# D*/Fox sell out



## FarNorth (Nov 27, 2003)

http://www.tvweek.com/topstorys/030104stationsfee.html

On the programming front, DirecTV's highly sought-after NFL Sunday Ticket will go fully high definition. New cable networks-particularly niche versions of Fox's popular news and sports platforms-will be launched, as will a string of ethnic channels, culled from some of News Corp.'s international operations.

Some of Fox's most popular prime-time programs, including "American Idol," will get interactive extensions, allowing DirecTV subscribers to vote for and communicate with contestants.

"We're looking to distribute a broad array of content, whether news, sports or entertainment, local or national, backed by great marketing capabilities. We have a scale that dwarfs everyone else in the business, including Comcast. We're going to leverage that to make sure we get our program costs in line and the best price for product while developing new content," Mr. Carey said.

News Corp. and Fox are striving to cushion their energetic embrace of personal video recorder technology in DirecTV's set-top boxes with limitations and standards that do not overly threaten the advertising revenue that is key to Fox's TV stations and broadcast network. They will include elimination of the 30-second skip button and place limits on the time allowed to download and store programs.

"At the end of the day, we have to have PVRs competitive with the marketplace," Mr. Carey said. "We do think the satellite and the broadcast industries have a shared interest here, especially as cable goes after the local advertising market."


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

FarNorth said:


> News Corp. and Fox are striving to cushion their energetic embrace of personal video recorder technology in DirecTV's set-top boxes with limitations and standards that do not overly threaten the advertising revenue that is key to Fox's TV stations and broadcast network. They will include elimination of the 30-second skip button and place limits on the time allowed to download and store programs.


Great, first it's drive space, now it's time limits as to how long a program can be stored on the DVR. So, I haven't kept up with _24_ this season because of something more important like COLLEGE. Heck, I still have movies which I haven't seen which I recorded in November.


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## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

What you see here is one of the best reason for DBS companies to remain independent. It's too late for one, I hope the other can remain independent.


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## Ray_Clum (Apr 22, 2002)

FarNorth said:


> They will include elimination of ...rticularly if Comcast has a two tuner unit...


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## FarNorth (Nov 27, 2003)

Just a guess but I'll bet there will be similar proposals for all cable and DBS-based PVR's. The networks and advertisers are scared to death - and with good reason. I'm a prime example of what they are worried about: My wife and I make good money and they'd like to sell us something. We now have Dish 921 and a 510 PVRs, a TiVo Standalone Series 2 with tons of extra capacity and I'm picking up a Motorola 6208 HD PVR/cable box tomorrow. We never, and I mean never watch commercials. I also like to collect episodes of a series and then watch them back to back; I have 8 24s recorded and will whip through them some night.....without commercial interuption.


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## JohnL (Apr 1, 2002)

FarNorth said:


> http://www.tvweek.com/topstorys/030104stationsfee.html
> 
> News Corp. and Fox are striving to cushion their energetic embrace of personal video recorder technology in DirecTV's set-top boxes with limitations and standards that do not overly threaten the advertising revenue that is key to Fox's TV stations and broadcast network. They will include elimination of the 30-second skip button and place limits on the time allowed to download and store programs.


Now that is funny, I wonder where all the DirecTV and Rupert Murdoch fans are going to go that said. "Rupert is going to do this that and the other and Dish Network is going to our dust".

Now it's clear that Rupert is going to use his vast media empire to drive stakes through the hearts of their competitors and or drive Consumer choice and or availability.

I saw this coming, the FCC should never have allowed a vertically integration on this scale.

John


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## Chris Freeland (Mar 24, 2002)

JohnL said:


> Now that is funny, I wonder where all the DirecTV and Rupert Murdoch fans are going to go that said. "Rupert is going to do this that and the other and Dish Network is going to our dust".
> 
> Now it's clear that Rupert is going to use his vast media empire to drive stakes through the hearts of their competitors and or drive Consumer choice and or availability.
> 
> ...


I agree and I hope that E* can remain independent but I am not sure they can in the long run now that the FCC allowed NewsCorp to swallow D*. This elimination of the ability to skip commercials on D* DVR's may keep me with E* rather then switching to D*.


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## DCSholtis (Aug 7, 2002)

FarNorth said:


> http://www.tvweek.com/topstorys/030104stationsfee.html
> 
> On the programming front, DirecTV's highly sought-after NFL Sunday Ticket will go fully high definition. New cable networks-particularly niche versions of Fox's popular news and sports platforms-will be launched, as will a string of ethnic channels, culled from some of News Corp.'s international operations.
> 
> ...


According to Dan Collins over that the other forum.....This MAY possibly relate to Rupe's FREE DVR in every home plan which he wants to do. And this elimination of the 30-skip might only be on the so called "Entry level DVRs that might really be a model of the bSKYb DVRs that Sky uses in the UK. This might not even relate to the DIRECTivo DVR. Regardless I think that this merger is still the best thing to happen to Directv. At least by midnight tonight I'll still have Viacom channels which I wouldnt if Charlie owned D*.....


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## Guest (Mar 8, 2004)

DCSholtis said:


> According to Dan Collins over that the other forum.....This MAY possibly relate to Rupe's FREE DVR in every home plan which he wants to do. And this elimination of the 30-skip might only be on the so called "Entry level DVRs that might really be a model of the bSKYb DVRs that Sky uses in the UK. This might not even relate to the DIRECTivo DVR. Regardless I think that this merger is still the best thing to happen to Directv. At least by midnight tonight I'll still have Viacom channels which I wouldnt if Charlie owned D*.....


 you probably wont have tivo a year from now


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## BobMurdoch (Apr 24, 2002)

Hey, that's OK. CBS is in reruns. Disney insead of Nick. Comedy Central only has South Park for me (and that's in reruns too). MTV and VH1..... MuchMusic.

Give 'em hell, Charlie. We're with you......... Let's see if CNN and the rest of the media pick up the REAL reason behind the shut-off (the extortion attempt to get access to a "free" OTA signal given to them by the FCC.)


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## Brett (Jan 14, 2003)

Ray_Clum said:


> This will cause me to greatly consider Comcast's PVR at the end of my 1-yr agreement, particularly if Comcast has a two tuner unit...


The SA Explorer 8000, Comcast's DVR for several thousands of customers, though dual tuner based, has poor operation for playback, and lack of advanced scheduling management and search features that a basic TiVo currently has. I dont know about Comcast's DVRs (Motorola) ones they have in other markets.

The SA Explorer also needs a reboot quite often, and is probably worse in reliablity than an Echostar DVR. The DVR lacks ability to remove channels (such as adult channels) from the guide also. Recording capacity is limited.


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## HappyGoLucky (Jan 11, 2004)

If Murdoch starts limiting the functionality of the DVRs, then I would have to do something which I hoped I would never do: go back to cable. At least with cable I could get a standard Tivo with the HMO and more. I had a bad feeling when Murdoch bought D*, I knew it would only be a matter of time before he f'ed it up.


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