**Rumor:** Dish Network and Voom combined?

[yanks2402]

If I remember correctly, the Voom spin off includes Cablevision's other channels including AMC, We, etc.

So selling off just the sat. assets and remaining a content provider makes the most sense.

The situation I just mention is the most probable to me, seeing as both companies are keeping relatively quiet lately.

Now is actually the best time for E* to move in, because they can work out a deal before the spin-off, basically a direct sale from Cablevision. Then Cablevision can proceed with the spin off of all of their cable channels. If Cablevision sold the assests directly to E* (instead of after the spin-off) then they would make back many friends on Wall Street, by paying down the debt they accumulated during the startup.

 

[riffjim4069]

I just want SOMETHING, ANYTHING to happen so we can move forward. Right now, I feel like we're stuck in limbo not knowing when/if we'll have ________.

Ok, is it beer in the fridge?

While VOOM DBS may get kicked to the curb, I don't see Rainbow Media going anywhere soon...AMC, WE, IFC are money making machines. Also, can you imagine how much better the VOOM Exclusives could be if they didn't have to keep putting money into VOOM DSB?

I have been with VOOM for 7 months and during that time we have seen an increase of less than 25k subscribers. If they have a plan to pick-up 1.2 million more subscribers within the next 18 months, I just haven't see it and they don't have a track record to support their achieving this goal.

At this point, E* needs V* because of their HD apathy...else, they are going to get whacked by D*.

Also at this point, V* has to realize they don't have what it takes to compete against the established giants D* and E*. However, they are currently on solid ground and can negotiate favorable terms in which they provide programming services and are allowed exist as a niche DBS provider.

Who knows? Maybe MS will but 'em out, invest billions, and start the satellite wars?

 

[StingyScotsman]

Interesting...

It's a rumor that's tasty enough to keep me as a Voom customer for another couple of weeks.

(But I swear if my local Fox affilliate keeps blinking out during my beloved Cardinals/Rams games, I'm going to return my rented STB in 3 inch pieces.)

 

[riffjim4069]

It's a rumor that's tasty enough to keep me as a Voom customer for another couple of weeks.

Hey, didn't I see your Avitar being used by some other schmoe? If I were you, I would put that shovel to good use and execute a StingyScotsman Cease & Desist order.

 

[dankgus]

Who knows? Maybe MS will but 'em out, invest billions, and start the satellite wars?

Now THAT would really be something. I have always had that idea in the back of my mind. I wish microsoft would put more money into FUN things like sat tv.

--Dan

 

[kfried001]

I know there is a rumor going around but a co-worker came in this morning and told me he just signed up for Dish Network. He said the CSR told him that they will be adding more HD content and that Dish purchased Voom and will be announced when it's finalized.

This is what the CSR said and we all know how reliable they are so don't shoot the messenger, it's just what I have been told.

Last week, I was overbilled by $10 from Direct. When I called the CSR told me they were purchasing VOOM. Something is probably happening, but who knows since up until I heard the Dish CSR mention it I thought there would be a Direct TV/VOOM announcment very soon.

 

[ComcastOgre]

If DirecTV were to let it out in ANY way that they were planning on purchasing Voom, Dish would scramble to find a way to counter-offer. LOL. DirecTV is already starting to pull away with the HD.

 

[riffjim4069]

Last week, I was overbilled by $10 from Direct. When I called the CSR told me they were purchasing VOOM. Something is probably happening, but who knows since up until I heard the Dish CSR mention it I thought there would be a Direct TV/VOOM announcment very soon.

Wouldnt' it be funny if the VOOM HD Exclusives were sold as a premium service by D* and E*.

...only on Satellite

 

[JimP]

As someone else mentioned, wouldn't there have to some filings somewhere?

 

[Bear]

These are fairly sensitive documents, so unless you are party to the process, you will not see them publicly until they after they announce and then file with the SEC/FTC/FCC/DoJ. Given D*'s position as the subscriber lead, I would bet that Charlie would have a pretty good case that D* can't buy V* on anti-trust grounds (to irritate Murdoch who stole D* out from under him...). It would surprise me if Voom weren't being bought, but I can only imagine one player being in the bidding.

For those not up on this stuff, the deal would work out roughly like this:
- Negotiate the agreement
- Board approval
- Announce
- File (sometimes parallel to the announcement) with the SEC and FCC (FCC generally has primacy of place, but other agencies can "get the panties in a bunch")
- FTC "filing" can come a bit later (FTC is in charge of rendering an anti-trust ruling)
- DoJ "renders an opinion" on anti-trust as well
- Somewhere in there the Europeans decide they don't like the merger...
-The deal closes

Net-net: if we haven't heard an announcement, then there may be very few documents out there for us to find.

 

[MikeD-C05]

Wouldnt' it be funny if the VOOM HD Exclusives were sold as a premium service by D* and E*.

...only on Satellite

I have mentioned this option several times over that last 3 months. It made the most sense to me that Voom would become an hd provider for BOTH satellite services. All it would take is a 2nd side sat to 61.5 and the proper switch added and you have an hd provider for most of the national channels. Then Voom could make money on existing hd customers from both sat services and could also stay a stand alone service as well. I had already heard Charlie mention on the chats that he was looking into licensing Voom content . This would benefit everyone involved and would eliminate the duplication of all the hd national channels.

 

[HeavyC]

Well whether it be DirecTV or Dish Network it can only lead to more content being available in one place which is a good thing no matter how you slice it. As long as VOOM subscribers get grandfathered in to either Dish or DirecTV I have no complaints. I'd love to get signed up with either company and have them cut me a sweet deal on HD equipment. Or better yet, have them adopt VOOM's Home Networked DVR. To me, that would see like the perfect replacement to the troubled 921.

 

[riffjim4069]

This would benefit everyone involved and would eliminate the duplication of all the hd national channels.

The HD momentum has certainly been with Cable the past year: 14 channels now offered by my cable provider (4 of them HD locals), cheap HD DVR rental ($7.95 per month). The above arrangement would certainly benefit the Sat community. VOOM is my first and only Sat provider and it has always puzzled me whey the Sat providers haven't standardized the DBS community (receivers, protocols, etc). Why can't I own a receiver that is compatible with the other providers? Better yet, why are there no mandates requiring all digital TV's to be "Digital DBS Ready" in addition to "Digital Cable Ready"?

We shall see...

 

[larrystotler]

Mainly because the receivers have always been disposable. Now that they have DVRs & HD, E* is leasing them due to the higher manufacturing costs. To get an HD receiver from D* will cost you up to $30 w/ the triple sat dish. Most subscriber aquisition costs are taken care of within 12 months. And don't forget about the huge tax write off of giving everything away for free. I was extremely disappointed w/ V*'s STBs. Totally useless and very slow. My 721 kicks butt compared to it and D*'s junky slow TiVo.

 

[Wally]

I had E* and VOOM until just recently, at which I quit E*. The biggest complaint against E* was lack of HD, ... AND ... terribly soft images on SD. E* has the best HD anywhere, including cable. Well, usually.

Anyway, my fear is that Dish Network would absorb VOOM and use THEIR SD and we're back to horrible SD.

 

[kfried001]

Wouldnt' it be funny if the VOOM HD Exclusives were sold as a premium service by D* and E*.

...only on Satellite

Wouldn't doubt it, but our bill will go up. ;-(

 

[Dvlos]

There are other things to consider, Voom's R&D'ed with Motorola and Ucentric DVR looks hotness, I'd rather have that than Dish's DVR, imagine if all Dish/Voom customers have this by years end though?

Voom/Dish could have another new satellite that Voom had leased?

We'd all have HDNET at top PQ?

Voom or Dish could eliminate their duplicate channels (HBOHD SHOWTIMEHD DISCOVERYHD) off their Sats and bring in RSNs in HD and maybe INHD?

 

[kfried001]

The HD momentum has certainly been with Cable the past year: 14 channels now offered by my cable provider (4 of them HD locals), cheap HD DVR rental ($7.95 per month). The above arrangement would certainly benefit the Sat community. VOOM is my first and only Sat provider and it has always puzzled me whey the Sat providers haven't standardized the DBS community (receivers, protocols, etc). Why can't I own a receiver that is compatible with the other providers? Better yet, why are there no mandates requiring all digital TV's to be "Digital DBS Ready" in addition to "Digital Cable Ready"?

We shall see...

Cox in Phoenix just added FOX-HD, Inhd1 and Inhd2. They know have all the locals in HD, Starz-HD (1 Feed), Cinemax-HD (1 Feed), HBO-HD (1 Feed), ShowTime-HD (1 Feed), Discovery and ESPN. price is $78 + $10 for HD for two rooms, 1 all digital, 1 HD and the rest expanded cable. They are getting a little more agressive. Does anyone know what bitrate cable transmits at?

 

[Carter]

Cox in Phoenix just added FOX-HD, Inhd1 and Inhd2. They know have all the locals in HD, Starz-HD (1 Feed), Cinemax-HD (1 Feed), HBO-HD (1 Feed), ShowTime-HD (1 Feed), Discovery and ESPN.

Kfried, Cox in PHX just added KSAZ-DT (FOX), KSAW-DT (WB) and INHD2. They have had INHD, STARZ-HD, Showtime-HD, HBO-HD, ESPN-HD and Discovery-HD for a while now. They do not have Cinemax-HD.

 

[wasch_24]

The more I think about this the more appealling it sounds...just imagine we all become E* customers and the new HD pack contains 35 full resolution, full bandwidth HD channels...oooohhh doggie that would be sweet.