FaxUpdate April 1, 2005: VOOM Shutdown Could Be Announced As Early As Today

[jsb_hburg]

I really do not think that this is over. How long will it take Mr. Dolan to get that other sat. up in the air? Does anyone know?

Which sat? Rainbow-2? If that one, it is already in orbit.

 

[rocatman]

Most negative people here, probably you included, are not true HDTV enthusiasts but place other aspects of DBS in equal importance. One of the favorites of many non-HDTV enthusiasts is receiving local broadcast stations through a paid service rather than free OTA. VOOM does not support that. They only have locals tunable on their equipment with an off air antenna. So not having locals by a satellite delivery is an issue with these types. In my case, I just want a few locals anyway they come in with the best PQ. That would be direct by a 4 mile path of signal without tons of electronics reprocessing the signal.

I think Charles Dolan would love for Voom to be able to offer HD locals via satellite and that was a long range plan for Voom based on the spotbeam capability of the Rainbow-1 satellite. There is no other logical explanation for why Voom would at least double the cost of the Rainbow-1 satellite by designing it with 130 spotbeam TPs than for it to eventually be used to offer HD locals. This is why Rainbow-2 (AMC-6) is needed so that the TPs on Rainbow-1 could be used for the spotbeams. So it is true that Voom currently doesn't support locals but certainly locals were in their long range plans. It can be argued that providing locals specifically HD locals is key to the long term financial viability of Voom as a standalone satellite television service. It should be noted that I receive all my locals including HD locals via an OTA antenna but many can not.

 

[subdude212]

Check this one out....

So I check out the SatBiz news site here. and found the following text:
WEDNESDAY MARCH 23, 2005

[size=-1]Ergen Not Target of Probes

[/size][size=-1]Accoster Communications Corp. added 430,000 net new subscribers in the fourth quarter of last year, bringing it in line for the first time in more than a year with the net subscriber quarterly additions of rival Direct, which added 444,000 net new subs for the quarter. [/size]

[size=-1]UNCETAINTY CONTINUES OVER VOOM
[/size][size=-1]It took a board room shakeup, numerous screaming matches with his son, conflicting memos, and a commitment to put up $10 million of his own money to do it, but Cablevision Systems Corp. co-founder Chuck DYLAN got a reprieve until at least the end of the month to keep his beloved Voom DBS service operational. But at press time, uncertainty continued to surround what would happen after that, with Accoster Communications Corp. Chairman Charlie Ergen likely holding the keys to whether Voom can continue in operation without a service interruption—if at all.[/size]


​

Here's what the dictionary says:


<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD>

ac·cost Pronunciation Key (

-kôst

,

-k

st

)

tr.v. ac·cost·ed, ac·cost·ing, ac·costs

1. To approach and speak to boldly or aggressively, as with a demand or request.
2. To solicit for sex.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
I'm certain that 'uncertainty' is not spelled 'UNCETAINTY ' and 'Chuck Dylan' didn't co-found Cablevision with Chuck Dolan. Hey, I feel good when I can put down other people - especially journalists .

 

[Juan]

As a cablevision subscriber for many years. I can testify that that they dont give a rats a$$ about what any customer wants They were the only major cable co in the new york area to put the sports channels in a seperate tier(msg,yes,fox sports ny) and charge a ridiculous price for it. I have no love for the dolans or their ilk competition in the satellite business would really be a good thing but the dolans are not a good choice. I would hope they would sell out to someone more in tune with customer service who could give d* and e* a real run for their money

 

[jbphoenix]

So I check out the SatBiz news site here. and found the following text:
WEDNESDAY MARCH 23, 2005

[size=-1]Ergen Not Target of Probes

[/size][size=-1]Accoster Communications Corp. added 430,000 net new subscribers in the fourth quarter of last year, bringing it in line for the first time in more than a year with the net subscriber quarterly additions of rival Direct, which added 444,000 net new subs for the quarter. [/size]

[size=-1]UNCETAINTY CONTINUES OVER VOOM
[/size][size=-1]It took a board room shakeup, numerous screaming matches with his son, conflicting memos, and a commitment to put up $10 million of his own money to do it, but Cablevision Systems Corp. co-founder Chuck DYLAN got a reprieve until at least the end of the month to keep his beloved Voom DBS service operational. But at press time, uncertainty continued to surround what would happen after that, with Accoster Communications Corp. Chairman Charlie Ergen likely holding the keys to whether Voom can continue in operation without a service interruption—if at all.[/size]


​

Here's what the dictionary says:


<TABLE><TBODY><TR><TD>

ac·cost Pronunciation Key (

-kôst

,

-k

st

)

tr.v. ac·cost·ed, ac·cost·ing, ac·costs

1. To approach and speak to boldly or aggressively, as with a demand or request.
2. To solicit for sex.

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
I'm certain that 'uncertainty' is not spelled 'UNCETAINTY ' and 'Chuck Dylan' didn't co-found Cablevision with Chuck Dolan. Hey, I feel good when I can put down other people - especially journalists .

I read the article on the site and I could not believe what I was reading! This was dated March 23rd, so I would not think that this was an April Fools joke. If this is a "for real" article, then whoever wrote and posted it to their site should be fired!! That is not a very good representation of their site!

 

[niceprophet]

So I check out the SatBiz news site here. and found the following text:
WEDNESDAY MARCH 23, 2005

[size=-1]Ergen Not Target of Probes

[/size][size=-1]Accoster Communications Corp. added 430,000 net new subscribers in the fourth quarter of last year, bringing it in line for the first time in more than a year with the net subscriber quarterly additions of rival Direct, which added 444,000 net new subs for the quarter. [/size]

[size=-1]UNCETAINTY CONTINUES OVER VOOM
[/size][size=-1]It took a board room shakeup, numerous screaming matches with his son, conflicting memos, and a commitment to put up $10 million of his own money to do it, but Cablevision Systems Corp. co-founder Chuck DYLAN got a reprieve until at least the end of the month to keep his beloved Voom DBS service operational. But at press time, uncertainty continued to surround what would happen after that, with Accoster Communications Corp. Chairman Charlie Ergen likely holding the keys to whether Voom can continue in operation without a service interruption—if at all.[/size]
​

Sounds like someone forgot to turn Microsoft Word's "Auto-correct" off.​

 

[James Long]

Michael Eisner survived at Disney for years because he stacked the Disney board with his cronies. I suspect that Charles Dolan will get what he needs from the Cablevision board for awhile at least.

No doubt that C Dolan will survive - even though he has put Cablevision at risk by opposing the sale of Rainbow1 and insisting that the money pit Voom continue.

What will not survive under Cablevision is Voom. C Dolan tried his board stacking and made the mistake of putting intelegent people there instead of butt kissers. He plans to restack the deck again but it is too late to affect the next few weeks. (And, quite frankly, if I were on the board and knew that I was about to be taken off for not kissing butt I would not vote for an extension. This is the last chance for those targeted by C Dolan to have their say.)

I think it would be interesting if the former board members of Cablevision wrote an opposition to Voom HD LLCs petition countering C Dolan's opinion that he could run a successful DBS operation.

JL

 

[Walter L.]

I think it would be interesting if the former board members of Cablevision wrote an opposition to Voom HD LLCs petition countering C Dolan's opinion that he could run a successful DBS operation.

Why would they do that? To see if they can get a new job on Charlie's board. LMAO

 

[1080iBeVuMin]

What I don't get is why Chuck Dolan didn't raise a fuss until AFTER the sale of Rainbow 1 to E*. The sale is a major problem, and I am sure he is kicking himself for not obstructing the negotiation before it completed in January. Why didn't he knock heads together last December when the initial negative announcements about Voom were coming from CableVision? It almost is too late now. If anybody can rescue Voom, I am sure Chuck Dolan is the right guy. But Voom would have been much easier to rescue had Chuck raised his fist before the board approved the satellite sale.

What am I missing?

 

[James Long]

It looks like Satbiz makes these predictions very loosely. Here's the previous one were they stated that VOOM was shutting down by 2/6/05

SatBiz follows the story, and on the day they wrote their update that was the story.

Don't forget that was before C Dolan's "Voom HD LLC" offer to buy Voom was made. True as of the moment written - they have been right about what they have reported as well.

JL

 

[David Dietzel]

Racoon Boy:

I stated that by stacking the board, an executive can get much of what he wants -- whether that is his own personal survival, as with Eisner, or getting what he needs to complete a deal, as with Dolan's new company absorbing VOOM from Cablevision. I never stated anything about Charles Dolan's personal survival. And, everyone already knows that VOOM will no longer be a part of Cablevision. By the way, VOOM is no more of a money pit than were HBO, Amazon, Yahoo or many other successful companies in the history of American capitalism. Dolan hasn't made a single mistake in his restructuring of the board -- he's doing exactly what many successful executives have done -- brilliant on many levels. Finally, any letter booted board members would write questioning Dolan's ability to run a successful satellite business would be laughed right into the FCC's dumpster -- any ex-board members would know this and, therefore, wouldn't be stupid or petty enough to even consider questioning Charles' business acumen on any level with any government agency.

 

[James Long]

Racoon Boy:

Any response that starts with that just shows that you are a troll and out of touch with reality. A shame. Oh well.

Voom On / Voom Off

JL

 

[Vicki]

No, it just shows that some people change their avatars and signatures as often as most respectable folks change their underwear...Vicki

 

[James Long]

No, it just shows that some people change their avatars and signatures as often as most respectable folks change their underwear...Vicki

That is my second avatar since joining in October 2003. I sure hope that respectable folks have changed their underwear more than once since Voom started. If you haven't, please DON'T SHARE THAT INFO!

JL

 

[kfried001]

No doubt that C Dolan will survive - even though he has put Cablevision at risk by opposing the sale of Rainbow1 and insisting that the money pit Voom continue.

What will not survive under Cablevision is Voom. C Dolan tried his board stacking and made the mistake of putting intelegent people there instead of butt kissers. He plans to restack the deck again but it is too late to affect the next few weeks. (And, quite frankly, if I were on the board and knew that I was about to be taken off for not kissing butt I would not vote for an extension. This is the last chance for those targeted by C Dolan to have their say.)

I think it would be interesting if the former board members of Cablevision wrote an opposition to Voom HD LLCs petition countering C Dolan's opinion that he could run a successful DBS operation.

JL

Maybe he didn't think VOOM was realy going to survive. And now he sees the tremendous growth that is ocurring in installtions. My installer is doing more VOOM installs that D* and E*. They are very busy with just V* installs. Now he himself isa believer.

On a sad note, a friend of mine who is the Manager of the Home Theater Department at Best Buy is telling customers that VOOM will be gone by the summer because Dishnetwork bought them out. He is under the impression that Dish will be providing all the VOOM proramming and is informing customers to go with Dish. Apparently all Best Buy Home Theater Managers were told this.

This could never happen because VOOM does not have HD channels that are good enought for Charlie Ergen. I forgot the term that he used. But he thinks Showtime and HBO are good enough, so why not Cinemax, Starx and TMC.

If VOOM manuvers to get Hdnet, Inhd1 & 2, they will have the market. There is no doudbt in my mind. They will be the One-Stop-Shop for HD programming Content. They need to man the helm and get it right this time.

 

[TYORK]

Maybe he didn't think VOOM was realy going to survive. And now he sees the tremendous growth that is ocurring in installtions. My installer is doing more VOOM installs that D* and E*. They are very busy with just V* installs. Now he himself isa believer.

On a sad note, a friend of mine who is the Manager of the Home Theater Department at Best Buy is telling customers that VOOM will be gone by the summer because Dishnetwork bought them out. He is under the impression that Dish will be providing all the VOOM proramming and is informing customers to go with Dish. Apparently all Best Buy Home Theater Managers were told this.

This could never happen because VOOM does not have HD channels that are good enought for Charlie Ergen. I forgot the term that he used. But he thinks Showtime and HBO are good enough, so why not Cinemax, Starx and TMC.

If VOOM manuvers to get Hdnet, Inhd1 & 2, they will have the market. There is no doudbt in my mind. They will be the One-Stop-Shop for HD programming Content. They need to man the helm and get it right this time.

Not a very good Best Buy Manager if he is working for Best Buys and telling customer to with E* when Best Buys sale D* i am sure that his boss don't know that he is push E* there.

t

 

[James Long]

On a sad note, a friend of mine who is the Manager of the Home Theater Department at Best Buy is telling customers that VOOM will be gone by the summer because Dishnetwork bought them out. He is under the impression that Dish will be providing all the VOOM proramming and is informing customers to go with Dish. Apparently all Best Buy Home Theater Managers were told this.

Every misinformed person hurts Voom more. It is a shame. The truth is bad enough without lies that make the situation worse.

This could never happen because VOOM does not have HD channels that are good enought for Charlie Ergen. I forgot the term that he used. But he thinks Showtime and HBO are good enough, so why not Cinemax, Starx and TMC.

C Ergen's word is "compelling". Ergen doesn't like upconvert HD channels unless there is enough compelling real HD to make that channel worth carrying (TNT makes it because of sports coverage). Ergen isn't going to spend 4 SD channels worth of space on non-HD "HD" channels. Adding Cinemax, Starz and TMC would cost E* 12 SD channels (a full transponder) or 9 PPV/Movie channels (PPVs get a little more space than normal SD).

JL

 

[vurbano]

I think Racoon Boy hurts Voom a lot too.

 

[Juan]

I wonder how many de-installs voom is doing vs installs?

 

[TYORK]

well i can say here in indy that is it about close to 100 installs to maybe 5 installs a month and that is only have of the state.


t