# Liberty Media (DIRECTV) looking at Rainbow Media TV (VOOM) ?



## justlgi (Apr 11, 2008)

Liberty Media (DIRECTV) looking at Rainbow Media TV (VOOM)

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/aug/05/liberty-media-open-to-buying-rainbow-media-tv/


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## TheRatPatrol (Oct 1, 2003)

Interesting. Months ago D* said they had no interest in VOOM, now all of a sudden they do?

Maybe a good idea for the long run, but right now I think D* needs to focus on getting more national HD channels launched before they use up all the bandwidth on these channels.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

theratpatrol said:


> Interesting. Months ago D* said they had no interest in VOOM, now all of a sudden they do?


They have an interest in Rainbow media, which owns a number of mainstream cable networks besides Voom.


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## wjanowski (Jan 15, 2008)

theratpatrol said:


> Interesting. Months ago D* said they had no interest in VOOM, now all of a sudden they do?
> 
> Maybe a good idea for the long run, but right now I think D* needs to focus on getting more national HD channels launched before they use up all the bandwidth on these channels.


Read the article. They would consider buying Rainbow Media, not just carrying VOOM. Owning Rainbow would also give them AMC and Sundance. This would be a move into content ownership, not finding new channels to carry.


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## Jason Whiddon (Aug 17, 2006)

Putting Voom up would get a lot of people from E*.


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## cforrest (Jan 20, 2007)

If Malone ever purchased Rainbow Media, assuming Cablevision spins it off seperately, Malone would probably cease VOOM operations but as mentioned earlier would want Rainbow for AMC, Sundance, IFC & We TV. The first three channels are worth over $500 million each. At least according to articles I read yesterday on Cablevision's board authorizing the Dolans to increase sharholder value with a dividend and/or sale of assets. Also WSJ said Rupert Murdoch expressed interest in some of the channels, for those with a subscription:

"The company, based in Bethpage, N.Y., has a market value of about $8.3 billion, and it's likely to try to spin out the content assets, which could raise as much as $5 billion, said Thomas Eagan, an analyst at Collins Stewart. He estimates Madison Square Garden could bring $1.2 billion, AMC $1.5 billion and IFC $500 million. The company recently paid $500 million for the Sundance Channel, which could also be sold...

...On Tuesday, News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch said he might be interested in deals for some of Cablevision's cable-TV networks."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121794258217213351.html


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## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

elwaylite said:


> Putting Voom up would get a lot of people from E*.


I would have a hard decision to make. I have been with Dish since day 1, literally. If Directv got Voom I would probably change it they set up their packages properly.


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## wmj5 (Aug 26, 2007)

I don't know what Rupert Murdoch wants with voom, he can't or won't even get fox news in hd. I don't know why he worked so hard to buy D* and in no time let it slide, he must be like me getting too old.


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## Bobby H (Mar 23, 2008)

I thought Fox News had a HD channel. It's just that none of the satellite companies are carrying it.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

wmj5 said:


> I don't know what Rupert Murdoch wants with voom, he can't or won't even get fox news in hd. I don't know why he worked so hard to buy D* and in no time let it slide, he must be like me getting too old.


Rupert doesn't own DirecTV anymore, hasn't for months.


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## gregjones (Sep 20, 2007)

Voom would make a good HD content addition to the VOD offerings. The other Rainbow channels would represent a chance to own those end-to-end.

More relevant than buying Dish outright is another strategy: buy the best things about Dish or make them pay more for them. Owning several of the channels they share puts DirecTV at an advantage. Picking up VOOM (in a limited format) could provide a bump in subscriber numbers.

Keep in mind that when comments were made about them not wanting VOOM, the landscape was somewhat different. VOOM comprised 15 channels at that point and DirecTV was lacking in capacity. They now have capacity and several different delivery methods.


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## Newshawk (Sep 3, 2004)

Another possibility is that Dr. Malone might do the right thing and cut Voom from 15 channels to a lesser number, thus increasing its value as a content provider. I think the Dolans (specifically Chuck, IIRC) have too much emotional involvement in Voom to pare it down. Malone would just treat it as another asset.


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## gregjones (Sep 20, 2007)

Newshawk said:


> Another possibility is that Dr. Malone might do the right thing and cut Voom from 15 channels to a lesser number, thus increasing its value as a content provider. I think the Dolans (specifically Chuck, IIRC) have too much emotional involvement in Voom to pare it down. Malone would just treat it as another asset.


Voom might do better with 1 channel and a ton of HD VOD content.


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## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

Awesome news!

Guys, Directv has plenty of bandwidth now and this would be a great move. We watch IFC all the time so that would be amazing if they purchased it and hopefully got an HD version.


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## gully_foyle (Jan 18, 2007)

DirecTV has channels to fill and VOOM has content. In actual unstretched high definition. Certainly VOOM is more compelling -- this year -- than, say, BravoHD or HistoryHD.

And then there is the matter of sticking it to DISH:


Richard King said:


> I would have a hard decision to make. I have been with Dish since day 1, literally. If Directv got Voom I would probably change it they set up their packages properly.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

RAD said:


> They have an interest in Rainbow media, which owns a number of mainstream cable networks besides Voom.


That's a much more accurate depiction of the situation.

There are other "properties" that they would most likely want far and above Voom. In fact, that may actually terminate Voom's existence once and for all - as Chase Carey previously indicated many of their channels didn't "seem to add much content value".


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## flipptyfloppity (Aug 20, 2007)

Please no crappy Voom channels eat up bandwidth. I'll promise to stop *****ing about Animal Planet HD (Animal cops!) if you do swear off Voom, D*.


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## ub1934 (Dec 30, 2005)

Bobby H said:


> I thought Fox News had a HD channel. It's just that none of the satellite companies are carrying it.


* Thank God for that :hurah: *


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## FitzAusTex (Jan 30, 2007)

While 15 channels may be too many, only having 1 Voom channel woudnt cut it. Could reasonably cut it from 6 to 8. 

If D* did start carrying 6 to 8 (or all 15), I'd have to switch from E* to D*.


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## JLucPicard (Apr 27, 2004)

Just curious - for those saying that if DirecTV got Voom they might have to switch:

Is the only thing keeping you with Dish the fact that they have the Voom channels? Or maybe better stated, the only thing keeping you FROM DirecTV is the fact that they DON'T have the Voom channels?

And I don't think if this were to happen that it necessarily means that Dish would lose the Voom channels - they'd just have to be paying DirecTV for them rather than Cablevision.

I do agree, though, that the main reason for this would not be acquisition of the Voom channels but of the other "assets".


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## grog (Jul 3, 2007)

No Voom and no MLB on Dish.

Was looking to switch to DirecTV anyway since we could not get MLB with Dish.

Would make me even feel better if Voom was there when we switched.



JLucPicard said:


> Just curious - for those saying that if DirecTV got Voom they might have to switch:
> 
> Is the only thing keeping you with Dish the fact that they have the Voom channels? Or maybe better stated, the only thing keeping you FROM DirecTV is the fact that they DON'T have the Voom channels?
> 
> ...


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

JLucPicard said:


> And I don't think if this were to happen that it necessarily means that Dish would lose the Voom channels - they'd just have to be paying DirecTV for them rather than Cablevision.


Dish got rid of the VOOM channels a month or two ago...

~Alan


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## Alan Gordon (Jun 7, 2004)

cforrest said:


> If Malone ever purchased Rainbow Media, assuming Cablevision spins it off seperately, Malone would probably cease VOOM operations but as mentioned earlier would want Rainbow for AMC, Sundance, IFC & We TV.


...or as said elsewhere on this thread, he could simply condense the channels. Personally, I'd enjoy having MonstersHD...

~Alan


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## dtrell (Dec 28, 2007)

ub1934 said:


> * Thank God for that :hurah: *


why? i think theyre wasting bandwidth carrying cnbchd and cnnhd.....id much rather have foxnews hd as would many others on here.


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## gregjones (Sep 20, 2007)

ub1934 said:


> * Thank God for that :hurah: *


Take your political opinions elsewhere. Don't muddy up the thread.


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## curt8403 (Dec 27, 2007)

elwaylite said:


> Putting Voom up would get a lot of people from E*.


but do we want to be going Eeeeeeee!?


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## gregjones (Sep 20, 2007)

Think of it this way: how many people interested in VOOM are not DVR owners? Condensing these channels into DVR-friendly channels (I would say 5 or fewer) would make sense if the great majority of VOOM viewers were also DVR users.

As I have said before, the scheduling of non-sports programming has almost no impact on my viewing of the content. Were it not for timeblock conflicts, I would never even notice them. The biggest complaint about VOOM was repetition of content. Condense them into low-repeat channels and offer it via VOD. This adds content cheaply, uses little bandwidth and stands to pick up some disgruntled Dish customers. Seems like a pretty easy decision if the price is right.


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## JLucPicard (Apr 27, 2004)

JLucPicard said:


> And I don't think if this were to happen that it necessarily means that Dish would lose the Voom channels - they'd just have to be paying DirecTV for them rather than Cablevision.





Alan Gordon said:


> Dish got rid of the VOOM channels a month or two ago...
> 
> ~Alan


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Just goes to show how much I pay attention to DishNetwork and/or Voom!


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## gregjones (Sep 20, 2007)

JLucPicard said:


> :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
> 
> Just goes to show how much I pay attention to DishNetwork and/or Voom!


JLucPicard, I will catch you up.

Dish issued a press release touting a ton of new channels. The next day, they pulled the plug on all of the VOOM channels. For one day they had a great-looking, PR-friendly number of HD channels. The next day a lot of their most faithful defenders turned on them because VOOM was a big selling point for them.

On AVS, there was a very active thread denouncing Dish for dumping VOOM and begging DirecTV to pick them up. It was, as one might say, not pretty.


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## Araxen (Dec 18, 2005)

I would die to have the Monsters and Kung Fu HD channels from Voom on Directv.


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## RunnerFL (Jan 5, 2006)

flipptyfloppity said:


> Please no crappy Voom channels eat up bandwidth.


They wouldn't eat up bandwidth, they are on their own satellites. Or at least they were.


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## gregjones (Sep 20, 2007)

RunnerFL said:


> They wouldn't eat up bandwidth, they are on their own satellites. Or at least they were.


The satellites are in the wrong place and are not licensed for use by DirecTV. In all but the most fortunate and unlikely conditions, these channels would be transmitted on DirecTV's current satellites, if at all. The satellites still have transponders being leased out, if memory serves correctly. While an asset, to be sure, it would take considerable effort to get those in a position (physically and metaphorically) to be of use to DirecTV subscribers.


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## Reaper (Jul 31, 2008)

Go for it DIRECTV! AMC, IFC and Sundance in HD would be great but I would also like to see the VOOM channels on D*. In fact, I switched from D* to Dish Network 2-1/2 years ago just for the VOOM channels (of course back then D* had like eight HD channels). I’m a big horror fan and really enjoyed Monsters HD. When E* dropped VOOM I immediately switched my service back to D* – think about it, VOOM was E*'s only differentiator in the HD market (besides their better DVR) and they actually used that as a reason to drop the channels! 

I never found any content that I liked on the non-movie VOOM channels but I would definitely like to see the movie channels on D* (VOOM HD Movies, Film Fest, Kung Fu and Monsters). More movies is a good thing!


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## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

If Directv picks up Rainbow... it will be because of its holdings in spite of voom... Not because of. Now with that said, I'd love to see all 15 channels pop up as VOD, and maybe 2 channels that can rotate through all their programing placed in the HD pack.. That would be4 fine, but until D12 id up and running, I think placing all the channels up would take away some other channels, and I'd rather have all the other channels and Voom be just VOD, if that was the choices....


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## Jason Nipp (Jun 10, 2004)

gregjones said:


> The satellites are in the wrong place and are not licensed for use by DirecTV. In all but the most fortunate and unlikely conditions, these channels would be transmitted on DirecTV's current satellites, if at all. The satellites still have transponders being leased out, if memory serves correctly. While an asset, to be sure, it would take considerable effort to get those in a position (physically and metaphorically) to be of use to DirecTV subscribers.


Hmm, I've been wrong before, but doesn't EchoStar own the Rainbow1 satellite? And I think I heard Charlie say once that EchoStar owns like 20% of the Voom networks.... :scratch: But I have been wrong before.


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## Reaper (Jul 31, 2008)

Jason Nipp said:


> Hmm, I've been wrong before, but doesn't EchoStar own the Rainbow1 satellite? And I think I heard Charlie say once that EchoStar owns like 20% of the Voom networks.... :scratch: But I have been wrong before.


You're right on both counts - I'm not sure of the exact percentage but Echostar (or a subsidiary company) owns a share in Rainbow Media.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

gregjones said:


> The satellites are in the wrong place and are not licensed for use by DirecTV. In all but the most fortunate and unlikely conditions, these channels would be transmitted on DirecTV's current satellites, if at all. The satellites still have transponders being leased out, if memory serves correctly. While an asset, to be sure, it would take considerable effort to get those in a position (physically and metaphorically) to be of use to DirecTV subscribers.


Rainbow 1 (now Echostar 11 I IIRC) isn't used for the distribution of Voom programming so it doesn't matter who owns it and where it's at.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

R1 is now Echostar 12 ... Voom free (with many of it's transponders now operating in spot mode for HD locals).

Let DirecTV add Voom ... let them burn up the space on their satellite while DISH delivers the "channels people want" instead of the channels nobody knows.


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## Jason Whiddon (Aug 17, 2006)

Yepp, Dish has done well at adding the "channels people want" havent they?


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## Reaper (Jul 31, 2008)

James Long said:


> Let DirecTV add Voom ... let them burn up the space on their satellite while DISH delivers the "channels people want" instead of the channels nobody knows.


Yay, more stretched and upscaled SD for the masses!!! After all, why would we want more exclusive 1080i content?!?

Hopefully D* will have the bandwidth for all the HD that E* offers plus VOOM, and oh yeah, MLB Extra Innings and NFL Sunday Ticket too!


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## jsquash (Apr 10, 2007)

Reaper said:


> Yay, more stretched and upscaled SD for the masses!!! After all, why would we want more exclusive 1080i content?!?
> 
> Hopefully D* will have the bandwidth for all the HD that E* offers plus VOOM, and oh yeah, MLB Extra Innings and NFL Sunday Ticket too!


+1 I could not have said it better myself!!!!!


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## Draconis (Mar 16, 2007)

I will have to agree with some of the other users in the forum. I think it would be a good marketing ploy if DirecTV acquired Rainbow Media. 

I know some will disagree but I think that EchoStar made quite a few people unhappy when they removed the VOOM channels from their lineup. If DirecTV got those channels then that would encourage Dish customers (who liked those channels) to switch to DirecTV. 

Of course the thing I wonder about is how DirecTV would bill for the new channels (if they do buy Rainbow Media). 

They do not have a SD channel equivalent, so would they be included in the HD Extra Pack? Billed as a separate package (another add-on)?

Guess we will have to wait and see.


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## gregjones (Sep 20, 2007)

James Long said:


> R1 is now Echostar 12 ... Voom free (with many of it's transponders now operating in spot mode for HD locals).
> 
> Let DirecTV add Voom ... let them burn up the space on their satellite while DISH delivers the "channels people want" instead of the channels nobody knows.


Actually, DirecTV is in the business of attracting new customers and keeping old ones. It looks like there is a market of disgruntled VOOM viewers that want to find it on a satellite. If that means new customers for DirecTV for a reasonable price, they'd be dumb not to give it a try. The likelihood of many current subs leaving because VOOM arrived is low.

They don't make carriage decisions based on individual preferences, but on the likelihood of attracting new customers.


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## gregjones (Sep 20, 2007)

RAD said:


> Rainbow 1 (now Echostar 11 I IIRC) isn't used for the distribution of Voom programming so it doesn't matter who owns it and where it's at.


OK, how many more reasons do we need. The point is that the idea of getting VOOM without needing bandwidth is incorrect.


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## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

Malone may be looking at the Rainbow Media channels as possible leverage with other content providers. So if Time Warner wants to raise the price of say CNN or HBO to Directv he can threaten them with increases on AMC, WE, etc. The same thing with Comcast and the others. With increasing consolidation, the biggest dogs will win.


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## kal915 (May 7, 2008)

elwaylite said:


> Putting Voom up would get a lot of people from E*.


I think Voom went to waste when they dropped World Cinema for Voom Movies


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## scottchez (Feb 4, 2003)

I used to have VOOM on Dish. Really all you need to 1-3 Voom BEST OF VOOM HD channels and a On Demand feed, because with a DVR you can record want you want day or night.

NO NEED TO WAIST BANDWIDTH.

Think of it like an HBO movie package where we maybe get charged $3 a month extra for or it could be a part of the $5 HD extra pack.

THats what I did anyway with voom, record things, never watched live.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Perhaps Liberty/DirecTV can get a reduced channel Voom deal out of Rainbow ... It is a shame Rainbow didn't offer such a deal to DISH when they pushed for it. Nor did Rainbow live up to their deal with DISH to spend money on content.

But if you believe that Voom will somehow magically be better on DirecTV then I suppose there is nothing more to be said ... except don't forget when DirecTV was bashing Voom as channels you never heard of - and pray that if it ever does show up on DBS again that it doesn't go stagnant in a few months like it did last time.


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## Jason Nipp (Jun 10, 2004)

kal915 said:


> I think Voom went to waste when they dropped World Cinema for Voom Movies


I think Voom went to waste when they failed to add the new content they promised everyone that was subbing to their channels. I had Voom since the day E* added the channels. I liked Guy TV and Majestic which they killed off. They should have killed off Gallery and Treasure instead. Either way the channels were cool to show off HD to my friends, but the repetitive shows were too much. I was going to drop the Voom pack and at the end when all the Voom Channels went MPEG4 I did drop the channels.

There's only so many times you can watch Glastonbury 2005 and Eye above Italy before you no longer watch those channels.

Go ahead and add them, the content wasn't compelling enough for me to leave E*.


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## Reaper (Jul 31, 2008)

kal915 said:


> I think Voom went to waste when they dropped World Cinema for Voom Movies


I have the opposite opinion.


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## Reaper (Jul 31, 2008)

James Long said:


> But if you believe that Voom will somehow magically be better on DirecTV then I suppose there is nothing more to be said ...


Don't you think that if Liberty Media buys Rainbow that they might manage the VOOM content differently? They would after all have direct control...


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

If Liberty bought the division it could make whatever changes it wanted ... Sorry, I thought this was all about a programming deal, not a purchase of the programmer.


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## TheRatPatrol (Oct 1, 2003)

mreposter said:



> Malone may be looking at the Rainbow Media channels as possible leverage with other content providers. So if Time Warner wants to raise the price of say CNN or HBO to Directv he can threaten them with increases on AMC, WE, etc. The same thing with Comcast and the others. With increasing consolidation, the biggest dogs will win.


And we could finally get CSN-Philly and Northwest.


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## Mixer (Sep 28, 2006)

I would love to have VOOM on DiercTV. Like someone said maybe they could combine a few of the channels and have less repeats. If not we already struggle with MHD so why would repeat prgramming hurt us


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## Link (Feb 2, 2004)

Why are the VOOM channels even on the air now that Dish dropped them? Do they air on cable systems or something?? I figured the whole VOOM operation was now defunct.


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## Reaper (Jul 31, 2008)

Link said:


> Why are the VOOM channels even on the air now that Dish dropped them? Do they air on cable systems or something?? I figured the whole VOOM operation was now defunct.


They're on Cablevision which owns Rainbow Media.


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## Yes616 (Sep 6, 2006)

Reaper said:


> Their on Cablevision which owns Rainbow Media.


AKA IO Digital Cable.. Do you see in HD?

I am a long time Dish customer and if D* picked up Voom, I will be making the switch after my commitment is up.

MonstersHD was the best to me but nobody has mentioned RaveHD (#2 in my book). I found it much better than the MHD music channel.

I do miss Flipper on the Family Channel as well. They did a great job of upconverting that one.


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## gopherscot (Mar 25, 2002)

Loved Voom ... I liked

Monsters
Rave and my favorite
Equator HD


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## jsk (Dec 27, 2006)

E* dropped them because they refused to consolidate their channels and it was using their valuable bandwidth. It would have made sense for them to consolidate because people complained about all of the repeats. 

Maybe if D* buys them, they will consolidate and also be carried by E*.


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## smiddy (Apr 5, 2006)

Voom, voom, voom! Whoops, wrong commercial. Now, what were we talking about?


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## jurples (Jan 12, 2008)

mad men + ifc + sundance in HD = cut the check


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## dclaryjr (Mar 11, 2007)

I miss Equator and Rave, but there's no way I would switch unless D* got the Travel Channel in HD. "No Reservations" is on the top of my DVR schedule!


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## MikeR7 (Jun 17, 2006)

dclaryjr said:


> I miss Equator and Rave, but there's no way I would switch unless D* got the Travel Channel in HD. "No Reservations" is on the top of my DVR schedule!


Soon!!:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Reaper (Jul 31, 2008)

Yes616 said:


> AKA IO Digital Cable.. Do you see in HD?


I don't have IO Digital Cable but my understanding is that they carry the VOOM channels in HD.


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