Candid Comments from DIRECTV

[Nick]

"...the company (still) plans to broadcast 100 national HD channels
by year's end and none will include any inferior channels like those
on Rainbow's VOOM platform carried by DISH Network."

SkyReport: Many are predicting turbulent times ahead for the nation's DBS providers in light of the cable industry's mounting triple-play threat. But judging from recent comments of DIRECTV brass, satellite is doing just fine with the small dish behemoth quite content with its current position.

Speaking at the Banc of America Securities Media, Telecom and Entertainment Conference in New York City this week, DIRECTV EVP and CFO Mike Palkovic offered some interesting insights into how the company plans on moving forward. What took many by surprise was the executive's notion that broadband is not the end-all service and cable's triple-play may not be that imposing after all.

Palkovic said there was an apparent inconsistency between DIRECTV's stellar recent performance despite its continued push toward a broadband solution and cable's bundling success, but he said broadband is a "nice-to-have" service, not a "must-have." He also said DIRECTV in anticipating deserved compensation for the strategic value it brings to the marketplace via a 16 million-strong subscriber base.

According to Palkovic, DIRECTV is seeing a limited impact from recent cable successes and early entrants into telco video saying subs in these areas have remained steady as the rest of the sub base continues to grow. The exec also said DIRECTV is keeping an eye on the proposed XM/Sirius merger, but the DBS company is not in any way preparing for another push toward merging with its satellite rival EchoStar. He said that although the company believes a merger of the top two DBS companies deserves a fair shake on Capitol Hill, there has been no internal discussions about revisiting a move with EchoStar if the DARS merger is approved.

As far as moving forward, DIRECTV is banking on its vamped efforts on the high-definition front to separate itself from the competition. Palkovic reiterated the company's plans to broadcast 100 national HD channels by year's end and that of those 100, none will include any inferior channels like those on Rainbow's VOOM platform carried by DISH Network. Zing. www.SkyReport.com - used with permission

[BillN96]

I am glad to hear that the VOOM channels will not be a part of the lineup. There will be plenty new HD channels that will start broadcasting in the next year or two where DirecTV does not need to carry any "filler" HD channels like VOOM.

[Doug Brott]

DirecTV has issues from time to time, but I've been very happy with their service. In fact, I've fully migrated AWAY from Cable (including Cable Broadband and Phone Service). I've been Cable free for 3 years now. I have zero intention of going back to Comcast because I have been very unhappy with the service that they provide.

From my point of view, DirecTV's Brass is thinking the right way.

[DIRECTV-10]

"...the company (still) plans to broadcast 100 national HD channels
by year's end and none will include any inferior channels like those
on Rainbow's VOOM platform carried by DISH Network."



Have no fears my friend - I will come through with all of my promised goodies - and soon I might add.

[Steve Robertson]

Have no fears my friend - I will come through with all of my promised goodies - and soon I might add.

Well put the pedal to metal already and get going.

There are 2 issues I have with D* right now and both are capable of being fixed.

1. PQ It has to get better with these new birds or I will be done and try FIOS

2. SF pricing for NFL ST must go I would prefer just to purchase the HD games and screw the SD games because they are unwatchable anyways. If I have to pay for SF I will dump ST altogether. I have not paid the last 2 years and will not this upcoming year one way or the other.

I have been with D* 11 years now and for the most part happy

[packfan909]

This SF strategy on both MLB EI and ST is very frustrating. We already pay an HD Access Fee. Seems like we are being dinged twice to watch ST games in HD. I already decided to not renew ST because of this reason alone.

[heisman]

I love 2 or 3 of the Voom channels. They are much better than some of the garbage out there including AEHD and UNVHD, for example. Not to mention, I don't think there will be 100 National HD channels in existence by year's end.

[DIRECTV-10]

I love 2 or 3 of the Voom channels. They are much better than some of the garbage out there including AEHD, for example. Not to mention, I don't think there will be 100 National HD channels in existence by year's end.

With all due respect - DON'T sell me short. None of that VOOM stuff will enter my household if I have any say on it!

[hambonewd]

although i am not a directv basher by any means i do agree with you. the superfan purchase being required to watch sunday ticket games in hd is absolutely atrocious. and one of the worst decisions directv has ever made.

[heisman]

With all due respect - DON'T sell me short. None of that VOOM stuff will enter my household if I have any say on it!

Dude, you're letting the logo channel enter your household. It can't get any worse.

[DIRECTV-10]

Dude, you're letting the logo channel enter your household. It can't get any worse.


Good point there my man!!!

But uh-uh no VOOM, no way, no how.

[paulman182]

I'm not one to put other's choices down, and so I resent the negative Voom comments others make--especially coming from a D* EVP. Some of us had been hoping for Voom. If the bandwidth is there--and supposedly it will be--why not provide it? And why do some subscribers want to prevent others from getting it?

If you're wondering why I'm with D* at all, I simply like it better. I think it is a more professionally-run provider than E*, and I"m a Sunday Ticket subscriber.
It probably isn't financially feasible for me to subscribe to both, but that's what I'd like to do.

I personally would watch more on the Voom channels and the new HD movie channels than all the other HDs put together, except during football season. I know I'm in a small minority, but not a non-existant one.

[dclaryjr]

Good point there my man!!!

But uh-uh no VOOM, no way, no how.

I'll admit there are several Voom channels I'll never watch but I do watch quite a lot of Equator and Rave.

[DIRECTV-11]

We have much bigger and better to offer, believe me.

[Elistan98]

We have much bigger and better to offer, believe me.

What will you be offering that dish wont?

[datwell]

Verizon's FIOS has the best PQ I have ever seen! While their TV offering still needs work, Verizon may ultimately walk away with the lion's share of the market. Glass to the premises is pretty tough to beat, particularly for the satellite providers. The Feds may have to permit their merger just to provide a robust competitor that has any chance of competing.

Just my two cents.

--Doug

[MikeR7]

Verizon's FIOS has the best PQ I have ever seen! While their TV offering still needs work, Verizon may ultimately walk away with the lion's share of the market. Glass to the premises is pretty tough to beat, particularly for the satellite providers. The Feds may have to permit their merger just to provide a robust competitor that has any chance of competing.

Just my two cents.

--Doug

Maybe in 10-15 years. Verizon has our phone and regular DSL service and they have no intention of putting FIOS in our part of the country soon. It will take them years, yes literally years to roll out the fiberoptic cable in all of the markets that they currently could, and then for those that they need govt approval, many more years.:nono2:

[DIRECTV-11]

What will you be offering that dish wont?

I would not ever say a discouraging word about any of my satellite cousins - they are very hard workers (24/7) and deserve praise, not condemnation.

Perhaps a better way for me to answer your question is that my twin brother and I are built to offer what will be by far the largest HD bandwidth to date. We will have a way larger HD capacity than our beloved brethren of ECHOSTAR.

Whatever the final channel determinations are, there should be many more HD choices offered by our masters - than by any other pay television service.

[stblake10]

I will have to say that ever since becoming a D* subscriber 4yrs that I am plenty satisfied. I have changed my phone, internet and cable to Verizon & D*. I ope that with the new HD channels that become available that the price I pay "$11" will not go up. I have heard talk that some D* execs have said that they are going to have an ALACART HD package that you can pay for. Is there any truth to this.

[Elistan98]

I have to say that it doesnt make business sense to call channels "inferior". Those channels have people who enjoy watching them and to alienate them is a poor choice, if your goal is to get them to sign with you so you can make money from them.

I have been asking D* to get the anime network and Funimation Channel and if they came out with language like this to describe them I would be gone.

[lwilli201]

This SF strategy on both MLB EI and ST is very frustrating. We already pay an HD Access Fee. Seems like we are being dinged twice to watch ST games in HD. I already decided to not renew ST because of this reason alone.

There is extra cost in making SF available in HD. Someone has to pay it. Why should those that do not have HD have to pay that cost.

The HD access fee has never and probably will never include sports packages.

[stblake10]

I have to say that it doesnt make business sense to call channels "inferior". Those channels have people who enjoy watching them and to alienate them is a poor choice, if your goal is to get them to sign with you so you can make money from them.

I have been asking D* to get the anime network and Funimation Channel and if they came out with language like this to describe them I would be gone.

I agree with your comment on the choice of wording on certain channels. But lets be honest, #1 making money is an important driver for a business along with service and product offering. I would not be interested in the channels that you speak of, however if enough customers where to show interest then it might be in the best interest of D* to consider it.

[Elistan98]

I agree with your comment on the choice of wording on certain channels. But lets be honest, #1 making money is an important driver for a business along with service and product offering. I would not be interested in the channels that you speak of, however if enough customers where to show interest then it might be in the best interest of D* to consider it.

I dont disagree with your assessment. I REALLY want these channels but your right and I understand there has to be more than just one person begging for them to have incentive to bargan for them. But if they come out and were to speak ill of these channels, what does that accomplish? If only 5 or 10 percent of the base wanted these channels why alienate them by brash and insulting comments about the channels. The proper wording should have been "We do not currently plan on carrying these channels unless the customers show a pronounced demand for them because we wish to provide channels that we believe are more representative of our customers needs."

[cygnusloop]

The proper wording should have been "We do not currently plan on carrying these channels unless the customers show a pronounced demand for them because we wish to provide channels that we believe are more representative of our customers needs."

Well said, Elistan98.

[stblake10]

I 2nd that!

[HarleyD]

Listen mate, that parrot wouldn't 'VOOM' if you put four million volts through it

--Mony Python's "Dead Parrot Sketch"
:hurah:

[celticpride]

well the voom channels certainly couldn't be any worse than the fireplaceHD channel someoneelse said D* would have. anyway have a feeling D* is going to surprise us with some really cool HD channels that are different then what theyv'e announced so far,just a gut feeling i have no proof though.

[Earl Bonovich]

A Fireplace channel would be kinda cool..

Especially if I had a fire going in the fireplace below the TV.. :)

[armophob]

A Fireplace channel would be kinda cool..

Especially if I had a fire going in the fireplace below the TV.. :)

I bought the dvd.

[cnmsales]

I wish D* and NFL would offer a TEAM package that for a largely reduced price I could watch MY team and MY team only. I will NEVER subscribe to ST until I can pay for my team only. I imagine this wont happen in any near future and probably not till NFL is on other providers.

[James Long]

Perhaps a better way for me to answer your question is that my twin brother and I are built to offer what will be by far the largest HD bandwidth to date. We will have a way larger HD capacity than our beloved brethren of ECHOSTAR.Sounds Freudian. It's a shame that it will take a large dish to get a clear view of you. :)

[Ext 721]

although i am not a directv basher by any means i do agree with you. the superfan purchase being required to watch sunday ticket games in hd is absolutely atrocious. and one of the worst decisions directv has ever made.

Is it?

or should they have given all the HD and "other" programming to everyone for another $60-70 and not called it anything new?

There are two main theories on cheeseburgers....flat rate, no matter how much tomato or cheese, even if you just get a plain hamburger....and Tiered rates..where hamburgers are one price, cheeseburgers are another, and super-deluxe is a third.


One could say "why am I paying for the HD games when I'm already paying for the games?!" or "why am I paying for the HD games when I don't have HD at all?"


depending on which model is used.

Either way, someone wants to pay less themselves and make the other guy pay more.

SF gets a lot of extra goodies, for your fat wad. Some like them, some only like one. I adore shortcuts. I don't care for red zone. Then again, If I ever watch the soap channel, icicles will form in hell, hell (as opposed to hell, michigan) but I love scifi.

...would it tickle your fancy if it was only $60 more for ONLY the HD content, $20 for red zone, and $30 for shortcuts, and $20 for game mix?

[naxet]

A Fireplace channel would be kinda cool..

Especially if I had a fire going in the fireplace below the TV.. :)

I used to do that around christmas time, but house got too hot with both fires.

[Ext 721]

I wish D* and NFL would offer a TEAM package that for a largely reduced price I could watch MY team and MY team only. I will NEVER subscribe to ST until I can pay for my team only. I imagine this wont happen in any near future and probably not till NFL is on other providers.

Too much politics involved...NONE of the leagues for ANY sport would allow it. It would funnel too much money too fast to the already rich-and-popular teams, or else those teams would whine incessantly about getting an equal share of "their" fans (half of which are fans only of last year's champion, regardless of which team it was)

[jacksonm30354]

Dude, you're letting the logo channel enter your household. It can't get any worse.

What is the problem with the LOGO channel???

[lguvenoz]

A Fireplace channel would be kinda cool..

Especially if I had a fire going in the fireplace below the TV.. :)

It must be HD, and ideally 3D :)

[Osmani]

Well put the pedal to metal already and get going.

There are 2 issues I have with D* right now and both are capable of being fixed.

1. PQ It has to get better with these new birds or I will be done and try FIOS

2. SF pricing for NFL ST must go I would prefer just to purchase the HD games and screw the SD games because they are unwatchable anyways. If I have to pay for SF I will dump ST altogether. I have not paid the last 2 years and will not this upcoming year one way or the other.

I have been with D* 11 years now and for the most part happy

I agree, I won't pasy for super fan and will just dromp the whole thing if they don't waive it. I'd pay the full price minus SF and just get SF, that's how much I never watch or use the SD signal.

[iceman2a]

I have not paid xtra for SF the past 2 seasons and I will not pay xtra for it this season! The second D* asks me for an add $99 or $49 for it I'll drop ST alltogether!
After I drop ST and Fios is avlbl to me, there would be no reason to stay with D*!

[HarleyD]

A Fireplace channel would be kinda cool..

Especially if I had a fire going in the fireplace below the TV.. :)How about an aquarium channel...with a fire going in the fireplace below the TV?

[digitalfreak]

Verizon's FIOS has the best PQ I have ever seen! While their TV offering still needs work, Verizon may ultimately walk away with the lion's share of the market. Glass to the premises is pretty tough to beat, particularly for the satellite providers. The Feds may have to permit their merger just to provide a robust competitor that has any chance of competing.

Just my two cents.

--Doug

Too bad I'm still stuck in AT&T land... :(

[DIRECTV-11]

I'm keeping 2 lists.

On one it is DEFINITELY NOT to carry:
VOOM
aquarium channel
fireplace channel

[myselfalso]

Well, if we get WPIX, we can watch the Yule Log on Christmas.

[Ken S]

We have much bigger and better to offer, believe me.

Right...you haven't put hardly any shopping channels in High Def yet.

I'd take Voom over a lot of the crap on D right now.

[Ken S]

Too much politics involved...NONE of the leagues for ANY sport would allow it. It would funnel too much money too fast to the already rich-and-popular teams, or else those teams would whine incessantly about getting an equal share of "their" fans (half of which are fans only of last year's champion, regardless of which team it was)

Thanks to a lawsuit you can buy individual games...but D has attractively priced them at $40 each.