Interesting story out just now that indicates that Echostar (aka Dish Network) has just reached a settlement with ABC, NBC, and CBS networks on their issues with satellite rebroadcast of network stations in certain local areas. Coincidentally though, they aren't able to resolve their differences with Rupert Murdoch's Fox Network.
HMMM!!! I wonder why? The following article neglects to mention that Rupert Murdoch's Newscorp ALSO owns Dish Network's competitor DirecTV, which of course would gain if more people dropped Dish Network subscriptions. This is what these cross ownership monopolies that are allowed to happen buy us folks!
Dish Network ia also currently under assault by Tivo, which previously had a large ownership stake by Newscorp earlier when they built a big partnership and resold a lot of Tivos to DirectTV subscribers. Now, DirecTV's sold off their positions in Tivo, even though Tivo now is still very dependent on revenue from DirecTV receivers that are Tivo based which account for about half of it's revenue/sales. Tivo has sued Dish Network for patent infringements with its DVRs but conveniently look the other way when DirecTV's newer strategic and owned partner NDS builds other DVRs for DirecTV.
Just a few weeks earlier, Murdoch had been floating rumors of trying to have DirecTV buy out Dish Network. Those seem to have died down, but it doesn't appear that his desire to kill off his competition to build a monopoly in satellite communications has.
From:
http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1156855192375EchoStar Reaches $100M Settlement With Network Affiliates
Sandy Shore
The Associated Press
August 30, 2006
Satellite TV provider EchoStar Communications Corp. said Monday it has reached a $100 million settlement with affiliate associations of three major networks over distant-programming service but has been unable to resolve differences with Fox Network.
The agreement could end a nine-year lawsuit over the Dish Network operator's practice of selling programming from ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox stations that originates in one market to subscribers who live in a different city. It still must be approved by a judge in Florida, where the suit is pending.
EchoStar said it will pay the affiliate associations $100 million to protect subscribers from the shutoff of distant channels and expand the number of markets in which it offers local network services from 165 to 175 by the end of the year.
EchoStar, the nation's second-largest satellite TV operator, said Fox Network representing 25 Fox owned-and-operated stations pulled out of the universal settlement last week.
"Though unlikely, it is possible Fox's last-minute tactic could derail the entire settlement and force EchoStar to seek legislation to protect its subscribers from disruption," the company said in a statement.
EchoStar spokeswoman Kathie Gonzalez declined comment on the status of negotiations with Fox, but Andrew Butcher, a spokesman for Fox's parent, Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., said there are no ongoing discussions.
"We have no interest in settling with EchoStar," he said. "We've achieved a complete victory in the courts. Parties that win don't normally settle."
...
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
