Dish Network Doubles Down On Satellite TV’s Future

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Follow me on X.

Dish Network, which recently chided DIRECTV for increasing its marketing emphasis on streaming, is boosting its commitment to satellite TV by ordering a new satellite to deliver programming to the United States and Puerto Rico.

SpaceNews.com reports that the satellite is expected to be operational in 2028. Dish in 2023 also ordered a satellite but it’s unclear when that will be added to its fleet.

The decision to invest in new satellites runs counter to the prevailing wisdom that the satellite TV business will collapse in the coming years due to consumers shifting to less expensive streaming services. Both DIRECTV and Dish have lost millions of subscribers in the last several years because of cord cutting and other factors.

However, Dish appears to be following a strategy to target rural residents who have limited or no access to high-speed Internet services which is necessary to watch streaming. DIRECTV, which has acknowledged that it believes that streaming is the future, has reduced its marketing dollars on satellite, possibly creating an opportunity for Dish.

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“(Dish’s) cheeky new ‘Pigeon Targets’ campaign calls out DIRECTV’s move to abandon traditional satellite TV customers in favor of urban, streaming-only audiences. DISH, on the other hand, is staying true to its roots, continuing to invest in cutting-edge satellite technology to ensure rural and small-town Americans get the entertainment access they deserve — no matter how remote their address,” Dish said in a late May press release. 

However, the increased investment in satellite TV infrastructure comes at a risk for Dish which is undergoing severe financial difficulties with some analysts predicting it may have to declare bankruptcy.

Dish, which is owned by EchoStar, also operates a live streaming service, called Sling TV. However, Sling has experienced difficulties generating new subscribers in the last few years despite offering lower prices than its rivals.

With subscriber numbers falling rapidly, Dish and DIRECTV tried to merge companies last year but the deal fell through when DIRECTV raised objections over Dish’s debts which is in the billions.

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Phillip Swann

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The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered television for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch TV. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.