Another Take on Dolan's Move

[Peter Parker]

None of us relaly knowsa. But I thought this article was interesting. Certainly no more far fetched than other rumors we hear.

http://www.thedeal.com/NASApp/cs/Co...hpa&c=TDDArticle&cid=1107993031567&p=M4YD5AR1

 

[Bruce]

None of us relaly knowsa. But I thought this article was interesting. Certainly no more far fetched than other rumors we hear.

http://www.thedeal.com/NASApp/cs/Co...hpa&c=TDDArticle&cid=1107993031567&p=M4YD5AR1

Wow, if you read between the lines just a little, it really means content only.

 

[joverstr2]

Dolan is always up to something and thinking way ahead of his time.

 

[riffjim4069]

Content is king! For all we know, there may be carriage agreements already in place with D*, E* and Verizon??? Only time, and a press release, will tell.

 

[Calvin&Hobbes]

I have a hard time believe that carraige agreements are in place. Look at the lack of hd content and bandwitch already on d* and e*. I haven't seen anything that leads me to believe they'll add 21 channels.

It seems to me that this would be the ultimate goal, but critical mass for hdtv is still a few years away.

Plus I remember hearing that echostar wasn't interested in those channels... what would have changed.

 

[bradley]

Good article... speaks reams of reality.

From another article it tags Voom's 2005 operating expenses @ $400M; a bit much for content and operation's provisions.

 

[Peter Parker]

There is nothing in the article saying that deals are in place now. It might show what he is trying to do. But I think we might be going a little too far with that.

 

[thxdan]

"...the animal-centric Animania [channel]"???? The article author isn't exactly tuned in to the service! Interesting piece nonetheless.

-Dan

 

[DarrellP]

I know, I know, Dolan is going to sell the programming to USDTV so nobody will have local OTA HD anymore, they can hog all of our bandwidth.

 

[kex63]

I don't think that you will ever see alll of the originals on D* or E* or local cable, however to fund the Voom project creating one or two commerical supported HD channels using the content created for the originals may be the answer.

 

[bryan27]

"...the animal-centric Animania [channel]"???? The article author isn't exactly tuned in to the service! Interesting piece nonetheless.

I had to laugh when I saw that.

In the article there was a quote "Voom is now more of a programming venture whose value will be determined by its channels." One thing people overlook is that the customers are being sold to VOOM HD LLC too. It is not totally out of the relm of reality that VOOM HD LLC would be both a program supplier and a satellite TV provider. This goes on all the time in C-Band.

There are very few C-Band subs and you can subscribe to say only the Viacom suite of channels or Discovery Networks if you wanted. In the eyes of these program suppliers the C-Band subs are just a little icing on the cake of their main business. The same could work with VOOM HD LLC where the main business is as a program supplier, but there would be a small group of subs on the side.

 

[HDVoomer]

I think Voom should hold onto its 21 exclusive channels for themselves, unless of course they get a deal that they can't refuse. Lets say Comcast wants a channel like WorldSport HD, then Comcast must be willing to let Voom carry its INDH channle. I don't have a problem if Voom decides they just want to be a programming provider vs. a distribution platform, but then what happens to all the current Voom subscribers? Do they now have to go to another providers to get their TV entertainment? Perhaps what Bryan27 said could potentially happen. Voom becomes both a content provider and a distribution platform. Again only time will tell, but at least we know that Voom isn't going away anytime soon. My feeling is that the 21 exclusive channels will stay with Voom and they will be the third competitor in the satellite market.

 

[James Long]

The exclusives are all VoomHD can guarantee will not be simply added to another service. VoomHD isn't looking for a $10 cut of a $20 add on to D* or E*'s service. They are looking for real money ... $50 from each subscriber ... some filtered to their providers but most of it covering the startup costs that remain.

The only benefit to selling the channels in bulk to D* or E* is they don't have to deal with the install costs. But to throw away an exclusive? It would be like D* deciding that they would make a little money by reselling NFL coverage via E*. D* makes more money by being the service that HAS NFL as an exclusive than they would gain in resell rights (assuming that it were theirs to sell). Even on non-football months.

The Voom created channels need to remain an exclusive for Voom to survive as a DBS. When those become available via D* or E* you might as well kiss Voom DBS goodbye and say hello you yet another movie package similar to Starz! but called Voom and in HD. Voom DBS will truely be dead.

JL

 

[Peter Parker]

Personally I think that any sale involving those channels would happen at VOOM's demise. It would be a way for Dolan to make some money off all this. IS it happening? Who knows? Not me. But it was an interesting article.

 

[vurbano]

Dolan needs to pimp out the Voom 21 and get as much cash flow from them as he can.