DirecTV Gearing Up For New Initiatives

[Sean Mota]

In a review of the cable and satellite TV sector, Merrill Lynch maintained a "neutral" rating on DirecTV (nyse: DTV - news - people ) and said it expects "continued high spending" from the satellite TV provider. The research firm said DirecTV is gearing up for new initiatives and an anticipated slow down of net subscribers. "Cable is clearly becoming more aggressive with the rollout of digital products (including DVRs, HD and robust on-demand programming offerings), improved high-speed data offerings and phone service via VoIP," said Merrill Lynch. The firm highlighted DirecTV's recent complaint filed against pay-per-view service In Demand as an example of increasing competition between cable and satellite providers. In Demand is owned by Comcast (nasdaq: CMCSA - news - people ), Time Warner (nyse: TWX - news - people ) and Cox Communications. "DirecTV accuses In Demand of establishing an illegal pricing structure for its two high definition channels, INHD and INHD2, that favors cable over satellite. In Demand charges a fee based on the number of digital subscribers an operator has. Since all satellite customers are digital, DirecTV believes this pricing structure is unfair," said Merrill Lynch. "This dispute is the latest example of cable and satellite fighting over content to gain a competitive advantage in winning more customers."

Source

 

[cobra55]

In a review of the cable and satellite TV sector, Merrill Lynch maintained a "neutral" rating on DirecTV (nyse: DTV - news - people ) and said it expects "continued high spending" from the satellite TV provider. The research firm said DirecTV is gearing up for new initiatives and an anticipated slow down of net subscribers. "Cable is clearly becoming more aggressive with the rollout of digital products (including DVRs, HD and robust on-demand programming offerings), improved high-speed data offerings and phone service via VoIP," said Merrill Lynch. The firm highlighted DirecTV's recent complaint filed against pay-per-view service In Demand as an example of increasing competition between cable and satellite providers. In Demand is owned by Comcast (nasdaq: CMCSA - news - people ), Time Warner (nyse: TWX - news - people ) and Cox Communications. "DirecTV accuses In Demand of establishing an illegal pricing structure for its two high definition channels, INHD and INHD2, that favors cable over satellite. In Demand charges a fee based on the number of digital subscribers an operator has. Since all satellite customers are digital, DirecTV believes this pricing structure is unfair," said Merrill Lynch. "This dispute is the latest example of cable and satellite fighting over content to gain a competitive advantage in winning more customers."

Source

did i miss something here,what are the initiatives?

 

[boba]

In todays Dallas Morning News Comcast had an ad for Digital Cable HBO & Showtime for $29.95 for 12 months. A few pages later there was a Directv Ad it advertised "Directv our picture is better than CABLE" If this is Directv's initiative they need to say more than our PICTURE IS BETTER. Digital Cable programming with HBO and Showtime for 12 months for $29.95 is going to turn some heads.

 

[Sean Mota]

did i miss something here,what are the initiatives?

We will have to wait and see what those initiatives are but wouldn't be surprised if they are the ones that are being discussed in the D* forum already.

 

[sateck01]

question for you guys,

initiatives?

rupert is not charlie, as far as rupert is concerned, the new items are as we release them.

k.rupert murdock will not go on tv and become the spectacle that charlie has become.

he wont answer the insipid questions , that beg for free equipment.

the plan is, blast up the baddest sats in the sky to provide you the best entertainment value .

rupert never mentioned (d)(v)oom , and charlie bought the sat and some of the programming.

voom WILL be buried by the fox studios as per HD

rupert knew voom was going no where.

 

[ocnier]

Wow, that pretty much sums it up in a way. Still it wouldn't hurt ole rup' to adverstise every once in while.

 

[Sean Mota]

First thing D* needs to do before burying anybody is to get out of the HD Lite train... Once they provide TRUE HD then they can start burying the opposition....

 

[hahler2]

By the sounds of it they are going to get rid of the HD Lite when the new satellites come on. At least, I hope they do anyway.