Keyword: dish

Brevity: Headers | « Text »
  • Anyone know how to watch TV on DISH NETWORK without a remote?

    02/18/2012 1:09:32 PM PST · by library user · 45 replies · 1+ views
    Self | Feb. 18, 2012
    This is a bad, selfish use of FR bandwidth and I will admit that up front. However, I've searched the internet high and wide for a solution, to no avail. If you have DISH NETWORK, you might see a screen with the floating DISH logo and the words "press SELECT to continue." I cannot press SELECT, however, due to the fact that the dog chewed up the remote (5-7 days for a new remote to arrive). Is there anyway I can watch TV in the meantime? I looked on the DISH receiver itself for a SELECT button, but there is...
  • CEO: Dish "Open" to Being Sold

    01/14/2012 1:16:27 AM PST · by Las Vegas Dave · 14 replies
    tvpredictions.com ^ | 01/12/12 | Phillip Swann
    Dish CEO Joe Clayton raised eyebrows yesterday when he said the satellite TV service is "open" to being purchased by another company. "We're open to all possible options," Clayton told Bloomberg News after being asked about possible merger plans. "We could be acquired or we could be the acquirer." Clayton, who was interviewed at the Consumer Electronics Show, did say the company would be "open" to those options after it finished 'building out' its wireless spectrum and entertainment businesses. There has been speculation that Dish might be interested in buying T-Mobile. Clayton, a long-time executive in the satellite and TV...
  • Dish Network (vanity)

    09/13/2011 7:04:34 PM PDT · by cowtowney · 50 replies
    Cowtowney
    Anyone experiencing outage on their Dish Network?
  • Judge: Dish Network Can Show Starz For Free

    06/07/2011 2:40:42 AM PDT · by Las Vegas Dave · 6 replies
    tvpredictions.com ^ | June 6, 2011 | Phillip Swann
    Washington, D.C. (June 6, 2011) -- Dish Network customers: If you're getting free Starz channels as part of a year-long promotional offer, don't worry, you can still watch them for free. Reuters reports that a federal judge on Friday denied Walt Disney's bid to stop Dish Network from including such Disney movies as Toy Story 3 and Alice in Wonderland in the offer. The judge did not explain why he was rejecting Disney's request for an injunction. However, Disney had filed a copyright infringement suit against Dish last month, saying it "devalued" its movies by including them in a giveaway...
  • Dish Network to keep 600 Blockbuster stores in operation

    04/19/2011 8:37:16 PM PDT · by TheDingoAteMyBaby · 21 replies
    The Celebrity Cafe ^ | 4/19/2011 | Yoni Kaufman
    The satellite-TV company will likely close a majority of the 1,751 stores currently operating in the U.S. Dish Network, which will soon become the official owner of the Blockbuster video-rental chain, filed documents with Bankruptcy Court Saturday stating that it intends to keep some 600 Blockbuster stores open after its purchase is finalized. Earlier this month, Dish won a bidding war for the struggling rental company with an offer of roughly $320 million. According to the Los Angeles Times, Blockbuster currently operates 1,751 stores in the U.S., which means that the new owners will likely be closing more than 1,000...
  • Is squirrel the perfect austerity dish?

    11/27/2010 7:04:06 AM PST · by decimon · 61 replies
    BBC ^ | November 27, 2010 | Katie Connolly
    Grey squirrels are ubiquitous in North America - scurrying across our lawns and up our trees, burying nuts and taunting our tantalised dogs.Bright-eyed and bushy tailed, squirrels are cute, furry and, apparently, very edible. The notion of stewed squirrel may not tempt everybody's taste buds, but in an age of tightening belts and financial severity, the humble abundance of the squirrel is causing some to reconsider its epicurean virtue. American hunter William Hovey Smith, a self-described outdoor enthusiast, loves a spot of squirrel stew, made of course from critters he hunts himself. "It is certainly a very American dish. We've...
  • Waiver-mania! The ever-expanding Obamacare escapee list

    11/15/2010 5:46:31 AM PST · by Hojczyk · 43 replies
    Michelle Malkin .com ^ | November 14,2010m | Michelle Malkin
    In early September, I noted the push by Obamacare promoter and Democrat Rep. Ron Wyden for a special state waiver from the very federal mandate he advocated for everyone else. A few weeks later, McDonald’s finagled its own Obamacare waiver after warning federal regulators that it could be forced to drop its affordable health insurance plan for nearly 30,000 restaurant workers unless it got a pass. In early October, the Obama administration announced it had granted waivers not only to McDonald’s, but also to several other firms and labor unions. Now comes word that Torquemada HHS Secretay Kathleen Sebelius has...
  • BBB Flooded With Complaints About DIRECTV, Dish Network (Cancellation fees $$$)

    08/06/2010 1:56:07 AM PDT · by Las Vegas Dave · 66 replies · 1+ views
    tvpredictions.com ^ | Phillip Swann
    Washington, D.C. (August 3, 2010) -- The Better Business Bureau reports that more than 53,000 consumers have filed complaints about their satellite TV service in the past three years. According to the BBB, 39,000 of the complaints were filed against DIRECTV while 13,000 were against Dish Network. Many of the complaints, the consumer group said, stemmed from fees and terms in the satcasters' customer agreements. The companies often invoke penalties if customers cancel their service before their agreements expire; the agreements are usually two years in length. “Many complaints to BBB about satellite providers stem from steep cancellation fees,” Stephen...
  • (Vanity) Which do you recommend: Dish or Direct TV

    03/02/2010 7:49:55 PM PST · by taxcutisapayraise · 105 replies · 2,058+ views
    I'm in the process of selecting a satellite TV provider since I'll be moving soon when I buy a house. I found an old FR thread from 2003 on the topic of Direct TV vs. Dish TV. The market has changed since then. I only have two TV locations. I don't need the premium channels, just the basics, especially Fox News. Any suggestions and information will be appreciated.
  • 3 Reasons Why DIRECTV Will Lose Subs (Commentary-by Swanni)

    09/19/2009 2:27:42 AM PDT · by Las Vegas Dave · 38 replies · 1,955+ views
    tvpredictions.com ^ | September 18, 2009 | Phillip Swann
    Despite the recession and growing competition, DIRECTV has been remarkably effective in continuing to add subscribers. In its last financial statement, the satcaster said its net subscribers rose 74 percent in the second quarter, with a monthly churn rate of just 1.5 percent. At the end of the second quarter, DIRECTV reported that it had more than 18 million subscribers in total, a seven percent increase over last year's second quarter. Well, DIRECTV, enjoy it while you can. I predict that the nation's largest satcaster will start to experience a slowdown in subscriber growth -- and it will be largely...
  • Al Jazeera Signs Deal to Air Throughout U.S.

    01/16/2009 7:33:19 AM PST · by Sammy67 · 33 replies · 1,787+ views
    NewsMax ^ | 1/16/08
    NEW YORK - The Al Jazeera Network plans to announce on Thursday that it has signed a deal to run its news on Worldfocus, a syndicated nightly news program produced in New York and distributed throughout the United States. The deal would help the international news network, one of the top services in the Arabic-speaking world, broaden its reach in the United States, where it so far has been available to only a limited audience. Worldfocus, hosted by former NBC News correspondent Martin Savidge, is produced by New York City public broadcaster WLIW and syndicated to a number of Public...
  • HDTV: Who's the Bigger Liar of 2008? (nation's TV providers stretched the truth to channel counts)

    01/01/2009 5:30:47 AM PST · by Las Vegas Dave · 41 replies · 1,320+ views
    tvpredictions.com ^ | Dec. 30, 2008 | Phillip Swann
    Washington, D.C. (December 30, 2008) -- On July 31, 2008, Dish Network issued a press release saying it planned to expand its high-def lineup to 150 channels by year's end. On November 1, 2007, Verizon released a press statement saying it would have 150 HD channels by the end of 2008. And several times this year, DIRECTV issued press releases saying it would have the capacity to deliver up to 150 national HD channels before the year was over. So now that the year is over (minus about a day or so), did these top TV providers keep their promises?...
  • The 0Bama channel

    10/08/2008 5:01:20 PM PDT · by tbone56 · 19 replies · 484+ views
    This may've been previously posted but I just discoverd it. I was hitting the up button on my Dish TV and 0n channel 73 there is 24/7 Obama for president programming. Unbelievable! Does Direct TV have this also? Anyone?
  • Obama Channel on my Dish Network!

    10/05/2008 3:23:26 PM PDT · by Bellflower · 13 replies · 475+ views
    Dish Network | October 5, 2008 | bellflower
    I was shocked to find a whole channel called Obama on my Dish Network. It runs day and night. It's a paid ad channel. He has gotten millions of dollars to spend on a blitz of ads. He claims all this new money came in from under $200 donors but doesn't disclose them on his internet site. I was shocked at him having a whole channel dedicated to him on Dish.
  • Is Voom Doomed On Dish Network? (The HD programmer loses an injunction request against DISH)

    05/06/2008 3:45:40 PM PDT · by Las Vegas Dave · 10 replies · 349+ views
    tvpredictions.com ^ | May 6, 2008 | Phillip Swann
    The Supreme Court of New York last month denied Voom's request for a preliminary injunction to block Dish Network from terminating its agreement to carry its 15 high-def channels. That's according to court documents obtained by the web site, DBSTalk.com. The decision leaves Voom's fate on Dish Network in doubt. While Dish Network is now offering Voom in its 19-channel Ultimate HD package, court papers show that the satcaster intended to remove Voom from its lineup entirely before the lawsuit was filed. Dish contends that Voom has failed to spend $100 million annually on the 15 high-def channels as stated...
  • DirecTV weeds out customers

    02/19/2008 6:02:11 AM PST · by JZelle · 104 replies · 715+ views
    msn.com ^ | 2-15-08 | Kim Peterson
    You'd think that in a slowing economy, companies would be trying to hold on to every potential customer. Not DirecTV. The satellite operator is weeding out customers, and it has no problem with fewer people signing up. In a conference call with analysts this week, CEO Chase Carey said the company has a new focus on "quality subscribers" (read: ones with money). It finds these subscribers by analyzing their income, age, home ownership, education and other metrics, Carey said in an earnings call with analysts. (Transcript here). DirecTV puts those customers into different categories to figure out who's valuable and...
  • Another JFK son? DNA may tell

    02/12/2008 4:47:28 PM PST · by skeptoid · 25 replies · 276+ views
    Seattle PI ^ | February 12, 2008 | MARSHA LEDERMAN
    The man whom American journalists are investigating as the possible illegitimate son of John F. Kennedy lives in British Columbia and bears a striking resemblance to the 35th president of the United States. So much so that people will sometimes stop him on the street. "Not in a funny way, but in a scary way," the man named Jack said during a meeting Saturday morning.
  • Judges may split decision in EchoStar-TiVo patent case ( Dish TV )

    10/05/2007 7:37:53 AM PDT · by george76 · 8 replies · 400+ views
    Associated Press ^ | October 5, 2007 | Christopher S. Rugaber
    WASHINGTON - A three- judge appeals court panel signaled Thursday that it is likely to rule at least partly in favor of TiVo Inc. in its patent dispute with Douglas County-based EchoStar Communications EchoStar is seeking to overturn a lower court decision last year that ruled the satellite broadcaster had infringed on patented TiVo technology that allows viewers to record one program while watching another. The court awarded TiVo $89.6 million in damages. TiVo sued EchoStar in 2004, alleging that its digital video recorders infringed on TiVo's "time warp" technology. TiVo, based in Alviso, Calif., pioneered digital recorders that allow...
  • Anyone notice the changes to your Dish Programming?

    03/06/2007 7:40:10 PM PST · by hsmomx3 · 17 replies · 393+ views
    I signed up for Dish the end of October and I believe it was for something like 100 channels. Now all of a sudden we have approximately 250 channels! I am tempted to lower it to the $20 plan as that has Fox News Channel BUT all other plans under 200 or so channels does not carry FNC with the exception of the $20 plan. I don't like this but I am locked in to a contract.
  • DISH Network loses locals

    12/01/2006 7:37:07 AM PST · by snarkpup · 104 replies · 4,321+ views
    The Times-Standard ^ | 12/01/2006 | Ann Johnson-Stromberg
    Local subscribers of EchoStar Communications, also known as DISH Network, were slated to lose ABC, NBC, CBS, CW and Fox stations because a federal court order directed them to stop importing broadcast channels from out-of-market areas.
  • Need help with Dish Network System

    10/24/2006 9:22:15 PM PDT · by hsmomx3 · 46 replies · 805+ views
    We got the Dish installed today and all was fine. Then the kids started manually inputting different channels using the remote. As a result, the entire satellite programming was lost. We have what looks like the blue screen of death. I called customer service twice and they have no clue as to how to fix this. We have to wait two days for a tech. to come out and fix this. Have any of you had this happen where the kids did this and your entire programming disappeared. If so, I would appreciate some pointers. The way the people set...
  • Is Satellite TV Worth it?

    10/22/2006 9:07:17 PM PDT · by hsmomx3 · 51 replies · 709+ views
    While thinking of ways I can save a little bit of money, is it really worth it to switch from Cox Expanded Cable which costs $40 per month to DISH for about $25 per month? We watch very few channels and feel that we might be able to get a better deal than what we currently have. Your opinions on DISH would be appreciated.
  • Judge orders DISH DVRs shut down

    08/18/2006 9:05:05 AM PDT · by txroadkill · 74 replies · 3,232+ views
    Dallas Morning News ^ | 8/18/06 | staff
    An East Texas judge has ordered the parent of DISH satellite television to stop selling and turn off about 4 million of its digital video recorders within 30 days. U.S. District Judge David Folsom also ordered DISH parent EchoStar Communications to pay almost $90 million in damages. The Thursday decision comes after a federal jury in Marshall in April determined that EchoStar willfully infringed on TiVo's "time-warp" patent. That applies to the way a DVR simultaneously records one program while playing back another.EchoStar is the country's second-largest satellite television provider with about 12.5 million subscribers.
  • EchoStar (Dish Network) Shares Up on Talk of DirecTV Acquisition

    07/20/2006 2:28:12 PM PDT · by HAL9000 · 65 replies · 1,722+ views
    Teleclick ^ | July 20, 2006
    Shares of America’s #2 satellite television provider, EchoStar Communications, have hit 17-month highs in recent days amid speculation that leading rival, DirecTV Group Inc., could try to purchase the company. Such a merger would likely face regulatory and antitrust hurdles, but many analysts believe that these problems would be relatively easy to overcome. After all, the combined entity could be a strong competitor in the triple play communications industry, now increasingly polarized between cable and telecom carriers. The decision to merge with DirecTV would rest solely with Charlie Ergen, EchoStar’s Chairman, CEO, and co-founder, who currently controls more than...
  • EchoStar, DirecTV sign pacts with WildBlue (Satellite Broadband Internet)

    06/09/2006 11:27:44 PM PDT · by HAL9000 · 13 replies · 1,231+ views
    Excerpt - NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Satellite TV providers EchoStar Communications Corp. (DISH) and DirecTV Inc. (DTV) signed five-year distribution agreements with WildBlue Communications Inc., a satellite-broadband provider, to provide Internet access targeting rural consumers. ~ snip ~
  • ATTENTION: LIFETIME HAS TAKEN YOUR CHANNELS AWAY!(From Dish Network)

    01/01/2006 2:17:12 PM PST · by Revel · 89 replies · 1,052+ views
    Dish Network ^ | 1/1/05 | Charlie Ergen, CEO of DISH Network
    ATTENTION: LIFETIME HAS TAKEN YOUR CHANNELS AWAY! You may have tuned in today to see the Lifetime Channel or the Lifetime Movie Network. Unfortunately, DISH Network's contract with Lifetime Networks expired on December 31st and we no longer have the legal right to carry these channels. I can assure you that at DISH Network we have made every effort to renew our agreement and continue to carry these channels. However, Lifetime Networks have demanded a rate increase of over 70 percent which would result in unreasonable rate increases for you, our customers. While we were surprised by Lifetime Network’s outrageous...
  • Iran's government is clamping down on satellite dishes (People watching Christian TV Stations)

    09/27/2005 11:15:52 PM PDT · by F14 Pilot · 4 replies · 418+ views
    Mission Network News ^ | September 28, 2005
    More than 3,000 satellite dishes have been confiscated in Iran as the government cracks down on what they're calling "trouble makers" in the country's capital city. More than 12,000 "social polluters" have been arrested and hundreds have been sentenced in recent days. While it's illegal to have satellite dishes in Iran, many people have them, allowing Iranians a glimpse at the outside world. SAT-7, Christian satellite television for the Middle East and North Africa, is concerned about the most recent crackdown. SAT-7's Debbie Brink says, "They're trying to prevent sources of information coming into the country that the government considers...
  • Family of faggot fans fly the flag (Doody family flys faggots of the year award again!)

    07/08/2005 5:58:29 PM PDT · by DCBryan1 · 109 replies · 4,712+ views
    BBC ^ | 27 January, 2003 | dcbryan1
    The Doody family hope to raise profile of faggotsA West Midlands family is playing a central role in the quest to raise the profile of a forgotten British dish - faggots. The Doody family from Wolverhampton has been crowned The Faggot Family in a national competition, and to kick off their reign they will launch National Faggot Week. The family will be touring the country extolling the virtues of the dish, which is best-known for its links with the Black Country. The Doody family were chosen to front the campaign after impressing judges at the Savoy Hotel in London in...
  • Iran's Mullahs jam TV channels

    06/07/2005 6:41:38 AM PDT · by F14 Pilot · 19 replies · 899+ views
    The Courier Mail ^ | 07jun05 | AFP
    SWITCH on your satellite television receiver in Tehran nowadays and something is amiss - "No Signal", the otherwise fuzzy television screen says for much of the day and night. With presidential elections just over a week away, Islamic Iran's technological guardians appear to be waging a war against enemies in the airwaves - opposition-run television channels. However, the problem is that they may also be frying people's brains. "Microwaves," explained an Iranian satellite television technician, who earns his keep by installing dishes even though they are technically banned. "They're jamming, and these signals used to block the satellites have never...
  • N. Korea: Kim Jong-il 30 favorite dishes(he eats like a king)

    06/05/2005 10:04:20 AM PDT · by TigerLikesRooster · 81 replies · 1,755+ views
    The Daily NK ^ | 06/05/05 | Shin Ju-hyon
      prices listed below are likely the estimates they could charge at a first-class hotel in Seoul. 1. coconut & shark's fin soup $300 (Kim's favorite) 2. another shark's fin soup $250 3. shark's fin and conch soup $300 4. another shark's fin dish $300 5. fried flying fish eggs and shrimp $30 6. skewered goat meat $50 7. Laclette(?): cheese and potato dish $40 8. roasted baby pig $30 9. fish laced with green tea aroma $50 10. steamed pigeon marinated in soy sauce $100 11. tuna sushi (Kim's favorite) $400 12. steaks (rare or medium) $100 13. chicken and ginseng...
  • Signing up for DishNetwork

    05/09/2005 12:22:35 PM PDT · by Moleman · 17 replies · 474+ views
    none | 09 May 2005 | Moleman
    Looking into Dish Network instead of cable tv. Any advice? Is the dish digital reception better than my cable? Seems to be a better value. Thanks, Moleman
  • Need Some Advice

    02/17/2005 7:34:30 PM PST · by CandiM · 40 replies · 1,132+ views
    2-17-05 | CandiM
    I read here quite a bit but post very little so I doubt if many (or anyone) will recognize me, but I'm concerned about something that the Dummies are up to and don't know exactly where to post this (or if I even should)-- Don't know if anyone's aware, but the Pentagon has put together a TV channel that's intended to keep the people in the military and their families informed--From what I've been able to determine, they're making it available free of charge to any sattelite company willing to carry it--Sounds like a right fine idea to me in...
  • Rate hikes ahead for satellite TV fans

    01/06/2005 5:27:49 PM PST · by holymoly · 49 replies · 1,598+ views
    C|Net ^ | January 6, 2005 | Dawn Kawamoto
    Satellite TV customers are facing price rises, as operators Dish Network and DirecTV hatch plans to increase rates, despite an ongoing rivalry with cable providers. Dish Network, owned by EchoStar Communications, plans to raise subscriptions by $2 to $4 a month, the company said Thursday. That translates to an average of 4.3 percent on average charges of $56.11. The new rates will take effect Feb. 1 and affect certain packages, such as the basic service. DirecTV is also planning to announce a rate hike this quarter, but details are not yet available, said Robert Mercer, a company spokesman. Currently, DirecTV...
  • Brain in a Dish Flies Plane

    10/28/2004 8:34:31 AM PDT · by vannrox · 78 replies · 2,363+ views
    Discovery News ^ | OCT 22-2004 | By Jennifer Viegas
    Brain in a Dish Flies PlaneBy Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News Oct. 22, 2004 A University of Florida scientist has created a living "brain" of cultured rat cells that now controls an F-22 fighter jet flight simulator. Scientists say the research could lead to tiny, brain-controlled prosthetic devices and unmanned airplanes flown by living computers. And if scientists can decipher the ground rules of how such neural networks function, the research also may result in novel computing systems that could tackle dangerous search-and-rescue jobs and perform bomb damage assessment without endangering humans. Additionally, the interaction of the cells within the lab-assembled...
  • Upset about Al-Jazeera? Let's get them off the air. First target - DISH Network

    09/29/2004 12:09:25 PM PDT · by Registered · 44 replies · 1,214+ views
    Misc ^ | 09.29.04 | Registered
    Are you as sick and tired of hearing about Al-Jazeera broadcasting the latest beheading or hostage pictures as I am?  Perform a general search on Google or on Free Republic and you will see that they are partners with terrorists when it comes to broadcasting the terrorist messages. It's time to put an end to Al-Jazeera.  DISH Network is a distributor of Al-Jazeera programming.  It's time to apply pressure to DISH Network to STOP broadcasting this terrorist programming on our soil.  Please send them and email, even if you are not a current subscriber.  Let them know you are telling...
  • My Ads, I Paid For Those

    08/16/2004 10:50:00 AM PDT · by LifeTrek · 577+ views
    Honing our Passage ^ | August 15, 2004 | David K. Kittel
    My Ads, I paid for those! Okay, first off this isn't about Unions or 527's buying ads attacking our President, and I am sure you can figure out that I think a Union using member dues to buy ads is a complete farce! They have completely distorted the purpose they were founded for and have become parasites that exist only to grow larger - but I am sure I will write more on that later. And the 527's, well they had to have a law didn't they! (As an aside - American's are great at finding the loopholes aren't we.)...
  • DISH NETWORK OR DIRECTV

    06/29/2004 6:12:46 AM PDT · by ladtx · 31 replies · 1,464+ views
    my fevered brain ^ | 29 June 2004 | ladtx
    We're closing on our new home today and now comes the decision about cable or dish. Charter is the cable company and after bad experiences with them in the past they are out. So now my decision is between DishNetwork or DIRECTV. Anyone have any opinions one way or the other? I would appreciate any comments.
  • EchoStar, Viacom resolve programming fee dispute (CBS back on DISH)

    03/11/2004 5:31:01 AM PST · by general_re · 36 replies · 254+ views
    AP via Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 03/11/04 | DAN ELLIOTT
    DENVER -- Ending a fee dispute that left millions of DISH satellite television customers without several popular channels, EchoStar Communications Corp. agreed early Thursday on a new contract with CBS parent Viacom Inc. EchoStar pulled the plug on Viacom programming Tuesday, leaving up to 9 million DISH Network viewers nationwide without Viacom channels including MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, BET and Nickelodeon. The dispute also left as many as 2 million DISH viewers without CBS shows when EchoStar pulled the network's programing in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Miami, Boston, Denver, Minneapolis and Dallas. DISH subscribers...
  • Viacom channels go dark on EchoStar in dispute over programming fees

    03/09/2004 5:42:32 AM PST · by Born Conservative · 80 replies · 255+ views
    Times Leader ^ | 3/9/2004 | Catherine Tsai
    ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - Satellite television provider EchoStar Communications Corp. pulled the plug on MTV, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and local CBS affiliates early Tuesday in a contract dispute with Viacom Inc. over the price of programming. An estimated 1.6 million customers on EchoStar's DISH Network across the nation were affected, a move that could threaten their ability to watch, among other things, the March Madness college basketball tournament. In place of Viacom programming, some customers in the Denver area saw a message from EchoStar saying the multimedia giant was asking an unreasonable amount for its programming. A statement from Viacom after...
  • EchoStar Willing To Drop CBS In Dispute With Viacom [dish network]

    03/07/2004 1:10:33 AM PST · by KneelBeforeZod · 31 replies · 343+ views
    DOW JONES NEWSWIRES via yahoo ^ | Friday March 5, 5:17 AM | By Mark Wigfie
    WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--Echostar Communications Corp. (DISH) will drop the top-rated CBS network from its satellite television lineup rather than accede to demands of the network's owner, Viacom Inc. (VIA, VIAB), says Charles Ergen, Echostar chairman and chief executive. "This is extortion at the highest level," Ergen told reporters Thursday following a speech sponsored by the free-market think-tank, the Progress and Freedom Foundation. "Viacom has crossed the line." EchoStar and Viacom are in a dispute over what rate EchoStar must pay for CBS and what Viacom cable networks it must carry. Ergen said Viacom threatened to withhold the Superbowl from EchoStar...
  • Judge Pickering’s Revenge. The judicial-confirmation battle has already hurt Democrats.

    11/06/2003 7:45:12 AM PST · by .cnI redruM · 35 replies · 140+ views
    The Washington Times ^ | November 06, 2003, 9:41 a.m. | Sean Rushton
    Last week, Senate Democrats effectively defeated the nomination of Charles Pickering to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals through abuse of the filibuster. No doubt liberal ringleaders against the judge — Sens. Ted Kennedy (D., Mass.), Patrick Leahy (D., Vt.), and Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) — were pleased to add another Bush nominee's scalp to their collection, but with Tuesday night's Republican victory in the Mississippi gubernatorial race, as well as vulnerable Senate seats across the south and midwest in 2004, it may be Pickering who ultimately has the last laugh. The Pickering saga began almost three years ago when...
  • Justice Department sues to block satellite TV merger [Hughes/DirecTV - EchoStar/Dish]

    10/31/2002 8:21:11 PM PST · by HAL9000 · 7 replies · 267+ views
    Associated Press | October 31, 2002
    WASHINGTON, Oct 31, 2002 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- The proposed merger of EchoStar Communications Corp. and Hughes Electronics Corp., creating the nation's largest subscriber television company, could untangle in a messy and expensive breakup following the government's suit to scuttle the deal. The companies issued statements on Thursday that they were considering their options to salvage the $22.6 billion deal. The government said the deal would eliminate competition between the two largest satellite television companies and hurt consumers. Only last week EchoStar offered to give rival Cablevision Systems Corp. a satellite frequency that would allow the company to...
  • FCC Moves to Block EchoStar, Hughes Deal (DirecTV-Dish merger in jeopardy)

    10/10/2002 11:17:03 AM PDT · by HAL9000 · 9 replies · 411+ views
    Reuters | October 10, 2002
    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - EchoStar Communications Corp. was dealt a potentially fatal blow on Thursday in its $16.2 billion bid to acquire rival satellite television provider Hughes Electronics when U.S. communications regulators moved to block the deal. The Federal Communications Commission unanimously voted to refer the deal to an administrative law judge for review -- a process that could take months -- and gave little hope that any remedies proposed by the companies would resolve their concerns. "Based on the record, the commission cannot find that this merger is in the public interest," FCC Chairman Michael Powell said at a...
  • Regulators Poised to Block EchoStar's Purchase of Hughes

    10/06/2002 8:01:21 PM PDT · by HAL9000 · 5 replies · 296+ views
    Dow Jones News Service | October 6, 2002
    Federal regulators are poised to block EchoStar Communications Corp.'s $18 billion acquisition of rival Hughes Electronics Corp. in a vote that could take place as early as Monday, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal. Barring a major, last-minute concession from the two satellite-television providers -- a prospect that many industry officials over the weekend said still was possible -- at least three of the four members of the Federal Communications Commission are set to cast votes rejecting the deal, according to people knowledgeable about the matter. FCC Chairman Michael Powell is among those opposing the...