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Dish CEO steps down to focus on wireless network ambitions
Dish hasn't been shy about pursuing its wireless dreams over the years, and now that's leading to a shakeup of its core leadership. Longstanding CEO Charlie Ergen is stepping down from the top spot (though not as chairman) to "devote more attention" to the wireless business. Current operating chief Erik Carlson is taking the reins. In turn, Dish is taking on a "group structure" that should more effectively support wireless, conventional satellite TV and Sling TV streaming.
WSJ: Dish Network and T-Mobile are talking merger
Add one more (potential) communications company deal to the pile: T-Mobile and Dish Network. According to the Wall Street Journal, the two are in "close agreement" about the structure of a combined company, with Dish CEO Charlie Ergen taking over as Chairman and T-Mobile leader John Legere serving as CEO for the two companies. Dish tried and failed to acquire Sprint a couple of years ago, while T-Mobile has made its own passes at joining with AT&T and Sprint. There's nothing final about the talks so maybe nothing will happen, but Verizon/AOL and AT&T/DirecTV could have company very soon. [Image credit: Steve Sands via Getty Images]
Dish's Charlie Ergen on wireless dreams, ad skipping, à la carte programming and more
Charlie Ergen, chairman and co-founder of Dish Network, was the keynote speaker on the first night of the D:Dive Into Media conference in Dana Point, California., and without question, he's going to be a tough act to follow. The hour-long conversation touched on everything from Ergen's expertise at the blackjack table to his belief that there are just two kinds of people in the world -- "those who get results, and those who make excuses" -- but host Peter Kafka dove right into the major issue at hand: the Hopper. Head on past the break for a rundown of the interview.
Charlie Ergen steps aside as President & CEO of Dish Network, will remain as Chairman
With the "Seinfeld strategy" of its Blockbuster and DBSD purchase, TiVo settlement and new multiroom boxes underway, apparently this is the right time for Dish Network's founder, President and Chief Executive Officer Charlie Ergen (pictured) to step aside. Joseph P. Clayton, formerly of Sirius, Global Crossing and Frontier will be the new president and CEO effective June 20th while Ergen will remain as Chairman of the company. We don't usually remark on executive changes at the companies we cover but Ergen's been out front leading the charge of Dish, EchoStar and Sling for some time now and it's notable to see him taking a less active leadership role. We don't know much about Clayton, but if he wants to get off on the right foot, taking credit for the "free Sling Adapters for everybody" promotion would probably be a good idea.
DISH Network might attempt DirecTV merger again?
DirecTV and DISH Network trying to get together again? That's the idea according to the Wall Street Journal, apparently in response to DISH making "a major strategic shift" after losing 25,000 subscribers in Q2. Of course the last time these two tried U + me = Us back in 2001, regulators put the smackdown on the idea, but apparently DISH CEO Charlie Ergen thinks things may be different now. We can see how a 90% drop in subscriber growth (and a blown satellite or two) could cause anyone to reevaluate things, but as our extensive experience watching daytime TV proves, running into a new relationship to escape ones problems never works out long term, but it is interesting to see if either is really willing to stop the constant one-upmanship and concentrate on taking on the cable (& telco) companies together.[Thanks, Adam]
DirecTV and EchoStar talking merger again?
Nature abhors a vacuum, so now that the AMD/ATI deal has gone from rumor to reality, we're in dire need of another potential mega-merger to fill the void. Luckily for us, News Corp. owner and the real "king of all media" Rupert Murdoch recently made some tantalizing comments on the Charlie Rose Show that may indicate DirecTV's renewed interest in merging with Dish Network parent EchoStar. Although he obviously didn't come right out and say that the two companies were involved in talks of any sort, Murdoch did suggest that the television landscape has shifted enough since the last merger attempt in 2002 that "it would be much harder for the government to turn it down" this time around. However, he also cautioned that a deal would be difficult if EchoStar CEO Charlie Ergen -- whose clashes with News Corp. execs reportedly put the kibosh on merger talks all the way back in 1997 -- insisted on running the new entity as one of EchoStar's conditions. Ars Technica sums up the situation nicely by suggesting that although a merger would help both companies in their quest to offer broadband service should they succeed in picking up some spectrum at next month's FCC auction, government regulators would be unlikely to approve such a deal for the same reason as last time: there are still too many consumers out there whose only option is satellite TV, giving a combined DirecTV-Dish entity monopoly status in certain areas of the country. Long story short: there's an excellent chance that Murdoch would love a deal to go down, but chances are it ain't gonna happen.[Via Ars Technica]
