I wonder how this will affect DirecTV's future plans.
http://www2.variety.com/ref.asp?u=drud&p=lm1n&sid=VR1117950090
http://www2.variety.com/ref.asp?u=drud&p=lm1n&sid=VR1117950090
Rupert Murdoch looking to sell DirecTV?
- Thread starter jrskelly
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Posted here as well, maybe they well get merged and continue the discussion here in the DirecTV threads.
http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=76796
http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=76796
From Multichannel News:
Murdoch to Hand DirecTV to Malone?
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By Steve Donohue 9/14/2006 7:30:00 PMIt may sound a bit far-fetched, but CNBC ace David Faber reported late Thursday that News Corp. is holding talks with John Malone’s Liberty Media that could result in Malone taking control of DirecTV in exchange for Liberty’s $10 billion stake in News Corp.
“The on-again, off-again talks have picked up significant momentum of late, according to people familiar with the situation. And the possibility of a tax-free exchange of News Corp.’s DirecTV stake for Liberty’s roughly $10 billion voting and nonvoting stake in News Corp. is under consideration,” Faber told viewers.
Although Murdoch has long sought to control the top direct-broadcast satellite platform on every continent -- News Corp. owns British Sky Broadcasting Group in the United Kingdom, Foxtel in Australia and Star TV in Asia -- Faber said the media mogul is frustrated at DirecTV’s lack of a high-speed-Internet product to compete against rivals such as Comcast and Verizon Communications.
“Murdoch pursued DirecTV for years but has lately soured somewhat on the asset, calling it a ‘turd bird,’” Faber said.
Liberty declined to comment, while News Corp. representatives couldn’t be reached by deadline.
Murdoch to Hand DirecTV to Malone?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Steve Donohue 9/14/2006 7:30:00 PMIt may sound a bit far-fetched, but CNBC ace David Faber reported late Thursday that News Corp. is holding talks with John Malone’s Liberty Media that could result in Malone taking control of DirecTV in exchange for Liberty’s $10 billion stake in News Corp.
“The on-again, off-again talks have picked up significant momentum of late, according to people familiar with the situation. And the possibility of a tax-free exchange of News Corp.’s DirecTV stake for Liberty’s roughly $10 billion voting and nonvoting stake in News Corp. is under consideration,” Faber told viewers.
Although Murdoch has long sought to control the top direct-broadcast satellite platform on every continent -- News Corp. owns British Sky Broadcasting Group in the United Kingdom, Foxtel in Australia and Star TV in Asia -- Faber said the media mogul is frustrated at DirecTV’s lack of a high-speed-Internet product to compete against rivals such as Comcast and Verizon Communications.
“Murdoch pursued DirecTV for years but has lately soured somewhat on the asset, calling it a ‘turd bird,’” Faber said.
Liberty declined to comment, while News Corp. representatives couldn’t be reached by deadline.
Great. He comes in for a few years and just completely wrecks Directv. He cuts TIVO loose and we end up with no new MPEG4 HDDVR for over a year. Now he serves up the wonderful in-house HR20 with its bugs and missing features.
Hopefully Liberty would be an upgrade and they could beg TIVO to come up with an upgrade to the HR10 thats faster and does MPEG4. That's all we need. They can shove the VOD features of the HR20.
Good Riddance!
Hopefully Liberty would be an upgrade and they could beg TIVO to come up with an upgrade to the HR10 thats faster and does MPEG4. That's all we need. They can shove the VOD features of the HR20.
Good Riddance!
I wont miss News. I really do think D* was well run under GM. Hard to believe but that Hughes group was innovative and was really the customer service group.
I agree with you General. I hope he sells Directv to someone that wants it. Ever since News Corp. took over D* has gone downhill. The only reason I keep D* is Sunday Ticket and Mega March Madness. I will probably switch to Dish, but still keep D*'s basic package for those two sports packages.
I'm locked in because DISH doesn't carry YES.
I waited two long years over at DISH for them to carry the channel and finally switched to Directv. The initial experience was great with an HDTIVO and a regular TIVO.
The new in house boxes that Direct is putting out are like the old boxes DISH used to put out. Buggy.
I hope the relationship with TIVO can be restored and the customer service and dedication to being the top service provider (i.e HDTV programming) restored.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
I waited two long years over at DISH for them to carry the channel and finally switched to Directv. The initial experience was great with an HDTIVO and a regular TIVO.
The new in house boxes that Direct is putting out are like the old boxes DISH used to put out. Buggy.
I hope the relationship with TIVO can be restored and the customer service and dedication to being the top service provider (i.e HDTV programming) restored.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
vurbano said:
Malone and liberty corp will not be good either for HD subs. They are the ones who came up with the idea that there was no difference between "High Resolution" movies and "HD movies". There are still "high Resolution" movies on Starz HD. I do not think Malone/Liberty care about HD and that is where the future of TV is heading.
I find it funny that they quoted Rupert saying this:
Murdoch has been bad for D* — HNS did a better job running the company — but Liberty might be worse — looking to bleed off the company to keep it from competing with cable.
Hard to say is this is good news or bad.
Hard to say is this is good news or bad.
Sean Mota said:
Its OK, Verison workers are on the entrance street to my subdivision. I may just go hand them a beer.
Maybe they are still in shock. Maybe somebody up there doesn't love them?
Maybe this will all lead in a few years to the big merger with Dish someday. By then there will be more competition from the telecos and cable and other technologies by then they will make it possible. Satellite's future is limited unless they can come up with a triple play in broadband /phone/video. ON the other hand the new mpeg 4 encoders that are coming up soon will offer them more bandwith possibilites that can improve the picture quality HOPEFULLY.
I wonder where both Dish and Directv will be in 4 years?
Maybe this will all lead in a few years to the big merger with Dish someday. By then there will be more competition from the telecos and cable and other technologies by then they will make it possible. Satellite's future is limited unless they can come up with a triple play in broadband /phone/video. ON the other hand the new mpeg 4 encoders that are coming up soon will offer them more bandwith possibilites that can improve the picture quality HOPEFULLY.
I wonder where both Dish and Directv will be in 4 years?
vurbano said:
Just curious where it says ANY of this speculation will change the upcoming plan for HD. As A matter of fact, it was confirmed on the conference call this week.
So, if you take this as apologizing (because some billionaire opens his yap), so be it. I just want YOU to tell me what anything Murdoch said has changed the plan?
Reading back my own posts of the past 6 months, I see that I have said OVER and OVER that I accept the HD rollout plan (is that apologizing?). Rather, it is a happy D* customer (watching NFLST SF), getting HD lils and HD RSN, and NOT missing for 1 second VOOM, or HGTV-HD, or NGC-HD. Is that so hard for you to believe?
BTW, my HR20 works great - where are ALL the posters who said not until winter, not until next year, etc? Seems that they have ALL stopped talking while they are eating their own words.
I'm with you there. Don't have any problem what so ever with the "plans". Wasn't the object all along to have the LOL 1500 or what ever the number was and the ability to carry 150 National channels after all the birds are up and running? If it's a year away, fine, if it's 2 then ok. It's called planning for the future. You guys with your got to have whatever is there now attitudes are not looking at the big picture. There still are not enough subs, percentage wise to get all in a fuss about HD now. 2 to 3 years down the road, yup that's when your gonna find out who won this war. Any of you ever work for a big company? Company line is usually spin, you don't think that the NFL Dish markeiting plan is spin? Or funny for that matter? The guy has a great job, he is making mucho and going home everyday enjoying the executive life, stupid guy hugh? Clueless hugh? Priorities boys!
Malone was the one that used to head TCI Cable and and most of the times they kept jacking the rates up and make little improvements to the systems. I think with them in control, Direct will be a lot slower in introducing new HD channels.
Sean Mota said:
ScoBuck said:
Rupert wants to sell because he feels its not going to be any more profitable than it is right now. He feels its downhill from here and has called his D* venture a "Turd Bird". That was the point. Also, things will change with Malone at the helm as Sean has pointed out.
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