# Charlie Speaks



## Scott Greczkowski (Mar 21, 2002)

Here is a comment from Dish Network CEO Charlie Ergen in response to the Attorney Generals office, and the US Department of Justice.


"I would like to personally thank all those, including our customers, consumers, legislators, employees and numerous others, who during the past year have supported this historic merger proposal. We also thank the regulatory officials at the Department of Justice, FCC and the states who worked diligently to analyze this complex merger and gave us the opportunity to express our views. We continue to believe passionately that the merger of EchoStar and Hughes is the best chance to stop rising cable prices and to bring enhanced services to all Americans, especially those consumers living in rural America. We are obviously disappointed that at this time we have not been able to convince regulatory officials to share our vision. EchoStar will continue to explore all possible means to be allowed to compete against the cable giants and for more choice for all consumers."


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## Curtis0620 (Apr 22, 2002)

Sounds like a consession speech to me.


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## James_F (Apr 23, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Scott Greczkowski _
> *EchoStar will continue to explore all possible means to be allowed to compete against the cable giants and for more choice for all consumers." *


Little old EchoStar competing against "cable giants"


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## John Corn (Mar 21, 2002)

Yep, Charlie is done fighting.


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## mattb (Apr 29, 2002)

I guess Ill never get da*n locals in Columbus Ohio with E* now thanks to the dOJ and FCC...

Now only if SHIVA would go away so I could get distances... They talk compreition yada yada, but I dont see where DBS is being able to complete with cable with all the BS they have to deal with.


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## Curtis0620 (Apr 22, 2002)

But you can get them now with D*. So whats the problem.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

I think the fat lady has just finished singing...


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## Tim (Apr 24, 2002)

You mean this lady Scott


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## jrjcd (Apr 23, 2002)

God bless America when the chicken comes home to roost at E*....


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

I share Charlie's vision, and still am in favor of the merger. It's too bad the naysayers and doomsdayers couldn't or wouldn't see past the ends of their collective snotty little noses.

The economies of scale, elimination of duplication and a virtually doubled capacity will deliver the Nirvana of programming we have all wished and waited for.

From a subscriber's point of view, what's not to like about a combined company that can give you everything you ever wanted in satellite TV?

I don't think Charlie will give up his dream. Don't count him out yet.


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## Frapp (Apr 23, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Scott Greczkowski _
> *Here is a comment from Dish Network CEO Charlie Ergen in response to the Attorney Generals office, and the US Department of Justice.
> 
> "I would like to personally thank all those, including our customers, consumers, legislators, employees and numerous others, who during the past year have supported this historic merger proposal. We also thank the regulatory officials at the Department of Justice, FCC and the states who worked diligently to analyze this complex merger and gave us the opportunity to express our views. We continue to believe passionately that the merger of EchoStar and Hughes is the best chance to stop rising cable prices and to bring enhanced services to all Americans, especially those consumers living in rural America. We are obviously disappointed that at this time we have not been able to convince regulatory officials to share our vision. EchoStar will continue to explore all possible means to be allowed to compete against the cable giants and for more choice for all consumers." *


Cha-Ching $$$$

Am I mistaken or does Charlie E. now have to cough up around $600 Million ?

If he does, dealers can look for more chargebacks next year :lol:


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## platinum (Oct 28, 2002)

the merger would definately have lead to higher rates, just because charlie promised a one rate plan doesn't mean a low rate.


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## TNGTony (Mar 23, 2002)

Ethel Merman would have belted out a great tune....man...I'm still laughing over that picture!!!

Platinum, I am always taken aback by the "rates going up due to the merger" argument. DBS's main competitor is and always has been cable. You raise the rates and people will flood back to cable. I just don't get the logic of folks' contentions of rising rates.

Anyway, Charlie pretty much gave up the ghost here. He's now figuring out a way NOT to pay 600,000,000.00. 

See ya
Tony


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

Platinum, you _*still*_ don't get it, do you? Have you heard of *cable*, satellite's true competition? A combined Dish/DiirecTV would still be competing on price with every government franchised cable monoply in the country.


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## bobo (Aug 17, 2002)

Ethel Merman!! Dude,..... she is Kate Smith. She is the proverbial fat lady who sings.


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## Guest (Nov 1, 2002)

Attention All Shoppers:

Will the new owner of those 22 Panamsat satellites please come to the checkout.


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## TNGTony (Mar 23, 2002)

Sorry Bobo. 

Who sang "There's no business like show business"? That was a fat lady who sang and looked like the pix above.  What the hey.! LOL









Though I still want to see a pix of a fat lady with a spear, brass bra and viking horns. THAT is the proverbial fat lady who sings at the end of whatever Wagner opera it is. I just remember it from "What's Opera Doc?"

See ya
Tony


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## platinum (Oct 28, 2002)

i know cable is competition to dbs, but echo and direct compete against each other as well which helps keep rates down.


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## Guest (Nov 1, 2002)

Thats okay, the combined company would never have been able produce a picture as great as digital cable! Digital cable wins again!


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## Lyle_JP (Apr 22, 2002)

Bif is the supreme example of why this forum should require registration before posting.

-Lyle J.P.


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## HarryD (Mar 24, 2002)

Hey Bif, why don't you make like a tree... and get outta here!


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## Scott Greczkowski (Mar 21, 2002)

Please do not feed the trolls.


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## DCSholtis (Aug 7, 2002)

Tong....Tim....Thanks dudes now Im gonna be having nightmares of dead fat chicks in my sleep tonight.......Thats just great...


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## thomasmaly (Jul 7, 2002)

DC maybe you should see a dream analyst.


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## cnsf (Jun 6, 2002)

> _Originally posted by TNGTony _
> *Though I still want to see a pix of a fat lady with a spear, brass bra and viking horns. THAT is the proverbial fat lady who sings at the end of whatever Wagner opera it is. I just remember it from "What's Opera Doc?"
> 
> See ya
> ...


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## cnsf (Jun 6, 2002)

> _Originally posted by TNGTony _
> *Though I still want to see a pix of a fat lady with a spear, brass bra and viking horns. THAT is the proverbial fat lady who sings at the end of whatever Wagner opera it is. I just remember it from "What's Opera Doc?"
> 
> See ya
> ...


Or this......


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## renardg (Aug 13, 2002)

I still don't understand how people keep deluding themselves that sat doesn't compete with cable. You are the same people who think that sat is something special for the elitist crowd who want to be able to show off to the neighbors their cool system. Wake up, cable is satellites biggest competitor, and if it wasn't why do you think you see all the anti satellite ads from the cable companies. Sat has now been relegated to a niche market forever thanks to the FCC and DOJ. 

The other thing I don't understand is how they can say that the merger was bad because it is anti-competitive and monopolistic, yet these same departments are ready to approve the ATT-Comcast merger. If ever there was something that was anit competitive and monopolistic it is the whole damn cable industry, and the buttheads in our government just keep letting them screw us over with their practices.

This whole thing stinks and it really sucks. What it really boils down to is who has the stronger lobby, and clearly that is cable, because all the cable companies can band together when it comes to getting legislation passed or killed, why because they don't compete against each other, and they never will.

Wake up people, sat is going to be strangled to death by the cable companies and their powerful lobbiests.

It's a sad, sad, day.


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## BillyT2002 (Oct 19, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Nick _
> *Platinum, you still don't get it, do you? Have you heard of cable, satellite's true competition? A combined Dish/DiirecTV would still be competing on price with every government franchised cable monoply in the country. *


I could care less about the price going up or down for my satellite television. I was solely against the merger because I would hate to have to trade my DirecTIVO in for any kind of Echostar receiver. In my opinion, anything that runs Echostar software is trash pure and simple.

TIVO software is a "must have" in a PVR.

Bill T.


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