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June 15th 2008 --
Harps Products
Will Be Closed June 15th - June 30th 2008
I am having by-pass surgery done on
Monday June 15th and will be unable to do repairs or
fill orders for a couple of weeks. I am sorry for this
inconvenience, but it cannot be avoided. I hope all of
you will return and do business with us when we open
back up and wish you all the best.
-- Harp
June
4th 2008 --
DIRECTV, Liberty Revel in Successes
A meeting of shareholders gave DIRECTV and its controlling
shareholder Liberty Media another chance to gloat about
the satellite TV company's recent successes.
According to press reports of the gathering in New York
City, DIRECTV President and CEO Chase Carey told shareholders
that the business “has never been stronger" and that
the company is "positioned for years of profitable growth."
He added that the "best and most exciting years are
ahead of us."
Carey also said the weak economy has had a minimal impact
on DIRECTV.
John Malone, chairman for both DIRECTV and Liberty Media,
had praise for DIRECTV and the job being done by the
satellite TV company's management team, stated press
reports of the gathering. Liberty CEO Greg Maffei also
was at the gathering.
Risks Growing for DISH?
As the financial community keeps an eye on satellite
TV stocks, some are wondering not only what's next
for DISH Network but also what's going on with the
company's stock.
DIRECTV may have wowed Wall Street with strong customer
additions and financial numbers for the first quarter.
And DISH may have disappointed some with lackluster
subscriber enrollments for the three-month period.
But the DISH stock has climbed by about 11 percent
during the past two weeks, even modestly outperforming
DIRECTV shares.
Nonetheless, the risks are mounting for DISH, said
Craig Moffett of Bernstein Research in a note released
Tuesday. And some of that can be blamed on the DBS
giant's legal actions involving TiVo.
A lot of attention has been given to DISH's ongoing
litigation with TiVo, and the analyst said the stakes
in the case "appear to be rising rapidly." Moffett
added that if DISH loses a round of litigation related
to its so-called "work around" of TiVo's patents
for its DVR technology, "then the costs to DISH
of disabling DVRs, settling with TiVo, or - worst
of all - potentially engaging in a bidding war for
the right to continue offering DVRs at all, could
be a worst case scenario in the billions."
Moffett also suggested that DISH could net only
19,000 customers in the second quarter, down from
a previous estimate of 148,000 net additions for
the three-month period.
Because of all that, Moffett said his firm is shifting
its preference back to DIRECTV. He rated both DISH
and DIRECTV shares with a "market perform" rating.
June
1st 2008 --
DISH Adds Local HD, Interactive
Services
On Thursday, DISH Network unveiled two programming enhancements
for its service.
For starters, the company announced the addition of
new features for its DISH Decision 2008 interactive
platform. Located on DishHOME Channel 100, DISH Decision
2008 now includes local categories featuring news and
polls. Existing applications such as "You Decide 08"
and "For President" feature new designs and updated
information.
DISH Network launched the interactive portal in January
to provide election coverage to subscribers.
Also, DISH added local high-def channels for customers
in Buffalo. The addition takes the DBS provider's HD
locals count to 59 markets, reaching more than 67 percent
of U.S. TV households.
Pioneer Targets iBiquity Ideas
on Sat Radio Merger
Electronics giant Pioneer approached Federal Communications
Commission staff about the pending merger between XM
and Sirius and potential conditions on the deal proposed
by iBiquity that would require a combined entity to
offer receivers with both satellite radio and HD Radio
capabilities.
In a filing detailing its meetings at the FCC, Pioneer
did not take a position on the proposed merger. However,
the company said it was opposed to iBiquity's suggestion
that satellite radio receivers also contain HD Radio
reception capabilities.
Pioneer said the iBiquity proposal "would limit the
breadth of radio product offerings to consumers, limit
which radio component suppliers' products be designed
into radios, have the effect of decreasing AM/FM tuning
performance, unnecessarily increase costs to consumers
uninterested in HD Radio and interfere with the useful
and healthy free market mechanisms extant in radio electronics
purchases."
Pioneer said the marketplace should compel any move
involving HD Radio.
"Free terrestrial analog and terrestrial digital radio
services should be allowed to compete with paid satellite
digital radio services on an even playing field.
Consumers should be allowed to choose radios which meet
their needs, without undue government influence," the
company said.
Carey: DIRECTV Not Just About
HD
Another Wall Street crowd gave DIRECTV President and
CEO Chase Carey another podium to talk about the satellite
TV company's successes to date and its prospects in
the competitive video landscape.
At Lehman Brothers' Worldwide Wireless and Wireline
Conference Thursday, Carey spoke about DIRECTV's accomplishments
with high-def. But he also emphasized that DIRECTV isn't
focusing just on HD, pointing out the company's other
offerings, including its sports programming slate.
"Television is a big, broad experience. For us, it's
about creating things that are exciting, that create
interest," Carey said.
Future highlights for DIRECTV include the launch of
a satellite in August that will help the company expand
national and local HD offerings, the CEO said.
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