Ergen touts chances of a DirecTV-Dish Network merger winning approval

[Scott Greczkowski]

[h=1]Ergen touts chances of a DirecTV-Dish Network merger winning approval[/h] October 24, 2012 | By Steve Donohue



Dish Network (Nasdaq: DISH) chairman Charlie Ergen is reviving speculation of a possible merger with DirecTV (Nasdaq: DTV), telling a reporter at Bloomberg that he thinks the satellite TV providers would have a better chance at winning approval of a deal than when the companies attempted to combine assets a decade ago.

Ergen (Image source: Dish)

"I would be relatively optimistic you could put a deal together if there was a desire with DirecTV that makes sense for the government to approve," Ergen said in an interview with Bloomberg. "You've got a whole different dynamic than 10 years ago."

Ergen's comments come less than a month after DirecTV CEO Michael White told attendees at a Goldman Sachs conference that he thought a DirecTV-Dish merger would be "pro-consumer" because of the rising costs of programming.




Read more: Ergen touts chances of a DirecTV-Dish Network merger winning approval - FierceCable http://www.fiercecable.com/story/er...ger-winning-approval/2012-10-24#ixzz2AJljIZ5x

 

[mdram]

if it ever happens, i pray that charlie has no management position

 

[Kraven]

Assuming there is a merger, It'd be bad news for folks living in the country outside of the scope of cable companies due to lack of options/competition.

Cheers, K

 

[Scherrman]

I kind of hope it happens. It would be great for business for me. No more satellite competition. Just teaming up to take on the crappy cable companies.

 

[mdram]

Assuming there is a merger, It'd be bad news for folks living in the country outside of the scope of cable companies due to lack of options/competition.

Cheers, K

they let sirus/xm do it
wasnt long after that i dropped due to price increases

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

He would probably be CEO and much like last time it would be DISH taking over DIRECTV. They have the capitol to do it.

My question is would it really benefit consumers? If they merged would we see our bills go down? I am not sure we would. But we would have a lot more programming options as there would be a ton of satellite space up there.

 

[mdram]

He would probably be CEO and much like last time it would be DISH taking over DIRECTV. They have the capitol to do it.

My question is would it really benefit consumers? If they merged would we see our bills go down? I am not sure we would. But we would have a lot more programming options as there would be a ton of satellite space up there.

sure bills would go down, but then theere would be a new fee
somehting called, cross satellite transfer usage or some similar stuff

 

[Scherrman]

Assuming there is a merger, It'd be bad news for folks living in the country outside of the scope of cable companies due to lack of options/competition.

Cheers, K

They may keep themselves as separate companies and give people choices. Maybe they just combine forces in order to have an advantage over the networks. DirecTV could continue with their more expensive, sports oriented business model and Dish could continue with their less expensive movie oriented business model. There are plenty of opportunities.

 

[mdram]

DirecTV could continue with their more expensive, sports oriented business model and Dish could continue with their less expensive movie oriented business model.

i totally disagree with this
after having both services, the prices are so close its a wash
the difference is in the small packages that dish offers that direct does not, welcome pack for example

anything like the at200 and above there is not a real cost difference, and until the hopper/joey system directv was cheaper if you had more then 2 tvs due to fees

i do not want charlies fee heavy structure coming to directv

 

[Peter Parker]

OK the VOOM suit is settled and no one has predicted the end of the superstations in awhile so we need to revive this old topic. Well at least it is an oldie but goodie.

 

[Neutron]

What should happen: Combine satellite fleets but keep the two companies separate and just have them both access the same unified fleet. This way they would both have loads of bandwidth but competition would still be there.

 

[mdram]

What should happen: Combine satellite fleets but keep the two companies separate and just have them both access the same unified fleet. This way they would both have loads of bandwidth but competition would still be there.

how would that affect equipment?

 

[nelson61]

The flyover states would stop it. They pay blood already for internet, etc and another monopoly would just add to their costs

 

[Mochuf]

I really think that this would be terrible for consumers if it happens. Like mdram has said, the Sirus/XM merger has been not benefited consumers in any way. Honestly, how can less competition help consumers? I'm lucky because I have two cablecos and U-Verse to go to if I had to. But people in rural areas who might not even have a cabelco to go to will be screwed royally. And then having Charlie as CEO? He can be as bad as Mel Karmazin any day. I can see subs in urban areas dropping. Leaving the rural subs left to bleed dry to keep profits up.

 

[mdram]

OOOOHHHHHHH, i have an idea
allow it, but mandate ala-carte as part of the approval

 

[empiretc]

Cannot see how this would be good for consumers. Like mdram stated, look at what happened with Sirius/XM.

They can really bend customers over a barrel when they have no other options. Look at Time Warner, they are the only option for high speed internet in a lot places (here included). There is now a $4 modem rental fee on our bill that was never there after over a decade of service. They anticipate making over $350 million a year from this fee. You can get your own modem, but if you ever have a problem and a tech is sent, you have to pay no matter what-- your modem, your problem! It is a complete BS money grab, but when you have no choice you must make arrangements.

Luckily, TV is just TV and if we are unhappy, we can discontinue service. Unlimited high speed internet, OTOH, is an absolute necessity.

 

[mdram]

Unlimited high speed internet, OTOH, is an absolute necessity.

nah, if you have never had it, you never miss it

 

[Neutron]

Cannot see how this would be good for consumers. Like mdram stated, look at what happened with Sirius/XM.

They can really bend customers over a barrel when they have no other options. Look at Time Warner, they are the only option for high speed internet in a lot places (here included). There is now a $4 modem rental fee on our bill that was never there after over a decade of service. They anticipate making over $350 million a year from this fee. You can get your own modem, but if you ever have a problem and a tech is sent, you have to pay no matter what-- your modem, your problem! It is a complete BS money grab, but when you have no choice you must make arrangements.

Luckily, TV is just TV and if we are unhappy, we can discontinue service. Unlimited high speed internet, OTOH, is an absolute necessity.

I would gladly take a $4 fee over the $10 fee that Suddenlink charges for modem rental!

 

[riffjim4069]

[h=1]Ergen touts chances of a DirecTV-Dish Network merger winning approval[/h]

"I would be relatively optimistic you could put a deal together if there was a desire with DirecTV that makes sense for the government to approve," Ergen said in an interview with Bloomberg. "You've got a whole different dynamic than 10 years ago."

Personally, see Ergen and Sheen partnering a "Winning" campaign long before the FCC ever approves a DirecTV and Dish Network merger. We shall see.

 

[mike123abc]

The big advantage for the merger is that they would have a lot more negotiating power with the networks.

Satellite capacity would be a smaller win, they would have a lot of dishes and setup boxes to change out.

The biggest loss to consumers would be the ability to switch back and forth every 2 years to get the best deal.