More Bad News HBO sues echostar

[Chris Walker]

Maybe this will result in Dish adding HBO Zone and the missing Max channels. For 14.99 a month, we should be getting everything HBO offers.

 

[riffjim4069]

Problems with OLN (Versus), Lifetime, TIVO, DNS, Court TV, now HBO all in the last year.

It's a pattern that, after a while, adds up to questionable business practices. I'm all for E* wanting to pay a fair and resonable price for programming, but they seem to be at odds with many of the programmers out there. Why can't E* just do things above the board, extend existing programmings contracts if needed (no service disruption for customers), seek binding arbitration, and perhaps just quietly announced that certain channels will no longer be carried? Too much of E*'s business dealings wind up the courts...which cannot be good for the customer.

Anyway, just another example of why we need more a la carte programming options, and more flexible programming groups.

 

[BobMurdoch]

this isn't CourtTv. E* can't survive without HBO and Cinemax. D* will eat them for lunch if they don't find a quick way to resolve this....

 

[minnow]

In years past, one would hear an announcement such as this and basically
Pooh-Pooh it and within a few weeks all would be well. Now however with E*'s track record, no one should be the least bit surprised to one morning turning your TV on and seeing the entire suite of HBO/Cinemax gone. And it could very well happen tonight.

If I were in advertising, I would be pitching the following campaign to the Cable Co's and Directv: An announcer quietly states " After a hard days work and all the drama that goes with it, all you want to do is just come home, take off your shoes, grab a cold beverage and relax in your favorite chair and turn on the TV. If your a Dish Network subscriber, I'm sorry to tell you that the drama is just beginning. Then start showing court room scene after court room scene of all the lawsuits over DNS and DVR service. Show all logos of the program providers that have been in dispute with E* over the past two years. Then bring up the HBO logo and have the picture go to black. The announcer continues, "If this is not your idea of stress relief, maybe you need to give us a call."

 

[uhf]

Just the thought that E* might drop HBO, even for a couple of days, was enough to prompt me to look at DirecTV. I was surprised to see that I can save a few bucks by switching. Plus Qwest will give me a bundled discount since I also have broadband and phone service with them. Right now the biggest thing Dish has going for it, at least for me, is the UHF remotes.

 

[abricko]

I agree with riffjim4069...

Also for me, UHF remotes, 3 tuner DVR & currently the most HD-ish programming available... those are the only benefits. Though if E* keeps up with this fighting everything/poker player attitude I'll probably sacrifice a few things. I mean I allready gave up on TIVO and switched to E* DVR... how bad can it be to switch to D* or even cable... Heck, FIOS is only 10 miles away from me I'm sure that'll be here before too long.

 

[Zero327]

the question is can a dbs provider survive without hbo? surely they would lose alot of other channels that hbo owns and i really think they wouldnt last long without those contracts. Im sure something will be done but it looks like this has been going on for awhile.corruption maybe? dish has been great to me at least but i dunno this definately has me thinking.

Can HBO survive without backing by the second largest DBS provider though? Who's willing to bet HBO eats its ego before Charlie?

Of course everyone was screaming "THE END IS NEAR!" when Court TV went down so whatever...

 

[Poke]

To me comes down to HBO thinking that all TV Service Providers should pay the same. So sounds like Dish was trying to get a better deal on what they were being changed. Since cable companies were paying more I guess HBO thinks everyone else should pay the same or more. But you should fight for the best deal you can. So the blame could be put on both parties. The question everyone should be asking is ""WHO NEXT""?? Who will be the next company HBO will say is not paying them like everyone else. Direct TV,Comcast so really as far as pricing they could do this to anyone.



http://yahoo.reuters.com/news/artic...1-23_21-54-03_N23280734&type=comktNews&rpc=44

They have repeatedly demanded for DISH Network to pay a satellite premium to carry their channels that is inconsistent with what cable companies are required to pay for the same services," EchoStar said in an e-mailed statement

 

[kenny9966]

god that last artice that poke put out scares the crap out of me. i would not be surprised if hbo drops dish. Dish is going with the there charging too much stuff while we pay the highest than any other for hbo on dish. Thank god i am not on a contract. Question what are the main sats that direct uses? i know they use 110 and 119 so would it work if i got a direct reciever and hooked it up to the dish network sat or will i need different lnbs or need to point at another sat. Im really debating over switching right now. Ive always been behind charlie 100% but it really has gotten out of hand. That stock artice that showed sold also sounds fishy too me.
and for the question Can HBO survive without backing by the second largest DBS provider though? yes especially if dish hasnt been paying them what they should have for the past 5-6 years. hbo doesnt rely on ads they rely on subs. if there not getting money from dish for their subs then actually it would benefit hbo in the long run.

 

[chrisb83]

If dish looses HBO and the MLB. I will leave. Lets see, Sued by tivo, no distant networks, fighting with HBO, I had the audit team call me, my bill goes up, and no court tv. WTF

 

[MikeD-C05]

Distant networks are back with NPS- just about anyone can get them if you use a white address, Tivo will lose the lawsuit against Dish or DIsh will change the software making their lawsuit null and void, who cares about Court Tv, Plug in your receivers to a phone line and no audit calls,Every video provider goes up yearly -both satellite and cable. THere's always another way to look at things: the optimistic side.

 

[cariera]

THere's always another way to look at things: the optimistic side.

You're right. My bank account is half-full, not half-empty!

 

[KwestJones]

Distant networks are back with NPS- just about anyone can get them if you use a white address, Tivo will lose the lawsuit against Dish or DIsh will change the software making their lawsuit null and void, who cares about Court Tv, Plug in your receivers to a phone line and no audit calls,Every video provider goes up yearly -both satellite and cable. THere's always another way to look at things: the optimistic side.

I.E.

"This is the Titanic...it is unsinkable. Pour me another drink man and fetch my slippers."

 

[BobMurdoch]

Court TV by itself wasn't enough to get E* to cave. Time Warner countered with something that WOULD hurt. HBO and Cinemax.

Time Warner doesn't want to lose the E* revenue either. This is all "language" to get Charlie motivated to come back to the table. We'll see what happens....

 

[Greg Bimson]

Bob, I believe it isn't as benign as you make it out to be. Remember this thread?

As you might have noticed over the past few weeks, all references to Cinemax have been removed from the Dish Network website at dishnetwork.com.

Things have been cleaned so much of the Cinemax name that if you search for Cinemax on the Dish Network website you are shown information about Starz.

Nor can you order Cinemax from the Dish Network website. (You can still order by calling Dish Network)

I have been working to get some kind of official statement from HBO and Dish Network regarding this situation and have just received the following statement from an HBO Spokesperson.

"We’re surprised that Echostar has taken Cinemax off its website. As the second most highly-rated pay service behind HBO, Cinemax is enjoyed by millions of Echostar viewers. We’ve experienced healthy growth through the years and hope Echostar will continue to market the service."

We have not received a statement from Echostar as of press time, but if we hear anything we will pass it along.

Someone gave HBO some information that perhaps Dish Network was not using the HBO or Cinemax co-op marketing dollars. It is probably just another in a long string of "issues" between Time Warner and Dish Network.

 

[BobMurdoch]

It's not benign. It's brinkmansship. Charlie has found that he gets a better deal by doing this technique. Most of us wired in lose our minds for a few weeks, but the deal usually gets done....

He caved quickly a few years back when Viacom withheld CBS. The other times it seems like E* got the letter end of the deal. Witness Lifetime's cave in.....

If they are gonna do this, do it now when the Sopranos and The Wire are on hiatus. I don't watch Rome, and Bill Mahre isn't back yet, so do it now....

 

[rayburn45]

Good for Charlie for standing up to the providers. Everyother company caves into whatever demand these providers ask for, that's why Dish is cheaper, because they're cost consensus.

 

[HDTVFanAtic]

hmm maybe thats the reason hbo is so much higher on dish than my local cable company and direct tv.I dont even want to think about hbo being dropped from dish the results well they wouldnt be pretty.

HBO is going up in price so Charlie can pay the money he owes HBO and lawyers to tie this up in court for years.

So once again, you are paying for Charlie's way of doing business.

Good for Charlie for standing up to the providers. Everyother company caves into whatever demand these providers ask for, that's why Dish is cheaper, because they're cost consensus.

lol....wrong.

 

[downriver]

Good for Charlie for standing up to the providers. Everyother company caves into whatever demand these providers ask for, that's why Dish is cheaper, because they're cost consensus.

yuk yuk!!

 

[EJMCOL]

. . . . Tivo will lose the lawsuit against Dish or DIsh will change the software making their lawsuit null and void . . .

FYI, Dish ALREADY lost the lawsuit by Tivo, now they're appealing the loss.

Keep trying with those pom poms, though. They look good on you.:up