Tuesday March 26, 7:12 pm Eastern Time
Associated Press
EchoStar Sets Up Web Site for Merger
EchoStar Sets Up Web Site on Proposed Merger With Hughes
LITTLETON, Colo. (AP) -- Federal regulators have received more than 1,000 letters on the proposed merger between the nation's
top satellite TV providers, with the help of a Web site EchoStar Communications Corp. established to make sending the letters
easier.
EchoStar, which runs the Dish Network, is seeking approval to merge with Hughes Electronics Group, parent of DirecTV. The
Federal Communications Commission is not expected to rule on the proposed merger for a few months.
EchoStar's Web site forwards messages for and against the merger to the FCC and to the letter-writer's U.S. senators and
congressional representative.
Bill McLaughlin of Highlands Ranch used the Web site to send the site's form letter supporting the merger. If he had time to
write his own, he said, he would have told regulators the merger would give EchoStar more leverage to negotiate with sports
networks for broadcast rights.
Elden Hill of Aurora used the site to write his own letter opposing the merger, saying it would give the companies a monopoly,
"and the customer will be the one to get screwed."
The Web site will be available indefinitely, said EchoStar spokesman Marc Lumpkin.
Shares of EchoStar were up 20 cents to close at $28.55 on the Nasdaq Stock Market Tuesday.
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On the Net:
EchoStar merger site: echostarmerger.com |
