Archive for the 'Satellite TV' Category

Did DIRECTV Try to Buy TiVo?

Friday, April 8th, 2005

Did DIRECTV Try to Buy TiVo?

A little over a year ago, the DIRECTV-TiVo relationship seemed to be a perfect marriage.

The satellite TV provider was using the Digital Video Recording service to attract new subscribers, particularly among early adopters of new technology.

TiVo, which had struggled to persuade VCR owners to try the new technology, could count […]

Under New Chief, F.C.C. Considers Widening Its Reach

Monday, March 28th, 2005

Under New Chief, F.C.C. Considers Widening Its Reach (NY Times, free reg. req’d)

[…] Some senior lawmakers, including Senator Ted Stevens, the Alaskan Republican who is the leader of the Commerce Committee, as well as Kevin J. Martin, the new chairman of the commission, have suggested it may be time to extend the indecency and profanity […]

Ten Sports signs a major deal with DirecTV

Friday, March 25th, 2005

Ten Sports signs a major deal with DirecTV

Ten Sports, the world’s number one sports channel for South Asians, today announced an agreement with DIRECTV, the leading and fastest-growing digital television service provider in the United States, to offer live action from each and every international cricket match played in Sri Lanka till 2008.

Beginning with three […]

DIRECTV Not Likely to Add HDTV Soon

Friday, March 25th, 2005

DIRECTV Not Likely to Add HDTV Soon

DIRECTV is currently running a TV commercial promoting its plan to offer up to 1,500 High-Definition TV channels. However, if you’re a current subscriber, it may be awhile before you see any additions to the DIRECTV HD lineup.

DIRECTV now carries seven national HDTV channels, in addition to high-def feeds […]

Mercedes-Benz USA Previews Its New M-Class on DISH Network

Thursday, March 17th, 2005

Mercedes-Benz USA Previews Its New M-Class on DISH Network

Mercedes-Benz USA is giving the 10 million interactive TV subscribers of EchoStar Communications Corporation’s DISH Network satellite TV an advanced “all-access pass” to experience and experiment with the new generation M-Class through an innovative interactive advertising campaign beginning this week and running through March, 2005.

The Potential Conundrum of Regulating Pay-TV

Wednesday, March 16th, 2005

The Potential Conundrum of Regulating Pay-TV

In last week’s column, I argued the merits (or rather the lack thereof) of extending decency regulations to cable and satellite TV. This week, I’ll point out just how much of a quagmire this would actually be and how difficult it would be to implement, regardless of the merits.

Regulating cable […]

DirecTV Increases Credit Line

Wednesday, March 16th, 2005

Los Angeles Business Journal Online

DirecTV Group Inc., said two of its units will take out a new $2 billion secured credit line and will sell nearly $500 million in unsecured bonds to pay off the units’ $1.26 billion credit line and to repay an $875 million promissory note owed to the parent company. The units, […]

TiVo investors give standing ovation to Comcast deal

Wednesday, March 16th, 2005

TiVo investors give standing ovation to Comcast deal

Investors sent TiVo (TIVO) shares soaring 75% to $6.70 Tuesday after the digital video recorder pioneer unveiled its first deal to provide its widely praised television-recording service to a major cable operator.

Comcast (CMCSA), which has 21.5 million basic subscribers, agreed to offer TiVo’s software and programming guide as […]

Does anyone want TiVo?

Wednesday, March 9th, 2005

Does anyone want TiVo?

Shares of TiVo have surged nearly 20 percent in the past month. But some analysts think investors need to hit the rewind button on the stock.

TiVo, the company that popularized digital video recording technology, has never reported a profit and analysts are forecasting a loss of 43 cents a share in its […]

DirecTV Exec Steps Down

Tuesday, March 8th, 2005

DirecTV Exec Steps Down

The president of DirecTV abruptly resigned Monday, a little more than a year after he was handpicked for the job by News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch in the wake of his takeover of the satellite TV leader.

DirecTV executives said no replacement would be named for Mitchell Stern, who had been commuting weekly […]