EchoStar CEO trivializes DirecTV's 100 HD channels
by Darren Murph 
posted Aug 14th 2007 at 10:57AM
Merely days after DirecTV reassured its customer base that hordes of new HD channels were (still) on the way, EchoStar Communications CEO Charlie Ergen has reportedly downplayed the whole shebang. During a second-quarter conference call, Ergen was quoted as saying that "there's not 100 channels of HD that [he] would watch," and supposedly insinuated that he didn't think having "70 or even 100 HD channels" was all that important. 'Course, he made sure to mention that Dish Network has 50 of its own, and did state that having 100 HD offerings was "a good round number to get people excited." Sure sounds like a case of bitterness to us.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Al @ Aug 14th 2007 11:28AM
Being a Dish customer, I would like to see him add more HD channels. If DirecTV's channel line up looks good, the compression doesn't ruin PQ and they bring back Tivo software on the DVRs, I'll switch right away.
VeeJay @ Aug 14th 2007 12:06PM
LOSER!!!!
VinylVision @ Aug 14th 2007 11:39AM
Echostar/DishNetwork must be much MORE agressive regarding High Definition to maintain longterm leadership in the multichannel arena. For example, sign deals now to get first cut at MEANINGFUL current non-hidef movie/arts channels such as Sundance, IFC, MTV, etc. And lockup other niche markets now besides sports, i.e. gay/lesbian (Get LOGO in HD before DirecTV does). Start "dishing" out some upfront cash incentives to lock in a series of new HD channels with meaningful content. Don't just sit on your but and say there is not worthwhile HD content. Echostar knows how to be agressive; now is not the time to sit back and just "munch" on the food channel and regional sports while mumbling complaints about lack of interesting HD content.
Jeru @ Aug 14th 2007 11:50AM
You obviously have no clue how E* operates.
harrijs @ Aug 14th 2007 11:52AM
I don't know if "bitterness" is what I would call it. Tomorrow Echostar is turning up 7 new HD channels. I believe that Ergen is really just calling it like he sees it; DirectTV has been talking about this since last fall and they are yet to turn anything up.
Brendan @ Aug 14th 2007 2:35PM
"DIRECTV has agreements in place to rollout multiple HD channels from top content providers such as Disney, Discovery Communications, A&E Television Networks, HBO, Fox, Turner, NBC Universal, Showtime Networks, Starz and Scripps Networks, among others."
When this all comes to fruition next month do eat crow or stay bitter?
Josh @ Aug 14th 2007 11:45AM
I just want EVERY channel in HD. I don't care if it is worthwhile or not. If it is on TV, I want it in HD. Abolish SD from the airwaves!
HD Tom @ Aug 14th 2007 11:48AM
Holy bitterness!!!
Granted, DirecTV has been full of hot air in the past (trust me, I know), but if they do pull this off - they will be the HD masters, bar none!
This dude is trying to rest on his laurels. That doesn't work in the big-boy business world.
Jim @ Aug 14th 2007 2:23PM
Maybe he should have said *Put up or shut up*. DirecTV has made past (false) claims that it's HD was better than the competition and in fact most of it was broadcast with substandard bit rates. To date DISH has a better HD lineup of channels (all the regular ones plus Voom) and better overall HD quality (higher bitrates) than DirecTV. Heck, even DirecTV SD channels were lower bitrates than DISH.
I think what he meant was why have 100 HD channels if a large percentage of them are boring and uninteresting, or have very limited HD programs aired on them. I believe DISH will stay competitive and offer all the same HD channels that matter to customers as DirecTV. So if they only have 75, but they are the 75 that customers really want to watch, that is all that matters. Are you going to watch the home shopping network now because it's in HD? It's a waste of bandwidth and I'd rather watch something interesting in SD! I do not have either DISH or DirecTV.
But for the record, I too want all HD all the time, all old SD upscaled and remastered into HD (like the old Star trek episodes) and *live* in all HD all the time. I'm *ok* with 4:3 if the PQ is near-HD.
Brendan @ Aug 14th 2007 2:28PM
Did you really just type that maybe Echostar was talking about insignificant HD channels and in the next breath talk up Voom? You sir are a hypocrite.
Michael @ Aug 14th 2007 11:04PM
Brendan, I like your style!
Every B TV Actor @ Aug 14th 2007 2:29PM
He is pokeing fun at DTV's HD content?
Last time I checked I was getting to excited about the beloved Voom network. How much bandwidth do those fluff channels waste?
Harbl @ Aug 14th 2007 3:05PM
What is with all the hate on the Voom channels? KungFu, FilmFestival and the Monster channels are pretty great.
dslate @ Aug 14th 2007 4:18PM
I have been watching HD on DISH the whole time D* has been making promises.
2 points should be made...
1) D* isn't even providing all the HD channels that are available now. Why?
2) They are going to count NFL, MLB, PPVs, and their DEMO channels to get to 100. And the D* fanboys will still cheer.
Brendan @ Aug 14th 2007 5:01PM
Are you a little slow dslate or you haven't you been following as closely as you claim. It's obvious why DirecTV isn't broadcasting all HD channels available, capacity. Capacity problems which were solved by the purchase of 1 billion dollars in mpeg-4 satellites. Directv 10 solves your quandary by providing additional bandwidth.
As for sports, are you seriously suggested that television providers shouldn't count sports packages broadcast in HD has additional HD channels? I guess that would make sense because the other cable/satellite providers look vastly inferior up against Directv when comes to sports. HD Football, HD Nascar and for the 2008 baseball season even more HD baseball. Throw out the most popular and profitable segment of Television broadcasting so you'll feel better I'm sure no one noticed your little scheme.
The fud that some anti-Directv zeolots throw out to discredit Directv is desperate, some of which used to come from the editors at engadget, but lately even they seem to have changed their tune. This is not a paper launch, satellites don't get purchased, designed and launched in orbit to sit and do nothing. Receivers aren't designed, sold, and setup for show nor are 5lnb dishes.
What is going to be the anti-Directv mantra in a month, more whining, denying, and crying? Or are some of you going to man up, grow up and admit you were wrong in hoping that the HD market would stagnate so your company of choice could stay on top.
Shane Walker @ Aug 14th 2007 8:27PM
Sorry, Brendan, but I'm one of those folks who have been enjoying the broadest array of HD content and some of the best HD DVR equipment available...while D* has been all hype and fine print when it comes to the "100 Channels" promise. It's not the agenda of delusional deranged zealots--we're just pointing out that the reality is, DirecTV has been trailing woefully for almost 2 years now and now they're weasling around the verbiage of their sales tagline to make it APPEAR like they're going to leapfrog the competition.
I suggest you try the alternative and maybe you'll see what the real deal in HD delivery leadership looks and feels like. Trust me, as a former D* customer of 7 years, it is NO comparison. Dish blows them away on all fronts save the sports packages...and as a lover of movies and the vast array of non-sports HD content thats out there NOW (and yes, that includes Voom), its a real no-brainer.
BTW, the reason why D*'s counting of HD RSNs in their 100 HD is that many are either not full-time and they're also susceptible to black-outs--the viewer won't SEE 100 channels, they just EXIST.
Brendan @ Aug 14th 2007 9:34PM
Here's the difference between me and Shane Walker, Deeznutz, dslite, etc.. I want you guys to have a billion HD channels, whereas it seems some you don't want Cablevision, Comcast, Dish Network, et all to ever be bested or even tied by Directv. I don't get it. You come around here pissing on Directv subscribers parade out of what? Brand loyalty, not logic. You guys don't even have promises of advancement of your own services on your side, look to the future because some you are going to be left far in the past hanging on to your your nearsighted companies.
Right know I wish had cinemax, stars, national geographic, a&e, even voom would be alright even though it's pretty lame, etc like some of you, but I don't. But your companies haven't announced anywhere near the channels needed to compete with Directv in the near future.
I've seen Comcast's and Dish Network's offerings with my own eyes and I'm not impressed. I've seen Mpeg 2 vs. Mpeg 2 HD comparisons showing Dish Network to be supposedly victorious according to some. But at what, late 90s technology, congrats. Keep fighting yesterdays battles fellas I'll enjoy the future and hopefully you won't get left behind.
One more thing, RSNs aren't sports packages, I don't get a single RSN in Albuquerqe, New Mexico but I get to watch all the football, baseball, basketball, hockey, nascar games that are shown. Sports packages count, stop demeaning them by calling a Regional Sports Network(spotbeam).
Shane @ Aug 15th 2007 12:28PM
Brendan, it's not a slight on the D* sub...its against the marketing BS. In the end, I think we all (HD consumers) benefit from the market competition between cable and duelling sat carriers--complacency would have dominated had that factor not been at play. I've personally seen the fruits as I have more national HD channels, premium HD exclusives, and updated HD hardware w/ newly added functionality and capacity as the result.
Again, I think the reactions you're getting here are because for some, its just talking about the cards on the table--not the poker face or the bluff. Once we really see D*s hand, we'll know how things stack up. If they truly blow away the competitions offerings, good for them (and the D* sub)...and, I suspect, good for all of us, in the end, as it will mean others will have to meet the challenge.
We'll see, right?
Brendan @ Aug 15th 2007 5:28PM
Dslite, I'm afraid, you're apparently a person who likes to think of himself as tough guy in his own head because you can't back up your own BS arguments. Grow up, stop acting like a child because with your macho attitude you're going to your stupid ass shot or ass kicked and then killed, that's not a threat btw, that's just what happens to people like you. Cuddles ;)
dslate @ Aug 15th 2007 5:56PM
Brendaint, you obviously couldn't make your arguments without calling names and taking shots. I have about been killed after a fight and I have grown up but that doesn't mean I am going to let some puss call me out. Shane made some arguments so I didn't feel the need to rebut your pathetic points like D* not having room for any more HD channels until the new sats are up which by the way DISH is launching 2 sats by years end (with no big empty promises). After your pusified rant that didn't stay civil, you didn't deserve a civil discussion. Peace.
Brendan @ Aug 15th 2007 8:47PM
You called me a c*** and p****, I called your thinking flawed and inaccurate. Calling names when you lose arguments is kindergarten behavior. Pretending like you're bigger and stronger then me when you don't don't know one thing about me is what psychiatrists generally call grandiose thinking. I used my real first name in this comment section while you are using an internet moniker and have been pretending like I am the one hiding behind my computer, I think you doth protest to much.
Directv has it's cards on the table: a satellite in space that can broadcast 100 hd channels, 5 lnbs dishes on subscribers roofs, mpeg 4 receivers in peoples homes, and most importantly commitments from major broadcast networks dwarfing any other cable or satellite network. Announcing these additions to its lineup before they go live makes very smart business sense. Investors love knowing the companies plans for the future and it also helps ease churn of subscribers.
Echostar's CEO came out on the attack out of a position of weakness not strength, note he didn't announce matching Directv commitments because the FTC would be all over his ass for lying to investors. These statements from Echostar's Chief Executive should put some of you ill at ease not all revved up and ready to fight a losing battle.
Foge @ Aug 22nd 2007 10:21AM
I think Brendan won on both accounts and dslate is too busy typing to read what he is actually saying.