FCC OKs Liberty Media-DirecTV Deal

Submitted: February 26, 2008 - 10:53am
Last updated: February 29, 2008 - 5:46pm

FCC OKs LIBERTY MEDIA-DIRECTV DEAL
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The Federal Communications Commission Monday approved the transfer of control of satellite service DirecTV from News Corp. to Liberty Media. Liberty and DirecTV must hold to program-access, carriage and regional-sports conditions similar to those imposed on News Corp. when it bought DirecTV in 2003, with the conditions in effect for six years. Liberty chief John Malone to divest Puerto Rican cable interests. FCC Commissioners Copps and Adelstein dissented in part from the decision. Although they applauded the conditions put on the merger, they do not agree with DirecTV's solution for delivering all local TV stations in all local markets by the end of the year, which is a hybrid satellite/over-the-air solution that FCC Chairman Martin has said sufficed but that Adelstein called "an unfair service tax on rural households."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6535262.html?rssid=193

* FCC decision
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-280450A1.doc
* Statement of Commissioner Copps
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-280450A2.doc
* Statement of Commissioner Adelstein
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-280450A3.doc

* Malone: DirecTV Is (Almost) a Done Deal
http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/feb2008/tc20080225_978295.htm?campaign_id=rss_tech

* FCC Backs Transfer of DirecTV Stake To Liberty Media From News Corp.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120399652522492913.html?mod=todays_us_marketplace

* FCC OKs Murdoch asset-swap deal
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-directv26feb26,1,3668011.story