Cablevision to Sell Voom

No sell to anyone but Echostar!

Voom was never that popular and they really didn't advertise that much, their prices were really high also. I don't know anyone that has Voom so it doesn't come a suprise to me that they are going under.

I thought it was a bad idea from the start. Just add it to the junkyard heap along with other Dolan losers like The Wiz and that line of movie theaters they had to get rid of.

Dude the wiz was great around here. They had the lowest prices ever. But Bestbuy and Circuit city have a strangle hold on the area you can't take a turn with out seeing one. They are literally 5 miles between stores on some of the highways here.

I knew this would die soon

I have had Voom since it was first offered last year. They came and installed it for free (two receivers) and I have 30 HD channels, finally SCIFI was added. My cable company, Comcast charges me $140 per month vs 70 for less HD programming and the picture on all of Vooms channels are crystal clear. The cable can't compare in quality on the non digital channesl (1-100) and until the cable goes 100% digital. Also the HD receiver is really hot and works better with off the air HDTV programs locally in the DC than my HD TV connected to the same antenna. I only hope that Echo Star adopts their programming as I love my Dish Network HDTV also which I have, but wanted Voom mainly for the additional HD programming not available anywhere else.

I wanted to try them out, but since I am in Canada I would have had to get a receiver off ebay then figure out if they could be hacked. I was going to look harder this vacation, but now it seems pointless.

What the heck do you subscribe too?

You meant Voom as I'm Zoom.:p

What's wrong with Dish Network? Yes I have one of their systems and I only pay $40.38 a month for the Top120 package(It's leased too).:)

Besides why would You want to make DirectTV any bigger?(does Rupert Murdoch own DirectTV?)

(does Rupert Murdoch own DirectTV?)

No, he owns BskyB

I take it for a $1.00.

The move to sell to Echostar is good for users. I'll elaborate.

Echo has been trying to push HDTV content for a while. Echo has been watching (and trying) VOOM succeed on a small scale for some time now.

Echo has been trying to add more hdtv channels but has been unable to do so because of the technology currently in place.

Only recently did Dish Network release a new line of receivers capable of handling 'more' hdtv content. At the same time, there are new 'birds' (satellites) going up to space to handle the extra content.

So, the way I see it if Echo acquires voom, hopefully echo will finally offer MORE hdtv content.

I didn't know they were ever in MA. I thought they were a regional chain with stores only in the greater NYC area. Anyway, here's some nostalgic reading for you:

»Cablevision's Dumping The WIZ

»OT The Wiz gone forever?

Newscorp owns about 40% of directv... I dont understand why people complain about them so much, they are one of the better conglomerates out there and people that work for them seem to be happy for the most part.

He does own DirecTV

Try right across a parking lot around here...

I wanted to try Voom but I never could find enough money to scrap together to invest in this. i love HDTV and think it is truely the only way to watch tv and wish Insight cable would bring more HD so I could get some of the channels offered on Voom.

It is simple, no one person should be able to wield that much power.

It was a service way before its time, Hi-Def is not really here in terms of people buying digital tvs, much less plasma, hidef and flat-panel in HUGE volumes the prices are just starting to come down on this equipment Maybe in 6 years 30" plasma screens might be affordable, say $400? not $2500 or more..
Also, on the content side, there's simply not enough HI-DEF content and equipment to record in hi-def images.. adapted crap is just that, crap... so until the content creators embrace Hi-Dev Digital Video, it's a dead issue... much like buying Beta-Max video cassette, LP sized LaserDiscs (remember those?) etc,
Now, satellite as a business model works, because the only upfront costs are launching satellites, and reselling content, the rest of the businesses runs itself.. not to say that every dog doesn't occasionally have fleas... or a bladder infection...

Cablevision must focus on its home market, NY metro area, as Verizon is set to transform the area with Fiber content.... in the next couple of years.. and they need to fatten the pipes with docsis 2.0 already, 30mbits at least..
Then work on widening the nodes to 200mbits per subscriber symmetric, using fiber when necessary...
Only then can you have on-demand content and loyal subscribers at affordable rates.

»www.cedmagazine.com/ceda ··· 22.htm#1

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Cablevision yanks Voom spinoff plans

Karen Brown, CED

It looks like Voom isn't going solo any time soon.

In a Securities and Exchange filing posted late yesterday, Cablevision Systems Corp. stated it is suspending its proposed spinoff of Rainbow Media Enterprises, an umbrella subsidiary that oversees Voom's Rainbow DBS operations, as well as programming networks AMC, WE Women's Entertainment and the Independent Film Channel, and on-demand content outlet Mag-Rack.

Originally, Cablevision had planned to complete the Rainbow Media Enterprises spinoff next fall. But in the filing the company stated it will instead "pursue strategic alternatives."

While touted as the most HD-rich TV service in the United States with 21 channels beamed in 1080i high-resolution format, it has not been easy going for Voom since its launch in fall 2003. In the third quarter, the fledgling satellite TV service reported it had just 26,000 customers, and was still operating in the red, with revenues of $5.9 million and an operating loss of $75.3 million. The loss was blamed on high development costs for the HD channels, subscriber acquisition costs and the operating cost to support the uplink, broadcast center and customer call center.

Nevertheless, it has soldiered on, announcing earlier this month the addition of five new standard-definition channels from the Scripps Network - Home & Garden Television, Food Network, DIY-Do It Yourself Network, FINE LIVING and GAC-Great American Country.

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Voom is great.... once it is installed and working properly... It tooks almost 3 weeks to get it installed. That was after calling the installer at least 10 times.... Then the local channels still don't always work. With all that said all the HD programing is great!

Never used it and never will so I don't care what happens to them I am just wondering how many Americans got HDTV maybe %2?

Pardon my french, but BS! WHat was wrong was the those operating the company had a good idea and a lousy marketing department. Ok, so DirecTV has a foot-hold in many common unwashed-masses stores like Bad Buy, Circuit Shitty, and Hi-Fi Lies. And, DISH had a foot-hold on mom & pop DBS companies. So, why not put the marketing into the HDTV shipping cartons and make aware of your service to every soul that buys an HDTV?

Oops, that would have been too difficult. Offer some slob a couple of free months of Voom with their new HDTV was just the kind of idea no one at Voom could comprehend--even when suggested to them more than a year ago by yours truly.

Of course, we are talking about operating officers born and bread from within the cable industry. LOL

Now if one of these found the cash that would grab Rupert and Charlie's attention FAST:)

They still own and operate the theatres.....Clearview Cinemas.

No, I mean I buy the company Zoom for $1.00

People who worked for Enron were happy too

that would be funny to see

Cablevision scraps satellite TV spinoff plan
Investors applaud Cablevision's move to suspend the venture and seek 'strategic alternatives' instead

December 22, 2004

Cablevision Systems Corp. yesterday said it will suspend plans to spin off its troubled nationwide satellite television service, increasing the chances the venture will be sold.

The Bethpage-based company, the largest cable television operator in the New York area, said in a brief filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that instead it will seek "strategic alternatives" for its Rainbow Media Enterprises, the business unit that contains its Voom satellite service and three cable networks. Analysts say that usually means a company is looking to sell a business or bring in a partner. A Cablevision spokesman said the company would not comment further.

Investors cheered the move, sending Cablevision's stock up 14 percent, or $3.18, to close at $25.29, in heavy trading. Analysts also applauded, saying they saw little chance of Cablevision's making any money in the satellite TV business that is dominated by DirecTV Group Inc. and Echo Star Communications Corp.

DirecTV and Echo Star have been in the business for more than a decade and each has millions of subscribers. In comparison, Voom had about 26,000 customers as of Sept. 30. Since Voom was launched in October 2003, one of every three customers it signed up eventually dropped the service.

"It was a poorly thought out product offered years late to the market," said Bob Scherman, editor and publisher of Satellite Business News, a trade publication. "Chuck Dolan is a smart guy and he's somewhat of a legend in the business," Scherman said, referring to Cablevision's founder and chairman, Charles Dolan. "But no one could figure out any rationale or business sense" for the satellite operation.

Cablevision's Rainbow DBS unit, which operates Voom, posted sales of $5.9 million, and an operating loss of $75.3 million, in the third quarter.

In a note to clients that typified much of the reaction on Wall Street, Craig E. Moffett, who follows the cable industry for Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., said he was "delighted to see Cablevision's announcement," which he called "welcome news."

Industry experts said that Echo Star, which runs Dish Network, might be a likely buyer of Voom. Steve Caulk, a company spokesman, declined to comment. Dolan has made efforts to persuade media baron Rupert Murdoch to become a partner with the Dolans in Voom, but has had little success. Murdoch's News Corp. has a 34 percent stake of DirecTV, which has 13.5 million satellite subscribers. Echo Star has about 10.4 million customers.

If a buyer cannot be found, analysts said, Cablevision may wind up selling just Voom's assets, which include its customer list, one satellite that was launched last year, and federal licenses to operate.

"Getting rid of Voom would probably be the most significant thing Cablevision could do," said Richard Greenfield, an analyst at Fulcrum Global Partners in Manhattan.

Cablevision's announcement came after the company had twice delayed the spinoff.

If the spinoff had occurred, Charles Dolan would have become chairman of a new company to be called Rainbow Media Enterprises. His son, Thomas, would have been the chief executive of the company, which would have owned the several cable channels and 21 high-definition networks.