Barry Willis

The digital video recorder (DVR) is increasingly the pivot on which turns the decision to sign up with cable or a satellite service. It may also forever change the basic business structure of the broadcasting industry.

We've all heard of electronic devices so advanced they do everything but make your breakfast. However, you can almost smell the bacon frying with <A HREF="http://www.echostar.com/">EchoStar</A>'s DishPlayer. The price? Try two hundred bucks.

Direct broadcast satellite service <A HREF="http://www.echostar.com">EchoStar</A> is serious about acquiring <A HREF="http://www.directv.com">DirecTV</A>, its larger competitor, by acquiring Hughes Electronics, a subsidiary of General Motors. Hughes operates DirecTV. On August 5, EchoStar announced that it had proposed an all-stock transaction valuing Hughes at $32 billion based on EchoStar's stock closing price on August 3.

Decreasing losses are often greeted as gladly as increased profits. <A HREF="http://www.echostar.com/">EchoStar Communications</A> has reported that its net operating loss decreased from $792.8 million in 1999 to $621.2 million in the year 2000. Total revenue for the year ended December 31 amounted to $2.7 billion, an increase of 70% over 1999's $1.6 billion. The direct broadcast satellite operator reported revenues of $805.1 million for the final quarter, up an impressive 56% from the same period in the previous year.