VOOM Goes BOOM - update Dish Drops all 15 VOOM Channels

[Kevinw]

I reduced my programing today by about $50. It's hard to understand why anyone would stick with Dish. They have fewer HD channels, (about 20) cost more money ($20 more for the same package I get), and (according to what I am now seeing on the AVS forums) more compressed.

The only reason to stick around now is because of the DVR.

It is not all the same circimstances for everyone.
I have 4HD tvs and 2 sd TVs. They are all fed by 2 622's.
Each 622 has a primary HD and a slaved Hd as well as the 2nd tuner going to an SD tv. The cost would be outrageous for me to lease/purchase that many receivers.

 

[lern4483]

Mine is a different story.

I have dish and direc tv. My house is wired for both. Yes my main unit is dish network.
After their massive purge of my favorite voom channels they have become expendable.

I have never had an intention of getting rid of dish. I recently upgraded from the 622 to the 722 so I can record more.

I am very dissapointed and outraged that a reputable company would cut 15 channels without blinking an eye. Its deplorable!!!

I also will not be placated by their inferior replacements or a 10 dollar 6 month discount-That just insults my intellegence.

Dish will be going away themselves. By no means am I saying direc is better.
But as a good paying consumer who has the top tier dish service my voice will be heard.

Yes, its just tv. Will it change my life? No. But it is a service a pay with my hardworking money.
I want the best possible service and be treated to the best possible enetertainment.

 

[kvnfl]

I reduced my programing today by about $50. It's hard to understand why anyone would stick with Dish. They have fewer HD channels, (about 20) cost more money ($20 more for the same package I get), and (according to what I am now seeing on the AVS forums) more compressed.

The only reason to stick around now is because of the DVR.

How does your DVR to do list look without VOOM? Mine is barren. What good is an HD DVR without HD programming to record?

Dish is going to bleed subscribers over the net 12-18 months. Fox and Tivo will own a large part of Dish. Dish Ultimate is dead, so those that are contracted to stay will save $10 a month, or Dish will lose $10 a month in revenue from many subscribers. Dish is toast IMHO.

 

[lern4483]

How does your DVR to do list look without VOOM? Mine is barren. What good is an HD DVR without HD programming to record?

Dish is going to bleed subscribers over the net 12-18 months. Fox and Tivo will own a large part of Dish. Dish Ultimate is dead, so those that are contracted to stay will save $10 a month, or Dish will lose $10 a month in revenue from many subscribers. Dish is toast IMHO.

Im sorry to say I agree with you. Bu to me there is a slim chance we might see these voom channels back.

No rumor-just a gut feeling.
Thats why Im still with dish-not for long.

I remember not too long ago Charlie pulled this crap with liftime. He pulled it because of a contract dispute. It came back. So maybe this is jusy one of his childish tantrums.

 

[Sean Mota]

2008 Team Summit. A picture says it all.

 

[charlesrshell]

Yehaa, are they coming back?

 

[Ronnie-]

I would GUESS that they simply had that printed before the pulled them off

 

[tigerfan33]

I would GUESS that they simply had that printed before the pulled them off

I smell another lawsuit.

 

[kvnfl]

I smell another lawsuit.

That would be a refreshing change.

 

[fat cat]

I happened to be walking by ...

First I want to make clear that I’m not an insider and do not have inside information, nor do I have a financial position in EchoStar.

Based purely on observation, the following conclusions have become obvious.
EchoStar’s removal of the VOOM channels had nothing to do with bandwidth.
As many have observed and then stated. For a period of time all of the channels were available simultaneously.
This then brings us to the supposition that the breach of contract on VOOM’s part is what lead to the removal of their programming on EchoStar’s network.
Reading of court documents and press releases clearly shows that VOOM did not spend the amount of money stipulated in the contract with EchoStar.
But EchoStar’s request of remedy was not for VOOM to meet the contractual requirements, it was for VOOM to accept a tiered packaging of their channels.
VOOM apparently rejected this, stating that EchoStar’s offer was in breach of the contract.
This gives us some insight as to what is going on behind the scenes. It is more likely that EchoStar ‘s motivation lies in a leverage position.

The question of corporate decision-making, specifically CEO Charles Ergen, has been repeated often in this thread.
It is crucial and cannot be forgotten that the corporate hierarchy has a fiduciary to their stockholders, and not to their customers.

The questions that need to be asked are;
1) Did the decision benefit the share holders?
2) Can a business who stock is tumbling afford to lose customers?
And most importantly,
3) Should management be replaced for their flagrant display of utter incompetence?

I want to conclude with this thought.

For those who want the Voom channels returned, take your fight to two fronts.
The shareholders and the court case, MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD.

For those who do not want the Voom channels returned, in effect, wanting to limit our freedom of choice.
Why would you do that? What is you motive?

 

[riffjim4069]

Fat Cat...VOOM said repeatedly that they met all spending requirements for year 2006 (the year in dispute), which according to VOOM, spent 102.9 million...even though they were only required to spend 82 million based on a prorated formula. Take a look at the court documents I posted...I am current on my PDA and can't post a link.

 

[mdonnelly]

Fat Cat...VOOM said repeatedly that they met all spending requirements for year 2006 (the year in dispute), which according to VOOM, spent 102.9 million...even though they were only required to spend 82 million based on a prorated formula. Take a look at the court documents I posted...I am current on my PDA and can't post a link.

Probably they met the spending requirement by giving Jimmy Dolan a $100 million bonus check, $2 million on overhead, and $0.9 million on programming.

 

[ChuckKramer]

Where's My VOOM???

I like 'Fat Cat's' grasp of the DishNetwork v. Voom issue. I am a long time Dish Network subscriber - but not now for long!, unless Mr.Ergen brings back the VOOM Networks. I gave up on 'cable' long time ago cause they were always 'Changing' their programming. Regardless of who is right/wrong in this legal frakous - once again, it's the customers(end users) that get the shaft! Seems most of this travesty is deceptive practice and extortion by DISH Network - dropping VOOM and still charging the customer the same rate!, or likely repositioning VOOM in a higher tier package and raising the rate! either is criminal in my book. 22 New channels - my foot! Merely 'digitizing (HD)' existing channels per the government mandate and calling them New Channels - what BS. Turns out DISH Network ain't NO Better than the next mongul in the pack! Can some one tell me where I can find what provider to get the VOOM Channels???

 

[Peter Parker]

Fat Cat...VOOM said repeatedly that they met all spending requirements for year 2006 (the year in dispute), which according to VOOM, spent 102.9 million...even though they were only required to spend 82 million based on a prorated formula. Take a look at the court documents I posted...I am current on my PDA and can't post a link.

We will see but I still don't see how you think you can prorate it if the agrement was based on 15 channels. BTW VOOM DOES argue that they met the spending requirement and they do this by adding indirect expenses to the amount. The court rejected that idea when rejecting the preliminary injunction. I know you want VOOM back and at a certain level I doas well. But you can't just spin the facts ona message board and get a favorable outcome.


It does not look good to get added back via legal means but they just might get there by negotiations. Personally I hope that is what is going on now. I don't always approve of ergen's tactics but he has never been afraid to see channels dripped for awhile because he thought it would help his negotiating position. Again not sure that hit really does that but it does fit his pattern and I hope that is what thsi si.

 

[Mr Tony]

good lord Scott's drunk

 

[grodd]

good lord Scott's drunk

It's the new Team Summit drinking game. Everytime someone says VOOM, take a shot.

 

[mike123abc]

Fat Cat...VOOM said repeatedly that they met all spending requirements for year 2006 (the year in dispute), which according to VOOM, spent 102.9 million...even though they were only required to spend 82 million based on a prorated formula. Take a look at the court documents I posted...I am current on my PDA and can't post a link.

VOOM says that, Dish countered that they did not. VOOM asked for a restraining order to keep Dish in the contract. The Judge ruled that a restraining order would not be granted because VOOM did not prove the merits of their case sufficiently to show they had a resonable chance to win at a trial.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-network-forum/134400-now-here-read.html

Because VOOM failed to demonstrate a likelihood of success on the merits, it is unnecessary to address a balancing of the equities

 

[nlk10010]

Any time a contract stipulates a certain amount of spending "on xxxxx" you are in for a s**tload of trouble because, eventually, the accountants and mathematicians are going to have to get involved. And you know how exciting they are.

 

[denisincalif]

It really doesn't look like Dish cares

Im sorry to say I agree with you. Bu to me there is a slim chance we might see these voom channels back.

No rumor-just a gut feeling.
Thats why Im still with dish-not for long.

I remember not too long ago Charlie pulled this crap with liftime. He pulled it because of a contract dispute. It came back. So maybe this is jusy one of his childish tantrums.

I hope you're right, but I have my doubts. Several people in this and other threads have suggested that we all call Dish to complain about Voom. I figured I might as well do it---I've got nothing to lose. I talked to a CSR with a clear Indian accent named "Susanna". She had never heard of Voom. It took me several tries to get across to her that Dish had discontinued 15 all-HD channels that I liked. She kept thinking I needed technical support to help me get those channels back. I wish! Finally, she put me on hold to go find out about the Voom situation. When she came back she started reading from a script which said that some low-performing channels were dropped to make room for wonderful new channels. I told her what I thought of the quality of those new channels. I was polite but extremely harsh. When she started reading from the script again at the beginning I cut her off and asked her to please pass my complaint up the line. Her response was silence. When I asked her a second time to pass my complaint on, she started reading her script for the third time!

Maybe some people's complaints will be heard. And maybe Dish is tracking the negative response to dropping Voom. But I am pretty sure my complaint will not contribute to any statistics they may be gathering.

 

[VaberMan]

(Mike) - 05/16/2008 08:00 AM
Dish dropped the Voom channels. Should Direct decide to add these channels I will switch in a New Your minute. Just thought you should know there are many who feel this way.

Discussion Thread
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Response (Anthony D. - 100134632) - 05/16/2008 08:53 AM
Dear Mr. Weber,
Thank you for your interest in DIRECTV! We have some exciting new offers that make it one of the best times to sign up for DIRECTV.

We don't carry Voom channel right now and we don't currently have plans to add it to our lineup.

In addition, whenever we add channels to our lineup, we release a statement to the press, so keep an eye on the news to find out about the newest channels or visit our web site at directv.com/pr.

We love to welcome new customers, so if you are interested in ordering DIRECTV today, please visit directv.com/getdirectv where you will find all of the information you need to start enjoying our service.
Sincerely,
Anthony D.
Employee ID 100134632
DIRECTV Customer Service