th. Voom HD LLC is continuing to work out the details on a way to deliver the unique channels of Voom to its dedicated subscribers beyond the shutdown date.
The only difficult part about writing that paragraph is making it true.But Voom HD LLC and Voom itself have been notorious for not using the press to the best of its advantage. Part of the reason why we have had contrary rumors since September escalating in January through March is because there is limited public information coming from the company. Even something simple like a subscriber count is hard to get.
One lesson that can be learned for the future is to be open and honest. Voom HD LLC should have started their website on February 10th - introducing themselves and their goals and gathering support. Using the VoomLLC website like Michael Jackson and Martha Stewart used their personal websites to put out THEIR side of the story ... and not rely on rumor and Cablevision press releases or SEC filings to define the truth. Voom HD LLC should have started and maintained a weekly newsletter keeping those interested informed.
But the silence was there instead. And their silence has lead to the silencing of the Voom service as much as J Dolan and the board's actions.
JL
I have to agree with your statement. I've mentioned in the past that I was an echostar customer and right now I want to be as far from echostar as possible. If Charles Dolan does have something up his sleeve you can bet your bottom dollar that you'll know about it within less than 24hrs after the "official voom shutdown". I doubt he'll leave us in the dark for very long.Nayl said:
Remember that he was a joint contributor to that FCC letter to oppose the sale & transfer of licenses. I'm starting to wonder if my submitting that opposal he voided his contract with Cablevision to keep VOOM running?
I've talk about calling directv or echostar to have a tech come out and install an antenna on the 30 but my roomate says no. She wants to wait and see what happens.
Now if we look at this logically, if Charles couldn't reach a deal with cablevision then maybe the only way to take voom off of cablevision's hands was to allow it to be shut down. Once shut down, it doesn't exist anymore and then dolan can use the existing equipment to restart the transmittion and continue the service, most likely under a new name, and the company would be private and since it's not using any of cablevision's money or man power they can't say anything.
But this is just a thought...
Well, I for one am done. I have been a Voom sub for about two months and it was great while it lasted. I will miss the exclusive channels but unfortunately I am not going to stick around to see if Chuck comes up with something else. I think this whole mess has been handled so poorly that I from a PR standpoint that I don't want to mess with it anymore.
I guess it's back to E* and their limited HD selection. One thing, if any of you choose to do the same, ask for the customer retention dept and you can get some concessions to come back. I did and am getting reinstalled with HD, a PVR and a couple basic receivers for no $$$ out of pocket. Also getting HD pack for 1/2 price for a year. Yeah it's not Voom by a long shot but what are you going to do, Sit here and wait for for C. Dolan to create some more magic? Well, not me, I'm off the roller coaster.
By the way, thanks to Sean, Scott, Ilya, and the rest for all the information provided in this forum. Obviously, without this we would have known jack about this saga as Voom has done such a poor job informing it's customers.
Thanks Again!
I guess it's back to E* and their limited HD selection. One thing, if any of you choose to do the same, ask for the customer retention dept and you can get some concessions to come back. I did and am getting reinstalled with HD, a PVR and a couple basic receivers for no $$$ out of pocket. Also getting HD pack for 1/2 price for a year. Yeah it's not Voom by a long shot but what are you going to do, Sit here and wait for for C. Dolan to create some more magic? Well, not me, I'm off the roller coaster.
By the way, thanks to Sean, Scott, Ilya, and the rest for all the information provided in this forum. Obviously, without this we would have known jack about this saga as Voom has done such a poor job informing it's customers.
Thanks Again!
tawhite said:
This is a bit unfair to Voom as an entity and those who work at Voom. Cablevision and its management are the ones who would have been giving the orders upon Voom would have been required to act, so they are the ones deserving of most of your ire.
Also, Dolan Sr. seems to have put up a valiant effort, and deserves praise for it. The lack of information was most likely due to legal (and business) reasons. Not sure how it really affects the service people received.
I will enjoy what is left of Voom until the end. A bit silly to give it up before that for an inferior service.
If someone picks up the HD exclusives, they have me as a customer. But without the HD exclusives, there is nothing in terms of PQ or programming to bring me back into either E*'s or D*'s fold (or cable, ha-ha-ha).
Sean Mota said:
So Sean,
Now that it is irrelevant, what was that rumor that you heard last week that had us all thinking a Voom E* deal was imminent?
tawhite said:
So, are you saying they gave you an hd receiver at no cost, or are you renting it? I too was an E* customer who bailed on them about 6 months ago.
I was considering D*, but:
1) I haven't heard too many good things about them
2) E* is getting the V* satellite, which could mean more HD
3) E* has Sirius audio channels, which could mean free Howard Stern once he makes the move.
Granted, E*'s PQ was weak when I had them, but I don't know if D*'s is any better.
One thing is for sure. This is the last time that I take a chance on something like Voom. I bought my equipment. (2 receivers) . You could imagine my thoughts when I got a bill today for April programming.
-k
I'm getting an 811 HD and a 510 PVR as leased and a 301 as an owned box. They are also installing my old 3800 for the kids room without charge for installation. Also getting the HD pack for 1/2 off for a year. Not bad for E* I guess.
Too bad for Charles Dolan because he developed the concept of HBO only to be out of the loop when Time, Inc. made big money on the enterprise. Now it looks like he's missed the boat for HDTV. You all know DirecTV will emulate the VOOM channels within 5 years and Charlie will again watch a dream fade away. Since it took DirecTV 5 years and 3 billion to reach the break even point we can only guess how close Charlie came to being the HDTV King. (Question: Would that have made Mark Cuban the HdTV Queen??)
Anyway I enjoyed the ride. Thanks a bunch VOOM.
Anyway I enjoyed the ride. Thanks a bunch VOOM.
actually, I think if he were to start a completely new company with a new company name and he marketed it right he could do ok...
you have to realize that most people out there do not follow news and forums like this as closely as you do
the trick would be good marketing to the mass jumping into the HD market with both feet
you have to realize that most people out there do not follow news and forums like this as closely as you do
the trick would be good marketing to the mass jumping into the HD market with both feet
Speaking of Mark Cuban.....if there was ANYONE who could help things out would be him....imagine Mark Cuban AND Charles Dolan....getting back at Jr. in some capacity!!!
Oh well, a man CAN dream.......
Oh well, a man CAN dream.......
I for one thought I would never leave VOOM, but the way this shutdown soap opera was handeled would make me weary of investing another penny with C. Dolan. He lost my respect. a 15-0 vote. THe same result would have happened even with a 15-2 vote. At last we would have known Chuck was still behind us. I think he wil retire or try to sell the programming to other providers. I know I had some low-bow comments about him, but that was because the way this entire fiasco was handled. I still think the man is a visionary.Nayl said:
Uh oh. Small math error. Turning around the 15-0 vote to the point where two guys vote to keep it running would make it 13-2. But the result is the same; shut down time.
"A source close to the company said he "would be surprised if [Chuck] does not have another move" in mind to keep his satellite business afloat.
This source noted that Dolan has even further incentive to push Voom now that Cablevision has lost out in the bidding for bankrupt cable operator Adelphia."
OK, call me overly optimistic...but I for one think that this is not over. Yes, VOOM the dbs provider is dead, but maybe this is what ole Chuck wanted so he and other investors can go private and bring something SIMILAR to VOOM to us HD lovers after the dust has cleared. IMO, he voted yes as long as CVC did not sell off VOOM21. Maybe on the April 18th meeting, he will push the board to sell him EVERYTHING and ANYTHING of what is left of VOOM so he can start something in the near future. I personally think this separation from CVC is the BEST thing that can happen to VOOM, HD Select or what IT might be called. We all know that Jamie was as much as visionary as an old shoe...better off without them.
This source noted that Dolan has even further incentive to push Voom now that Cablevision has lost out in the bidding for bankrupt cable operator Adelphia."
OK, call me overly optimistic...but I for one think that this is not over. Yes, VOOM the dbs provider is dead, but maybe this is what ole Chuck wanted so he and other investors can go private and bring something SIMILAR to VOOM to us HD lovers after the dust has cleared. IMO, he voted yes as long as CVC did not sell off VOOM21. Maybe on the April 18th meeting, he will push the board to sell him EVERYTHING and ANYTHING of what is left of VOOM so he can start something in the near future. I personally think this separation from CVC is the BEST thing that can happen to VOOM, HD Select or what IT might be called. We all know that Jamie was as much as visionary as an old shoe...better off without them.
