1/26/05 E* Retailer Chat News Regarding Newly Acquired Frequencies

[Tvlman]

RE: $200 Mil price tag. How does that amount compare to what Rainbow has lost on the Voom operation? Estimates anyone?

I too am optomistic. It would be logical (as Spock might say) for Dish to try to add the 30,000 or so VOOM customers and pick up some HD channels at the same time which would make them more competitive to DirecTV. But while that SEEMS logical the high salaried bosses I worked with seldom took the logical path. There were always special interests and of course politics. One assocate I knew actually got paid by the board to run the company into the ground for tax write-off reasons. You know, like the plot in "The Producers."

Guess we'll find out. I'm thinking of starting a 24-hour VOOM marathon countdown.

 

[r.jones1116]

I want to know too. What if they pull the plug just before the Super Bowl, only the biggest TV watching day of the year, with no time to switch to another provider? If the OTA's die with the box, there are going to be some very unhappy campers out in Voomland.

I hate uncertainty.

They aren't going to pull the plug anytime soon. As it was stated in a earlier post, Voom has to keep broadcasting during the transition period to keep the licenses. Every day that passes without an announcement is good, it probably means that Dolan, Sr. is exploring ways to keep Voom alive.

 

[NightRyder]

They aren't going to pull the plug anytime soon. As it was stated in a earlier post, Voom has to keep broadcasting during the transition period to keep the licenses. Every day that passes without an announcement is good, it probably means that Dolan, Sr. is exploring ways to keep Voom alive.

All that's required to maintain the licenses is utilization. They could run the same loop on all transponders and meet the requirements.


NightRyder

 

[DarrellP]

Couldn't VOOM just run its INVOOM loop on every transponder until the sale is finalized?

Does anyone know how Voom is obligated to their program providers under the contracts they signed? Maybe they will at least have to put out a signal until the contracts expire? (Wishful thinking)

There's a bright side and a very dim side if E* continues the programming and melts us into their programmig:

Bright side: We get ALL of the HD now offered by both services.

Dim side: We will get Dish Network's crappy, overcompressed SD channels.

That's OK with me since I don't watch SD, but I feel sorry for those of you that do. MOST of Voom's SD channels were pretty good (at least the few that I actually looked at).

 

[clapple]

Sure they know why, but until the deal is done why show their hand or make announcements that might come back to bite them in the ass. Even if Rainbow 1 just ends up replacing E* III the $200M price tag was a bargain.


NightRyder

Actually, that was my point. All though not very well expressed.

On a dealer chat, it would make sense to just say, "That for competitive reasons, we can not announce plans, at this time." Not, "We don't know why we spent $200M."

 

[Lobstah]

In business deals like this, typically all parties are "blacked out" until everything is finalized. No one can say anything that might alter the value of the assetts should the present deal NOT go through. So don't expect CableVision to say anything, or VOOM to say anything, until the deal is signed.
Anyone who is NOT partie to the deal can say whatever they want...but those involved pretty much have to shut up.

Lob

 

[ComcastOgre]

I am very skeptical that Voom's exclusive HD channels and the other programming not available on D* or E* will be added to Dish Network after all of the dust is settled. It would be really nice because that would not only mean a major increase in HD, but a few premiums as well.

 

[NightRyder]

Actually, that was my point. All though not very well expressed.

On a dealer chat, it would make sense to just say, "That for competitive reasons, we can not announce plans, at this time." Not, "We don't know why we spent $200M."

That's not really what they said. Here's a more accurate translation.

Jim Defranco: "We bought Voom satellite... We paid a bit more for it then we liked too.. at 61.5 .. we haven't determined yet what we ll do with it.. have to wait few months until final approval.. lot of opportunity.. it's a young satellite.. lot's of bandwidth"


NightRyder

 

[dnyce]

Ditto

I want to know too. What if they pull the plug just before the Super Bowl, only the biggest TV watching day of the year, with no time to switch to another provider? If the OTA's die with the box, there are going to be some very unhappy campers out in Voomland.

I hate uncertainty.

I know I'm not the only one with a Super Bowl party planned.
I already got an email from a friend saying. Guess that parties at my house this year. Smart @ss!
I told him that Voom was not shutting down the satellite anytime soon. And the party is still on. I am praying!!

I already have Dish so if they do merge the services then I just get one bill instead of two Hopefully

Either way at least I get a free OTA antenna out of all of this...

 

[hdtvtechno]

It may be that they have plans for it, but just not gonna announce them to the public, until the FCC approval

so its a secret for now. Keep those Rumors, Rumors

 

[rtt2]

RE: $200 Mil price tag. How does that amount compare to what Rainbow has lost on the Voom operation? Estimates anyone?

From Dow Jones

"Brightening many an investor's outlook, Cablevision Systems Corp. (CVC) said late Thursday it will sell its fledgling satellite TV business, Voom, to EchoStar Communications Corp. (DISH) for $200 million.

<B>Though the price doesn't come anywhere close to recouping Cablevision's estimated $1.4 billion investment </B>in the business, many were pleased just to see that the "black hole" of spending had been plugged. Industry observers say the company's future looks much brighter. Without Voom, the focus is back onto Cablevision's core cable

 

[jeslevine]

My local dealer who I bought Voom from

I know I'm not the only one with a Super Bowl party planned.
I already got an email from a friend saying. Guess that parties at my house this year. Smart @ss!
I told him that Voom was not shutting down the satellite anytime soon. And the party is still on. I am praying!!

I already have Dish so if they do merge the services then I just get one bill instead of two Hopefully

Either way at least I get a free OTA antenna out of all of this...

said business as usual, and that super bowl would be broadcast

 

[klen]

Why don't you go somewhere else with your D* spam?
You're like a freakin' ambulance chaser.

 

[klen]

It may be that they have plans for it, but just not gonna announce them to the public, until the FCC approval

so its a secret for now. Keep those Rumors, Rumors


BTW, Andrew, is My Name
good websites to check out
http://hdtvtechno.netfirms.com
Happy Directv Customer since 1996 FCC No Multicast Must-carry
Voom alternative Enter Promo Code: ref533560 for your Discount
Voom alternative 2 Voom alternative 3

Why don't you go somewhere else with your D* spam?
You're like a freakin' ambulance chaser.

 

[Peter Parker]

Ifa company literally liquidates the contracts with suppliers are effectively voided. THe regualtory process will take months niot days. Any Super Bowl parties are pretty safe----maybe not an NBA final party but a Super Bowl party yes.

BTW what DISH bought will be a matter pf public record. In fact it already is in that 8K. If they had purchased more than that it would have had to be listed in that 8K.

Basically everyone is assuming that their worst fears or most cherished dream is coming to pass. In all likelihood if this sale is approved Cablevison will turn around and sell its other assets. That might include the contracts with providers and subs. Or they might let them die. But what you post here will not affect that.

 

[gutter]

public records like 8k can and are often amended. It only says that once piece (so far) has ben purchased. Both companies have several companies within. so buying and selling between those entities is would not be uncommon. There is a sale of a satellite and an earth station. That is all we definetly know at this point. Everything is in the relm of possibilities.

 

[Peter Parker]

There is a requirement that an 8K be current accurate and complete at the time it is filed. Could another sale happen later? Yes. Is everything in this thread possible ---yes. But it is also sheer speculation. The fact that it COULD be true someday does not make it true now.


As for both companies having many divisions and subsidiaries I agree. But how exactly does that matter? Whoever sold the asset would have to file an 8K disclosing what was sold and to whom.

 

[NightRyder]

E* purchased exactly what made sense for them as a company. Could they purchase other parts of V*? It's always possible, but it is an EXTREMELY remote possibility. What few comments Charlie has made in regards to V* programming weren't enthusiastic. The cold hard reality is that E* isn't coming to the rescue, Voomers need to look elsewhere (Cablevision) for a potential savior.


NightRyder

 

[gutter]

I am not disagreeing. I am just sayng that there is creativity in business and Charlie Dolan has poven to be very creative in doing the new and impossible. Remember Everyone wrote off HBO as a joke. Now Dolan laughted all the way to the bank.

 

[Pepper]

Question: could the existing VOOM receivers, with a software upgrade, become Dish HD receivers? Just wondering if the hardware is compatible enough and whether, hardware-wise, a VOOM box is superior or inferior to a Dish 811.

I'm just theorizing, if a software upgrade is possible and done right, a swapover of the 61.5 content from VOOM to Dish HD could be almost painless for the existing VOOM customers, and they would only require addition of a Dish500 or SuperDish and appropriate switch to get the rest of the Dish content; likewise Dish HD customers who don't have 61.5 yet could just add the extra dish (and switch if necessary) to see the former VOOM stuff.

Of course I've seen nothing to indicate that the VOOM customers will become anything but former VOOM customers at some point.