SkyREPORT.COM News Headlines
News Update For 12/3/99
EchoStar Bids For SkyView
EchoStar has proposed purchasing financially-strapped
SkyView Media, the ethnic programming provider for DirecTV's expansion
platform, to New Jersey bankruptcy officials overseeing the case. The
$23 million offer would give EchoStar, a direct competitor of DirecTV,
access to SkyView's assets, right-of-entry contracts and subscriber
lists, according to a notice from the bankruptcy court in Newark. Other
bidders were invited to beat EchoStar's offer. Those higher bids can
be submitted to the court no later than Dec. 13. A hearing on the matter
will be held Dec. 15. Ft. Lee, N.J.,-based SkyView filed for Chapter
11 bankruptcy reorganization during the summer. In addition to its ethnic
programming slate, SkyView provides DirecTV service in multiple-dwelling
units. Its ethnic programming also is sold to cable operators.
DirecTV Scores NHL Extension
DirecTV won a multi-year extension for its carriage of the NHL Center Ice package, making the DBS provider the exclusive holder of satellite distribution rights for the big league offering. NHL Center Ice features up to 30 regular-season games a week. The extension runs through the 2001-2002 season, keeping DirecTV's main competitor, EchoStar's DISH Network, out of the running at least for the following two seasons. NHL recently scored a deal with Viewer's Choice, a pay-per-view outfit that provides programming for cable operators. The carriage agreement will allow digital cable subscribers to get Center Ice following February's All-Star Game.
Vogel Moves To Liberty
Liberty Media tapped Carl Vogel for a senior vice president position. He will oversee various assets and opportunities in new media, technology and satellite businesses. Vogel, 42, was previously executive vice president/chief operating officer for field operations at AT&T Broadband & Internet Services. There, he was responsible for the day-to-day cable business. Prior to joining AT&T, Vogel was chairman and CEO of PrimeStar. From 1983 to 1994, he held various senior level positions at Jones Intercable. From 1994 to 1997, Vogel worked at EchoStar. Prior to his departure from that company, he was president and served as EchoStar's principal contact with the investment community.
NRTC Jumps DirecTV Subs-C-Band Dives
Members and affiliates with the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative added another 25,491 customers to their DirecTV business in November. The NRTC total as of Nov. 30 was 1,366,135. C-Band continued to lose more subscribers. The big dish fell to 1.675 million subscribers after losing more than 20,000 during the month, according to General Instrument's Access Control Center.
PROGRAMMING: Showtime Gets Lateline
- Showtime Picks Up Comedy Series - This weekend, Showtime will air the first of seven episodes of Paramount Network Television's half-hour comedy series "Lateline." The run features five never-seen-before episodes and two encore presentations.
- Flix Highlights Four Classic Movies - This month, Flix is premiering the following movies: "Suspect" on Dec. 17, "Stanley & Iris" on Dec. 20, "Plaza Suite" on Dec. 26 and "Maxie" on Dec. 28.
- Outdoor Channel Kicks Off Marketing Campaign - The Outdoor Channel, a majority owned subsidiary of Global Outdoors, committed $3 million to increase consumer awareness and demand for the channel. The campaign was kicked off late last month with full-page color advertisements in a variety of outdoor and sporting magazines.
- Germany's Company To Launch Interactive TV - Bertelsmann Broadband Group will begin test runs of an interactive television service in Cologne this month. The company plans to offer the service via high-speed ADSL lines through regional cable networks.