Don’t Bet Just Yet On A Dish Network-DirecTV Merger, Analysts Warn

[dfergie]

That’s still the main concern: “The question isn’t whether or not to try, it is whether or not to try now,” MoffettNathanson Research’s Craig Moffett says. “Logic would dictate that the chances of a successful merger attempt would be higher under a Republican administration. The companies would therefore presumably be loath to try now if their odds might materially improve in 2016.” In addition to a change in Washington, the analyst says that regulators would have to look at Dish and DirecTV differently. If they’re still perceived primarily as providers of pay TV then a deal “would stand little chance of success” because it would reduce the number of competitors in many markets from three (including cable) to two — or to one in rural communities without cable. But if the companies argue that together they could create a broadband alternative to cable then “they wouldn’t be reducing the number of competitors from three to two, they would be increasing the number of competitors from one to two.”

deadline.com

Note: Will merge with the main thread later, didn't want this to be lost in the static...

 

[JSheridan]

Thanks. And there is a lot of 'static' (and other things) in the other thread.

 

[DishSubLA]

This Administration hasn't seen a MEDIA merger it hasn't liked. Further, this Administration's "Hands off" FCC refuses to rule either Verizon's fiber network nor cable co's. ISP services as Common Carrier. Oh, and as a coincidence, signs are that this Administration is likely to approve the obscene TWC/Comcast merger. While a cell phone merger was nixed, it is probably because they didn't contribute as much as the media companies.

 

[Tampa8]

Contribute is a nice way of saying that.