DirecTV, NewsCorp, International Programming

[BD]

If Rupert Murdoch acquires DirecTV, I suspect he will want more international programming on the DirecTV platform.

He will simply not just sit idle as homes take Dish Network over DirecTV. This has been happening over the years and I believe
its one reason why Dish gains more subs. Although its really a combination of things mostly DirecTV pirates that cancel subscriptions to cheat DirecTV that have been hurting DirecTV's numbers or market share.

Though the history has shown DirecTV has had an awful
record when it comes to international programming and international subscribers may not want their international programming from DirecTV knowing DirecTV's reputation that is they wont hold their international programming like how they do with sports atleast.

Read history on next thread


The problem I have had is Echostar CAN sign exclusive agreements with International channels and DirecTV can do also if they ever do. So a customer may need both providers to get both. I believe exclusive agreeements have prevented DirecTV from adding popular South Asian channels now the same way Dish cannot add NFL Sunday Ticket.

For cable channels, the program-access laws prevent cable-owned satellite channels from being exclusive. Broadcast own cable channels want most HH and viewership and use retransmission deals to get cable channels carried. So many cable channels will never be exclusive to one provider. The basic channel viewers are lucky. Never will DirecTV have exclusive HBO rights, and Dish have exclusive CNN rights for example. However, I wonder if Dish purchased exclusive EWTN rights because DirecTV does not carry EWTN. I dont know if EWTN falls into public interest though.

Rupert Murdoch owns international programming
in other countries. Such as popular Star Plus
in India that features original Hindi language programming. http://www.startv.com/eng/op_channel.cfm?channel_id=27&Region_id=india

Murdoch/NewsCorp owns platforms in other countries
that distribute international programming too.

I know Murdoch will want DirecTV to be a fierce competitor in international programming. However, what does this mean? Will it bring good? I dont know. If channels go exclusive its BAD. The only way I see competition is if both providers carry the major channels from each language, and compete in pricing like how Dish and DirecTV do with Top 100 and Total Choice.

If DirecTV crams 110 and 119 with locals and HDTV, will they have any space for international programming? The Blockbuster arrangement where part of DirecTV's revenue goes to Blockbuster must not be appealing to NewsCorp if News acquires DirecTV. News competes against Viacom Blockbuster.

Where will the capacity come from? Will KA licenses need to be used. I suspect Murdoch or whoever DirecTV is sold to would want international programming. Cablevision has seemed interested in international programming.

Globecast offers 1 South Asian channel now:
http://www.globecastwtv.com/ch_sbctv.htm

However its not in the same category as Zee TV, Star Plus, B4U or SONY. I'll call Globecast to see if they will offer SONY Television.

I have called SONY and Zee and they have been quite rude when I asked if they'll ever be on DirecTV. SONY indicated their agreement was with Dish and was exclusive for couple years. The person working at Zee insulted DirecTV even though I told him DirecTV has IMO superior systems.

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History

HISTORY:::

1) DirecTV has TV Asia in 1995-1996 on 101W.L. First international channel on DirecTV. See here: http://www.phrack.com/phrack/47/P47-16

or check

"Dishing up a video feast."
Source: Popular Electronics v. 13 (Jan. '96) p. 12-14 ISSN: 1042-170X Number: BRDG96014277

I'm not sure what the TV Asia pricing was, but I do know other families got DirecTV and subscribed for this 1 channel. Articles are giving conflicting pricing.

Anyways, TV Asia was dropped later in 1996 before 1997. Reasons unknown to me, however, DirecTV offered no South Asian channel in return until atleast 2 years later requiring very expensive equipment. Back in 1996, DirecTV equipment was already expensive as it was so the dropping of the channel and adding no South Asian channel in return upset the few subscribers.

Atleast when TV Polonia left Dish, Dish offered another Polish service. When Channel Korea went off the air on Dish, couple years later Dish inked agreement with Arirang Television for Korean programming. So Polish and Korean subscribers didnt get totally screwed by Echostar.

2) DirecTV expands satellite capacity at 95W.L. and inks deal with EABC and SkyView.

http://web.archive.org/web/20000101-20020101re_/http://www.directv.com/press/pressdel/0,1112,94,00.html

3) SONY Entertainment and Network Asia (locally produced channel) become SkyView's South Asian content. Echostar competes and sells Zee TV and TV Asia in 1998. TV Asia was originally on DirecTV.

http://web.archive.org/web/20000101-20020101re_/http://www.directmagazine.com/dishplus.cfm

4) SkyView is bankrupt. SONY Television is desireable, however, equipment costs were way too expensive ($400 for a unit, IIRC) alone. Echostar wants to acquire them. The Dish deals were much better and many South Asians signed with Dish.

http://www.corporate-ir.net/ireye/ir_site.zhtml?ticker=dish&script=410&layout=-6&item_id=65387

5) DirecTV ditches bankrupt SkyView and EABC, wants Kelly Broadcasting as a partner.

http://web.archive.org/web/20000101-20020101re_/http://www.directv.com/press/pressdel/0,1112,271,00.html

6) Echostar changes mind, doesnt want SkyView.

http://www.corporate-ir.net/ireye/ir_site.zhtml?ticker=dish&script=410&layout=-6&item_id=66865

7) Echostar acquires Kelly Broadcasting under DirecTV!!!
http://www.corporate-ir.net/ireye/ir_site.zhtml?ticker=dish&script=410&layout=-6&item_id=80624

8) DirecTV does not add the Kelly Broadcasting owned channels like B4U. B4U makes debut on Echostar.

Echostar later signs carriage deals with channels that were on SkyView such as SONY Entertainment Television and MegaCosmos.

So, DirecTV ended up with basically nothing and concentrated more in doing local-into-local and Para Todos while Echostar grabbed most of the international content.

[BD]

Correction to #8. Kelly Broadcasting distributes B4U but does not own B4U. Echostar owns Kelly Broadcasting. DirecTV filed a complaint lawsuit when Echostar acquired Kelly. It was part of a suit where DirecTV complained about Echostar's use of the Primestar name. Echostar complained about DirecTV's exclusive agreements with major CEs.

DirecTV can have the best equipment, distribution agreements with Best Buy, whatever, but if they dont have the programming I need, there is no incentive for me to be with them. I wonder what will happen with new owners of DirecTV.

[Steve Mehs]

However, I wonder if Dish purchased exclusive EWTN rights because DirecTV does not carry EWTN.

D* carries EWTN, just not the english version. EWTN Spanish is on channel 422 on D* at the 119 location and is free with any package.

I don't know if D* will ever have as many internationals as E*, but the D* Chineese package is pretty good and the spanish pak, Seleccion Especial, at $15/month compared to Dish Latino at $21 or 2 is a much much better value. To tell you the truth, I think DirecTV will be focusing more of it's bandwidth on HD. With the 3 new HD Nets coming, ESPN HD and Cinemax HD and only 14 TPs between 119 and 110, and 3 of them already being used for HD. 119 will get a spot beam next summer, so that will help clear the few dozen locals on and 119. But the spanish channels take up at least 2, maybe 3. Bandwidth is tight between those two slots between spanish, current HD and future HD you're looking at 11-12 out of the 14 transponders being used, provided D* keeps using current compression schemes and does 1HD channel/tp.

[BD]

Any chance NewsCorp DirecTV could acquire the remaining 61.5 licenses from Cablevision?

My idea: NewsCorp sells some FOX stations to Cablevision and agrees to keep affiliation for FOX and then Cablevision could sell the licenses to NewsCorp. Or some trade off.

Here is old link of what DirecTV used to offer:
link:http://web.archive.org/web/19970725092725/www.ussb.com/packageb.html

They used to offer DirecTV. I remember my Walmart had a DirecTV system hooked up. I would change it to the South Asian channel, and customers in the electronic dept would hear Hindi film songs. Then one day I went to Walmart the channel was no longer there and I inquired where did it go? If I only I could find out the reason why DTV dropped the channel. Maybe not enough subscribers, but then they had over 55 PPV channels, so I dont think capacity was such a big problem.

I'm glad SONY and B4U are not DirecTV only and Zee and SUN TV are not Dish only. This would be a bad scenario but would have been possible. On the other hand, its not good if Dish is the only provider. Globecast offers 1 South Asian channel now, but its not a known channel. I really want both DBS providers carrying all the major channels including the popular International channels that have considerable viewing in their home land. This way they are forced to compete in pricing and deals.

[BD]

The South Asian channel I'm referring was TV Asia.

If News acquires DirecTV, they could get the 61.5 licenses by trading off some TV stations. Maybe Cablevision could get WTTG 5 FOX in Washington with WDCA 20 and WUTB 24, plus WFXT 25 (Fox) in Boston for Cablevision/ RL 61.5 licenses. I dont know how much worth is it, but News DirecTV would want elbow room.

Cablevision could make some nice revenue with FOX stations. FOX in general has more available syndicated time than does the big networks. I suppose Cablevision would want VHF FOX stations. I dont think FOX would sell any of its stations in the top 3 markets, but could in some of the other larger markets. FOX owns many of TV stations. Cox owns TV stations and is a cable company. Cox owns KTVU in San Francisco.

[Mike123abc]

DirectTV probably came to realize that the number of viewers to these channels is very small. They probably made the decision to let Dish have them all since the market was too small to split. Dish does not value them enough either to put them on the main birds.

I would bet that LIL to a market is worth far more than a few international channels in revenue. DirectTV has come to this conclusion. Echostar with the wing satellites being served by their oldest and most outdated satellites (E1/2/3) essentially gets very low overhead, and something for satellites to broadcast rather than being turned off.

[raj2001]

The reason that DirecTV's Spanish programming simply cannot be beat is because of the significant investment DirecTV has from the Cisneros group (Galaxy Latin America).

[BearsFan]

All I know is my poor 87-year-old grandmother, who specifically signed up for D* because of the Italian channels offered.

Even though I don't speak a whole lot of that language, I'll admit it was nice to the 3 Italian channels that D* offered at the time.

I wish D* would bring them back...I'd consider subscribing if they did. I learned a lot of the language from that channel.

--BearsFan

[rangers]

If Italian content is what you are interested in, take Dish Network and its RAI International. Also check out the upcoming TARBS package on Galaxy 10, which features so many Italian channels that you may not want to hear any more of the language. These are the channels:

Italian Network News,
Marco Polo,
Leonardo,
Video Italia,
TV Moda, and
Telepace

Right now they are in the clear, that people with a KU dish and an MPEG2/FTA receiver can get them. Rumor is that they'll start subscription service in a couple months.