Recent news and trends re: News Corp's DISH, Pointcast, et al.
Monday March 24 8:15 AM EDT
EchoStar and Data Broadcasting Sign Agreement to Carry
Lawyers Communication Network and Data Services on Dish
Network/Sky
-- Data Broadcasting's Financial, Sports and Agribusiness Data First to Debut on DBS
Network --
JACKSON, Wyo. and ENGLEWOOD, Colo., March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Data Broadcasting Corp , the
leading provider of real-time market data to the individual investor, and Echostar Communications Corp , a leader
in the direct-to-home satellite television market, today jointly announced a multi-year agreement under which
EchoStar will carry the Lawyers Communication Network, a landmark professional education and online
information service being jointly developed by Data Broadcasting and the American Bar Association. The
programming will be carried over EchoStar's DISH Network/Sky, a state-of-the-art direct broadcast satellite
(DBS) television system that uses 18-inch satellite antennas.
The agreement also includes carriage of Data Broadcasting's financial, agribusiness, sports and business television
services, as well as the joint development of high-speed data delivery over the same small dish system. Data
Broadcasting's AgCast will be the first data service to be offered over DISH Network/Sky.
Through its joint venture agreement with the American Bar Association, Data Broadcasting will use the EchoStar
system to broadcast the Lawyers Communication Network. This new service will beam news, legal information
and ABA continuing education programs directly to lawyers' homes and offices. The nationwide service will be
offered to the ABA's more than 380,000 members and to non-member lawyers as well.
Subscribers to Data Broadcasting's services now will be able to receive DBC's core financial, news and sports
data services, its new AgCast agribusiness data service, expected to be launched soon, as well as EchoStar's full
video and audio entertainment programming, all through the convenience of a single 18-inch satellite receiving
system. DBC's data and video feeds also will be sold through EchoStar and its dealers for home and business
usage.
"The emergence of the 18-inch satellite receiving system in homes and businesses throughout the United States has
expanded greatly Data Broadcasting's ability to deliver its rich information content to new markets," said Allan
Tessler and Alan Hirschfield, Data Broadcasting's co- chief executive officers. "We intend to take full advantage of
the opportunities presented by the convergence of data, video, audio and high- speed data delivery down the
single robust pipeline offered by the DBS system. The value of our converged data and video product delivered
over the DISH Network/Sky will be evident in the programming planned for our LCN and AgCast services. It will
also lead to the development of several other affinity group networks currently in negotiation."
Charles Ergen, EchoStar's chief executive officer, added: "We are pleased to offer DBC's important data and
video services as part of our expanding line-up of business and consumer programming. We look forward to a
significant share of the DBC customer base becoming a part of the direct broadcast DISH Network/Sky and
believe many of our current and prospective customers will welcome the availability of DBC's financial, sports and
business programming."
"Our EchoStar agreement provides direct-to-the-office/direct-to-the-home technology that significantly enhances
the access and convenience for professionals needing to comply with on-going educational and training
requirements," said Dennis Crockett, executive vice president of Data Broadcasting's Business Services Division.
"Taking part in a for credit' course will now be as easy as ordering a pay-per-view movie. On-demand education
has arrived."
All Data Broadcasting services are available on a subscription basis directly from DBC or through any authorized
DISH Network/Sky dealer.
EchoStar Communications Corporation, headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, is a world-wide manufacturer
and distributor of direct-to-home satellite television products and services. The company is a single, convenient
source for equipment distribution, sales, installation and service; consumer financing; and programming distribution;
and is widely recognized for its research and development activities.
On February 24, 1997, EchoStar announced an alliance with Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. wherein News
Corp. will invest cash and assets worth $1 billion in exchange for a 50% stake in EchoStar. The direct broadcast
venture labeled "Sky" will offer as many as 500 channels of digital video and audio, data services and local
broadcast TV signals to markets across the U.S.
Data Broadcasting is America's leading provider of real-time market data to the individual investor. Through its
DBC West and BMI services, the company delivers real-time stock quotes, financial and sports news and gaming
information odds to more than 37,000 subscribers via wireless FM, cable and satellite transmission, as well as
through online services and the Internet, www.dbc.com.
DBC's Capital Management Sciences division is the leading provider of fixed income portfolio analytics used for
valuation and risk management purposes. DBC's Broadcast International division provides private satellite
communications networks and services for commercial, professional and media businesses. CheckRite
International provides electronic check verification data as well as credit and bank card services to retail merchant
customers. SOURCE Data Broadcasting Corporation
DBCC-DISH aliance appears to be raising the bar with DBCC's infrastructure by an order of magnitude. We have been following NWS, DISH, Pointcast, C|net et al. DBCC, CNWK, Pointcast et al are companies whom appear to represent potential crown jewels for companies like NWS and all similarly related players whom require internet content providers to remain competitive into the next century.
esecurities corporation
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