Dish to buy DirectTV (1 Viewer)

[GaryFoster]

Well, you don't need to wonder which sat TV stuff to buy anymore. GM has agreed to sell DirectTV to EchoStar!
http://www.salon.com/business/wire/2...ell/index.html

 

[Gregg Loewen]

I heard this mentioned on CNN. But what will be the end results (and effect) to us the end user??
Fixed, and higher prices?
Limited programming??
Anybody have thoughts about this one??
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[Kevin Coleman]

Anybody that has Dish Network now knows how tight Charlie Ergen is with price he absolutely does everything he can to keep prices down.
As far as limited programming? I don't think so. This is the best thing that could happen to DBS. Look at all of the duplicate chanells they can get rid of. It will leave alot more room for HDTV chanells and higher quality pictures on the NTSC chanells. I would certainly pay a few bucks a month more if they were to turn down the compression a notch and add HDTV programming. If you are looking for something to be cheap you are in the wrong hobby.
Kevin C.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Since DISH and DirecTV use incompatible equipment, have any announcements been made regarding combining services and equipment? This question should be a concern of anyone thinking of spending money on a HD tuner with satellite support.
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My DVD Collection
AFI 100 Films to watch: 40 -> 2

 

[Paul W]

I think you can find more discussion (albeit speculation at this point) over at http://www.dbsforums.com.
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Paul Warren
Hey fella . . . I bet you're still livin' in your parent's cellar . . . downloading pictures of Sarah Michelle Gellar . . . and posting "Me too!" like some brain-dead AOL-er . . . I should do the world a favor and cap ya' like Old Yeller . . . you're just about as useless as MPEGs [sic] to Hellen Keller.

 

[Cortney J Beard]

The funny thing about it is that GM funded most of the money echostar used to purchase Directv and Rupurt Murrdock is steaming over the whole thing!!!
I doubt that echostar or directv will shut down anytime soon due to the monopolistic laws that may go into effect but stranger things have happened.
Cort

 

[Marc Alexander]

On the last Charlie Chat, Charlie stated that prices would not increase but likely decrease. He said the single subscriber base would give them leverage to pay a lower per/subscriber fee for programming. It would also free up bandwidth (each channel is currently broadcast twice over the same satellites because of the two networks). He said customers would only benefit (and I believe him). He also said the merged company could provide more HD programming as well

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I'm all for it but....
When Charlie...When?

 

[Jesse Leonard]

On the last Charlie Chat, Charlie stated that prices would not increase but likely decrease. He said the single subscriber base would give them leverage to pay a lower per/subscriber fee for programming.

Of course he is going to say that. He still needs the FCC/SEC's permission for the buyout. If he said prices will now go up because no longer have competition in the satellite business, he would have a hard time getting approval.
I am always concerned when one company holds all the cards. It is seldom good for consumers when they have no reason to lower fees or expand programming. I just hope that it all works out best for all of us.