DirecTV Dish Merger ?

[dare2be]

To stay in business, Dish and DirectTV need to begin to position themselves to compete.

True, but a merger between the two is only delaying the inevitable.

 

[Neutron]

Each service has its pluses and minuses. I liked DISH but didn't like the fact that to get locals in HD I had to "move" to the neighboring DMA to get those locals. I also didn't like the bill creep after the 1st year. Yes I know both services will do that but the channels we like Directv has them in the lower tier package vs what DISH has.

 

[KAB]

Honestly I hope if this were to ever happen that the dish side would have most of the control over hardware.

No argument, here.

 

[whitewolf8214]

Ergen's DISH Forges Ahead Despite Setbacks http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/08/08/ergens-dish-forges-ahead-despite-setbacks.aspx

 

[DishSubLA]

True, but a merger between the two is only delaying the inevitable.

Not necessarily. With the savings and combined sat slots, a new DirctDish could focus on building a real satellite broadband ISP that would be truly competitive with cable and others without the silly data caps and expense of today's sat ISP's. Obama wants broadband everywhere, in fact, that could be an agreed condition, and the FCC could work to allow Ka or other approved uses in slots currently DBS, or even leveraging Echostar capacity that, today, sits unused. A western and eastern arc could be formed, solely for sat ISP. This would put the sat companies with a much brighter future while they also nail down TV everywhere or mobile TV service that Charlie sees as the future. It is just extremely challenging with greater risk of failure to either to go it alone. A don't like mergers, but since our govt. has allowed obscene mergers of media companies, the most recent being Comcast NBC/Universal, I am stuck supporting a Dish/DirecTV merger because, as you've stated, the "inevitable" is around the corner for sat, the result would be LESS competition as each of the two would eventually shrink to not being competitive. A merger would be about INCREASING competition, especially providing confidence to spend the $$$ for enhanced sat ISP, and the internet via sat tech is getting better and more amazing all the time.

 

[DishSubLA]

IN 2002 they planned to keep the DIRECTV name for the new combined company but Charlie Ergen would run the new company. I could see them using the same name , but I don't know if they would let Ergen run the new company now.

Ergen would not want to run the TV side of it anyway. Mike White is doing an excellent job with DirecTV, and Charlie knows it. Ecnhostar would remain Ergan's and his domian, however, Malone would most likely agree, and I believe Ergen would want it this way as well , for Charlie to continue focusing on the future of wireless TV and bring his sat ISP at Echostar to more fully partner with the new merged Dish/DirecTV. Both companies could invest in the wireless TV venture (Ergan brings along his spectrum) and Sat ISP expansion to bring it to a level truly competitive with cable, thus betting on being major ISP as a bet against their TV losses. Essentially, Ergan gets a seat and a lot voting power on the board of the new Dish/DirecTV, but it will be Malone's. That's fine, because Charlie will have Echostar to run or exercise his need to micromanage. He gets the best of both worlds. The new Dish/DirecTV becomes quite dependent on Echostar, just the way Charlie would want it.

For what it's worth: Dish, for once, out marketed DirecTV, the long time KING of marketing. Joe Clayton deserves credit for that. He was right. The Hopper was marketed far better than the Genie (a name adopted ONLY after Dish ditched the model number in favor of a marketable name). Frankly, Genie is not as clever a name as The Hopper (I admit, I didn't like at first, but people LOVE say the word "Hopper") and the Boston family ads were the best Dish every paid for (and the MOST they ever paid for). It is somewhat surprising to see such poor marketing from DirecTV for The Genie. I think Charlie would find a place for Joe at Echostar, if Joe were interested. Maybe they would keep the DircTV name, as the brand has been masterfully marketed, but they really should keep the Hopper moniker for the flagship whole-home DVR.

 

[Laddyboy]

Ergen would not want to run the TV side of it anyway. Mike White is doing an excellent job with DirecTV, and Charlie knows it. Ecnhostar would remain Ergan's and his domian, however, Malone would most likely agree, and I believe Ergen would want it this way as well , for Charlie to continue focusing on the future of wireless TV and bring his sat ISP at Echostar to more fully partner with the new merged Dish/DirecTV. Both companies could invest in the wireless TV venture (Ergan brings along his spectrum) and Sat ISP expansion to bring it to a level truly competitive with cable, thus betting on being major ISP as a bet against their TV losses. Essentially, Ergan gets a seat and a lot voting power on the board of the new Dish/DirecTV, but it will be Malone's. That's fine, because Charlie will have Echostar to run or exercise his need to micromanage. He gets the best of both worlds. The new Dish/DirecTV becomes quite dependent on Echostar, just the way Charlie would want it.

For what it's worth: Dish, for once, out marketed DirecTV, the long time KING of marketing. Joe Clayton deserves credit for that. He was right. The Hopper was marketed far better than the Genie (a name adopted ONLY after Dish ditched the model number in favor of a marketable name). Frankly, Genie is not as clever a name as The Hopper (I admit, I didn't like at first, but people LOVE say the word "Hopper") and the Boston family ads were the best Dish every paid for (and the MOST they ever paid for). It is somewhat surprising to see such poor marketing from DirecTV for The Genie. I think Charlie would find a place for Joe at Echostar, if Joe were interested. Maybe they would keep the DircTV name, as the brand has been masterfully marketed, but they really should keep the Hopper moniker for the flagship whole-home DVR.

I can't imagine the price increases that subs would face with no competition in the rural areas from other providers.

 

[MikeD-C05]

I can't imagine the price increases that subs would face with no competition in the rural areas from other providers.

I would bet we would see the prices continue to go up even if the new combined satellite company had more bargaining power with all its combined subscribers. The company would get a better rate for channels like Espn and CBS etc, but we the subs would still pay the higher prices. Especially since Directv has all the extra sports channels and Nfl Sunday ticket to pay for. Former DISH subs would see their bills go up for basic programming.

 

[navychop]

DishSuA- why do you even mention Malone anymore? He's gone/has no say, just opinions.

Sent from my iPhone using SatelliteGuys

 

[dare2be]

Latency will always be a problem with Sat internet, no way around it. If the companies/merged company can't get into terrestrial wired/wireless, then, like I said, just delaying the inevitable.