Struggling satcasters DIRECTV and Dish have engaged in new merger discussions, according to an article by The New York Post.
The two companies have lost millions of subscribers over the last several years and a merger could be the only viable option to keep a satellite TV service in business in future years. The Post reports that TPG, a private equity firm that owns 30 percent of DIRECTV, is pushing for the merger to recoup its investment. AT&T, which owns 70 percent of DIRECTV, sold the minority stake to TPG a year ago.
“TPG is driving the conversations. They want their investment back,” the article states, citing a source close to the situation.
Also See: 2022 Prediction: Will DIRECTV & Dish Merge?
DIRECTV and Dish have been on-and-off rumored merger partners for years and actually successfully negotiated one merger two decades ago. However, the FCC nixed the deal on grounds that it would be anti-competitive.
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The Post quotes ‘insiders’ as saying a DIRECTV-Dish merger now would likely have a better chance of winning federal approval. The video industry is packed with streaming competitors and concerns that a satellite merger would hurt rural residents has been somewhat alleviated by President Biden’s recent infrastructure initiative which designates $65 billion to expand Internet access in rural markets. (Many rural residents now are restricted to satellite as a TV option due to limited Internet availability.)
Also See: DIRECTV-Dish Merger: 6 Reasons Why It Makes Sense
Despite Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen frequently calling a DIRECTV-Dish merger “inevitable,” the Post article says Ergen may be dragging his feet on this deal. The Post says Ergen is pushing for greater influence over who would sit on the new company’s board as well as who would run the operation day-to-day.
“They’re actively having conversations and trying to iron out the details,” a source told the Post.
The article suggests that Ergen would hold a ‘minority position’ in the new company if a deal is reached.
“(Ergen’s) left almost-consummated deals in his wake — you’re not confident it will get done until the ink is dry,” the Post quotes one source, but adds that Ergen is in “an increasingly desperate position and needs the money” for Dish’s 5G communications plans.
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Starlight …. Starbright …. where is my Starlink tonight ?
DISH just received approval from my town’s planning board to mount 6 new antennas on an existing cell phone tower near where I live. A new backup generator for that site has also been approved. So they are working on their cell phone network at least where I live near Rochester, NY.
Why did TPG Loose interest ?
Thought they were going to take control and salvage DirecTV
Why did they buy it in the first place ?
If Charlie takes charge, us Direct subs are SOL, he’ll shitcan all our gains
DISH is N-O-T going to “absorb” the DEAD IN THE WATER DIRECTV…EVER !!
TPG (which is NOTHING but FAKE FRAUD AT&T supposedly EX employees) is NOT going to get ANY sort of CO OPERATION from uncle sam no matter HOW much the try. DEADRICTV has LOST OVER 10 MILLION subs and it has NOTHING to do with “satellite tv” is is because there are NEW TV CHANNEL STREAMS in ALL MAJOR BROADCAST AREAS, (that are FREE) AND INTERNET has “changed the TV and “SCREEN” habits of the ENTIRE COUNTRY.
It is because the MORONS at AT&T new ONLY ONE WAY to stay alive…RAISE THE PRICE EVERY SINGLE YEAR (NOT by a few bucks but more like 10 to 20 bucks) THEY HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what they were doing (and LOST OVER 150 BILLION with NOTHING to sell to even get close to to sell to get it back.
AT&T (Americas TERMINAL TELECOM COMPANY) is FINISHED PERIOD and it is ONLY a matter of TIME to watch the SLO and inevitable DEATH of one of THE most BUSINESS CANCERS in the HISTORY of the U AS !!
Charlie does NOT have to BUY or MERGE Anything…when DIRECTV get to a point (which is NOT far away now) where they can’t keep the service on it will go BYE-BYE just like “ORBY” did.
STANKER clown and his pals will have to find another way to keep their illicit income but the future for the cancer of AT&T is a clear as a bell !
(of course THOM the moron will have nothing but BS to add to this but we all know he got dropped on his head way too much as a child)…NOW DISH and T mobile and even Verizion are running circles around the rotting corps of AT&T and the CLOWNS at TPG have ALREADY BEEN EXPOSED (you can BET THE RENT AT&T FUNDED that joke of a “sale” too you clowns at TPG are NOT FOOLING ANYONE !)
I WILL HOST a HUGE celebration when AT&T “announces CHAPTER 11 and EVEN BIGGER went it goes CHAPTER 7…
Thom the moron, (Dave, idiot boy)… has been watching and enjoying all his favorite sports teams on DirecTV. I don’t stream live sports because some game I record to disc…. As i do with many favorite foreign films also on DirecTV
You wanna give me your eta of when Direct shuts down, davy?? you and I will both be dust in the wind
YES THOM they WILL DIE when the station keeping fuel RUNS OUT and the SATELLITE at 101 and OTHERS need to be de-orbited or sent in to space. SEE FOOL you have ZERO IDEA on anything EXCEPT your SPORTS HABIT and you can DEPEND on paying out the (uknowhat) for ANY “future” sports on TV as THAT biz is dieing even FASTER then AT&T is…and I REITERATE for you dear SHORT BUS RIDER…DISH does NOT have to fork over a penny as NOTHING is going to SAVE SATELLITE TV and the “rumors are just the PURE BS” Charlie will be the ONLY place left after AT&T is DEAD inthe water and DEATH TV is gone and THAT will eventually come to and end too as STREAMING will NOT “save” TV as it is…TOO MANY OTHER USES for INTERNET and WAY TOO MUCH BS to go thru for the sit one your rear-end types (like you) to keep what is left of the “cable biz” alive…You will probably take the ez way out and DIE soon anyway so just sit back and watch it ALL UNFOLD ! until your lights go out too.
Well idiot boy, you keep spinning n spinning, I don’t want charlie (you) to EVER own Direct! I pay less for more, I get programming I want at my price Directv is going to die die die like a broken record charlie, I’ll NEVER BE ONE OF YOUR SUBS…. You can’t handle someone getting a better deal Grow up!