Liberty eyes merging DirecTV, Liberty Entertainment

[Draconis]

Now this is an interesting development.

Liberty eyes merging DirecTV, Liberty Entertainment (http://www.reuters.com/article/industryNews/idUSN0934769520080910)

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Liberty Media Corp said on Tuesday it would like to merge satellite TV operator DirecTV Group with Liberty Entertainment if the terms are suitable to its shareholders.

Liberty Media said last week it will spin off its nearly 50 percent stake in DirecTV and other assets into a publicly traded Liberty Entertainment under the LMDIA ticker.

"We would ultimately like to have one company, a DirecTV merged with LMDIA," said Liberty Media Chief Executive Greg Maffei, speaking at a Merrill Lynch investor conference.

[EricRobins]

Any speculation as to what impact this could have on D* subscribers?

[Juppers]

Probably none at all. Seems more to reduce the amount of books they have to keep. Why have 3 companies when you can have only 2?

[paulman182]

The part about "selling to a third party" raises eyebrows.

[dodge boy]

Free Starz and Encore?

[braven]

Free Starz and Encore?



!rolling !rolling !rolling !rolling

[beakor]

Free Starz and Encore?

Encore SD

[Jhon69]

The part about "selling to a third party" raises eyebrows.


It shouldn't John Malone has always been talking he wants to consolidate DirecTV and consolidation makes companies easier to sell.:sure:

[Brandon428]

Free Starz and Encore?

For 3 months...wow:lol:

[ATARI]

It shouldn't John Malone has always been talking he wants to consolidate DirecTV and consolidation makes companies easier to sell.:sure:

BINGO!

Color me not surprised by this news.

[fluffybear]

What surprises me the most is how long it took before this announcement was made.

[K4SMX]

The scuttlebutt is he wants to buy the 50+% of DirecTV shares which Liberty doesn't own and which is now held by investors in preparation for selling the entire 100% to........(wait for it).......AT&T. The suspicion is there will be very little premium offered to the non-Liberty shareholders. Meanwhile, the Starz/Encore revenue will be used to offset the interest on the ~$2.5B of debt required to acquire the 50-% of DirecTV Liberty currently owns, if IIRC.

[Ed Campbell]

Yup. Scuttlebutt.

[Ed Campbell]

OTOH, he's investing with Google and HSBC in a 16-satellite network to provide internet access in equatorial nations.

http://eideard.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/google-backs-satellite-project-to-provide-net-access-for-3-billion/

[K4SMX]

Yup. Scuttlebutt.
" 'Malone may try to exploit his large position in DirecTV to float a takeover bid that offers shareholders in the satellite provider only a small premium,' said Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. analyst Craig Moffett in New York.

'What matters is not simply Malone's intent, but price,' said Moffett, who said DirecTV shares will track the market and doesn't own them. 'It may not be good for shareholders.'

Malone may later try to flip the company to AT&T Inc."

Full story (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aUuEiKLxd5kU) (Bloomberg)

[oldpianos]

So, eventually I'll get my TV from ATT one way or the other - sat or UVerse? Great. Just great. :/

[paulman182]

It does not have to be surprising to cause eyebrows to raise.

My eyebrows raise out of concern as well as surprise.

I'd rather not get TV from AT&T if I can help it.

[Ed Campbell]

[QUOTE=K4SMX;1787982]"Malone, etc."

The Bloomberg link doesn't mention AT&T at all...

[gregjones]

The Bloomberg link doesn't mention AT&T at all...

That is because it is speculation. There are any number of credible reasons for this move. The AT&T idea is simply one of them.

[harsh]

I'm not at all happy with the idea that Liberty would stir in another content delivery company along with a group of content providers. Why doesn't he just work on making DIRECTV a standalone entity? The WildBlue part of Liberty Entertainment proves that he's willing to do it, but I can't fathom why.