Dish and DirecTV once again in talks despite antitrust.

[edisonprime]

And used real beef

I wouldn't say they don't use real beef now, just lower quality.

 

[Juan]

I wouldn't say they don't use real beef now, just lower quality.

Genetically modified for maximum production

 

[navychop]

Don’t I wish. There are no GMO cows. They might eat GMO feed though.

 

[AZ.]

if the merger does go through one word comes to my mind monopoly

Well kinda.....What do you think happened in the cable industry the last 30 years or more? Why is that any different?....Now I cant stand the power these greedy corporations have, but if 2 slowly dying companies need to merge to save themselves, fine with me.....look at the power in media that CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC, iHeartmedia?
And now they are doing it with local broadcasters!

 

[Bruce]

Well kinda.....What do you think happened in the cable industry the last 30 years or more? Why is that any different?....Now I cant stand the power these greedy corporations have, but if 2 slowly dying companies need to merge to save themselves, fine with me.....look at the power in media that CBS, NBC, FOX, ABC, iHeartmedia?

The problem is, even after merging, the company will still be dying, for example, if DirecTV loses 400,000 subs per quarter and Dish loses 100,000, how could a merged company stop those losses, it cannot, they will continue to lose subs at the same and increasing rates as broadband comes to more rural areas.

Also, which company needs this merger happen more then the other, Dish has newer equipment but older Satellites in orbit ( last launched in 2010, with a planned life span of 15 years) and no more planned.

DirecTV has older equipment, but they have newer Satellites in orbit ( launched in 2014, 2015 and 2019) and no more planned.

Lastly, what happens to Sling?

 

[charlesrshell]

Is the Hopper 3 16 tuner technology in the LNBs only or does it take something special from the satellites too?

 

[TheKrell]

Is the Hopper 3 16 tuner technology in the LNBs only or does it take something special from the satellites too?

It's all in the H3, or the Duo, or the Wally. Remember the existing satellites all still work with older receivers.

 

[charlesrshell]

It's all in the H3, or the Duo, or the Wally. Remember the existing satellites all still work with older receivers.

I figured that after I posted. It is in the newer LNBs too and the DPH 42 switch.

 

[edisonprime]

Genetically modified for maximum production

Still real beef, made from real cows. I really don't get all the bad press about GMOs. Feeding more people that way. Too many people follow what's trendy. There's no evidence that GMOs are any worse for you or that organic is any better. All it is is a biased press and a biased pop culture.

 

[SamCdbs]

The problem is, even after merging, the company will still be dying, for example, if DirecTV loses 400,000 subs per quarter and Dish loses 100,000, how could a merged company stop those losses, it cannot, they will continue to lose subs at the same and increasing rates as broadband comes to more rural areas.

That is an assumption.

First, true "cord cutters", which is to say people who do not watch linear TV at all, only free things and stuff like Netflix and Amazon Prime are a subset. Most people who thought about it and said, yes, I can just watch this type of programming, have made that move. Most people want linear TV.

Then we have the cord switchers, which is to say people that pay for internet, and then pay for linear TV via things like Sling or Hulu Plus Live TV or DirecTV Stream. Again, if that is for you, then you are already there.

OK, but there are people who cannot get that level of internet (and people who simply do not need it for any purpose other than TV streaming, most people don't play video games, the USPS will still deliver mail, banks still take checks, etc.) and most of those people live out where the only option is either some cable bandit that provides garbage level service, or none at all.

THAT remains a market. One for which DISH's from day one "its good enough, you really won't miss that content that much" marketing plan is perfect for.

 

[SamCdbs]

Still real beef, made from real cows. I really don't get all the bad press about GMOs. Feeding more people that way. Too many people follow what's trendy. There's no evidence that GMOs are any worse for you or that organic is any better. All it is is a biased press and a biased pop culture.

True. OT, but mankind has been modifying the genetics of plants and animals since the dawn of agriculture. Mainly because that is what the dawn of agriculture WAS. People that didn't pay attention in science nor history class are the natural prey of junk science trends.

 

[charlesrshell]

I am hoping with all the Internet TV providers that keep raising their prices will drive move folks back to DISH TV.

 

[Bruce]

I am hoping with all the Internet TV providers that keep raising their prices will drive move folks back to DISH TV.

What, did Dish have a price freeze that allowed Hulu Live/YTTV to catch up in pricing?

The biggest savings is no fees, while the price for Dish and YTTV is close, when you add in the boxes for Dish, that is when the price difference really appears, with just 6 boxes ( I have 11 TVs), that gets the price over $100, with 5 more boxes needed, that adds another $25.

 

[AZ.]

I am hoping with all the Internet TV providers that keep raising their prices will drive move folks back to DISH TV.

Well what will happen is all streaming services will go under, as every major network has their own platform and eventually will strangle the independent streamers....Might take years but why would NBC allow another to cash in on their product unless they get big money!

 

[NashGuy]

The problem is, even after merging, the company will still be dying, for example, if DirecTV loses 400,000 subs per quarter and Dish loses 100,000, how could a merged company stop those losses, it cannot, they will continue to lose subs at the same and increasing rates as broadband comes to more rural areas.

Also, which company needs this merger happen more then the other, Dish has newer equipment but older Satellites in orbit ( last launched in 2010, with a planned life span of 15 years) and no more planned.

DirecTV has older equipment, but they have newer Satellites in orbit ( launched in 2014, 2015 and 2019) and no more planned.

Lastly, what happens to Sling?

Exactly right. Satellite TV will continue to fade away over the course of this decade. That can't be stopped. But by joining forces, DISH and DTV can cut costs and eliminate their only remaining direct competitor (at least in those shrinking rural spots where satellite TV is the only option), thereby making the business as profitable as it can be as it slowly dies. They'll sell one brand (probably DISH, although possibly some new brand, e.g. "DishDirect") and all new customers will receive one set of hardware (DISH Hopper/Joey) with dishes pointed, if possible, at the DTV satellite fleet which has a longer expected lifespan and greater capacity.

But these businesses aren't remaining solely reliant on DBS distribution. DTV has DTV Stream, which is pretty much a full-fledged replacement of their original service, just delivered via streaming. And DISH has a low-cost streaming cable TV service in the form of Sling which sort of complements their original satellite service on the low end.

I would expect a merged DISH/DTV business to continue operating DTV Stream and Sling (in some form) in order to continue gaining business from the growing number of broadband-connected homes who aren't interested in satellite TV. DTV Stream has similar profit margins to the legacy satellite service even though the cost to consumers is somewhat lower (thanks to lower installation and hardware costs). So I can't see why they wouldn't want to keep offering something like that. Who knows if they'd keep DTV Stream and Sling separate or just combine them in one service/app, or how things would be branded. Maybe there would be one streaming service simply named DIRECTV and it would offer the same packages as the DISH satellite service? Maybe the Sling skinny packages become available as lower-cost alternative options on both the satellite and the streaming service (in addition to the "main" set of packages that include locals and a well-rounded group of national cable nets)?

I tend to think that the streaming cable TV service offered by a combined DISH/DTV still wouldn't be able to keep pace with, much less catch up with, the subscriber growth of the leaders in that space: YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV. And that's because those services are essentially small side businesses for their corporate owners, Google and Disney. They don't need their streaming cable TV businesses to bring in all that much additional profit, as long as they actually are profitable and help support their bigger corporate goals (e.g. increased ad revenue for Google; the growth of Hulu and Disney+ for Disney). Meanwhile, DTV needs DTV Stream to be as profitable for them (or nearly so) as their legacy satellite TV service. Otherwise, they risk luring away lots of their more profitable satellite customers and converting them into low-profit streaming customers.

 

[Juan]

Still real beef, made from real cows. I really don't get all the bad press about GMOs. Feeding more people that way. Too many people follow what's trendy. There's no evidence that GMOs are any worse for you or that organic is any better. All it is is a biased press and a biased pop culture.

Ground up scraps reconstituted into hamburgers

 

[edisonprime]

Ground up scraps reconstituted into hamburgers

Why I agree that it's not as high quality meat (and my reasons don't include them being GMOs), but it's still meat regardless.

 

[Juan]

Why I agree that it's not as high quality meat (and my reasons don't include them being GMOs), but it's still meat regardless.

I good hooked on higher quality scraps at 5guys

 

[edisonprime]

I good hooked on higher quality scraps at 5guys

I never said that some other places don't have higher quality meat. But I'm sure some of those places still use GMOs. I've also eaten at an organic restaurant once and their food tasted like crap. Now I'm sure that much organic food tastes great, but it's not universal.

 

[SandFarmer]

Over the past few weeks most all the Tech Financial Analysts say d¡sh and Direct will merge.