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TAKE A LOOK AT OTHER YEARS: 1998 1997 1996 1995 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 JANUARY THROUGH APRIL January: Tele-Communications Inc.'s Netlink announces plans to uplink three East Coast network superstations to compete directly with PrimeTime 24's channels. PrimeTime follows suit with western channels of its own in August. (Satellite Business News, Dec. 29, 1993, and Aug. 10, 1994) January: GM Hughes Electronics Inc.'s DirecTv and Thomson Consumer Electronics Inc. announce hardware and programming distribution deals with Sears Roebuck & Co. and Circuit City. The two chains are the first of a slew of consumer electronics chains the companies sign on to sell DBS reception systems and programming to consumers. (Satellite Business News, Jan. 12, 1994) Jan. 5: NFL team owners approve a plan to scramble game backhauls in the 1994-95 season and sell a package of games to dish owners and commercial establishments on a season ticket basis. (Satellite Business News, Dec. 29 and Jan. 12, 1994) Jan. 28: EchoStar Communications Corp. and SEE Telecom Inc.'s Directsat announce a merger agreement that would double EchoStar's channels at the 119-degree DBS orbital slot. (Satellite Business News, Feb. 9, 1994) February: Several C-band industry leaders join together to recruit companies for a major marketing and advertising campaign The project seeks to raise a minimum $600,000 to produce direct mail flyers, ad slicks, and promotional materials for satellite dealers. (Satellite Business News, Feb. 9, 1994) February: The U.S. Department of Justice opens a broad investigation of agreements TCI and Home Box Office Inc. signed with General Instrument Corp. in late 1993 to employ GI's DigiCipher digital compression system. The investigation centers on whether the deals position those companies to wield unfair influence in an emerging digital TV market. (Satellite Business News, Feb. 23, 1994) Feb. 10: The satellite TV industry gathers in Anaheim, Calif., for its annual winter trade show. Low attendance for the second year in a row in California prompts the Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association to cross the state off its list of future convention sites (Satellite Business News, Feb. 23, 1994) Feb. 23: Bell Atlantic Corp. and TCI call off their $21.4 million merger agreement, one day after the Federal Communications Commission orders cable operators to roll rates back 17 percent. Southwestern Bell Corp. and Cox Enterprises Inc. cancel their joint venture six weeks later. (Satellite Business News, March 9 and April 20, 1994) Feb. 24: SBCA Retail Council member Steve Labrie and 23 others are indicted on federal drug charges in connection with an alleged international drug ring. Labrie maintains his innocence; a court date has not yet been set. (Satellite Business News, March 23, 1994) March 14: Nearly 200 industry hands gather in New York for a dinner to kick off the T. Howard Foundation for the advancement of minorities and women in satellite TV. The following day, the SBCA stages its first semi-annual SkyForum conference for Wall Street firms and mainstream media. (Satellite Business News, March 23, 1994) March 16: EchoStar files a $336 million debt offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission to raise money for its planned DBS service. (Satellite Business News, March 23, 1994) March 22: Primestar becomes the first company in the world to otter digital TV service, by turning on digital signals for its TV Japan customers.(Satellite Business News, March 23, 1994) March 30: Jim Shelton resigns his position as GI Vice President of North American Consumer Products to go to work for GI competitor TV/Com International. Shelton cites extensive bureaucracy and continuous disagreements with senior management as his reasons for leaving. Greg Gudorf leaves for Chaparral Communications Inc. six weeks later. (Satellite Business News, May 4, April 6, and April 20, 1994) April: GI and several of TV's largest cable operators iron out key disagreements holding up the completion of their DigiCipher licensing contracts. Under debate is TCI's deal with GI, which other cable companies claim may give TCI too much control over the development of the DigiCipher system. TCI agrees to re-work the GI contract and broaden access to the digital uplink and authorization center it is building. (Satellite Business News, May 4, 1994) April: Recreational Sports & Imports Inc., one of the TVRO industry's two largest equipment distributors, launches a campaign to promote C- band, which it dubs "Full View Satellite," over DBS, which it dubs "Limited View Satellite." The plan raises concern among some industry leaders that C-band is picking a fight with DBS. (Satellite Business News, May 4, 1994) April: Microsoft Corp. co-founder Paul Allen invests nearly $25 million in Hubbard Broadcasting Inc.'s USSB, ending owner Stanley S. Hubbard's search for outside investors in his DBS venture. Allen joins Dow Jones and Co. and New York investor George Soros as major contributors to USSB's campaign. (Satellite Business News, April 20, 1994) April 27: A&L Satellite Inc. files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The 2-year-old programming packager owes more than $1.7 million to programmers, other packagers, and media companies. Several programmers battle for control of A&L's most valuable asset, its list of 45,000 subscribers. A court-ordered auction of the list fails. (Satellite Business News, May 18, July 27, and Oct. 19, 1994) MAY THROUGH AUGUST May 5: Three of Canada's largest telecommunications companies join forces to launch an alternative to U.S. DBS north of the border. Canadian Satellite Communications, Western International Communications Ltd., and Bell Canada parent BCE Inc. set a plan to launch a 100-channel service using 24-inch dishes. Within several months, the group recruits a half-dozen more companies, including major TVRO manufacturer and distributor Tee-Comm Electronics Inc. By October, the group's cable-backed companies pull out of the venture and announce plans to launch their own programming distribution service for cable operators. Tee-Comm becomes an equal partner with BCE and Cancom/WIC in the venture, dubbed ExpressVu. (Satellite Business News, May 18, July 27, and Nov. 2, 1994) June: VC RS module prices plummet due to an inventory glut. (Satellite Business News, July 13, 1994) June 11: More than 10 years of planning and engineering come to fruition as DirecTv, USSB, and Thomson roll out the nation's first high-power DBS services. The companies celebrate the official debut of the service when the first systems hit the shelves of satellite dealerships and consumer electronics stores in Jackson, Miss. (Satellite Business News, June 29, 1994) June 20: Primestar launches the satellite TV industry's first-ever national advertising campaign to promote its medium-power DBS service. The $55 million campaign includes TV ad spots to run on the four major broadcast networks. (Satellite Business News, June 29, 1994) June 21: Fujitsu General Ltd. and Panasonic Communications and Systems Co.--two holders of small C-band receiver marketshares-- pull out of the satellite TV industry. The two Japanese companies cite a poor yen-to-dollar exchange rate and concerns about the C-band industry's ability to compete with DBS as their reasons for ceasing receiver production. (Satellite Business News, June 29, 1994) June 21: Telesat Canada regains control of the Anik E2 satellite it lost in January and begins discussions with Canadian programmers to move satellite feeds back on board. (Satellite Business News, June 29, 1994) June 23: For the second time in six months, DBS companies DirecTv, USSB, and Thomson are the dominant drawing cards for the Consumer Electronics Show. (Satellite Business News, July 13, 1994) July: After a year of fielding inquiries about satellite TV from the consumer press, the Satellite News Bureau folds. The publicity and marketing effort, funded by 25 companies each contributing $5,000, cited lack of cash and similar efforts by other groups as reasons to close its doors. (Satellite Business News, July 27, 1994) July: Primestar and EchoStar reach an impasse in discussions about combining their DBS ventures. Their failure to reach an agreement leaves each company with far less DBS channels than their nearest competitor, DirecTv, and leaves each desperate to strike a deal with the other holder of prime orbital slot channels--Advanced Communications Corp. (Satellite Business News, July 27, 1994) August: Instead of reducing the price of the VC RS module to help the TVRO industry compete with high-power DBS, GI agrees to pump as much as $10 million into satellite dealers' advertising budgets through a cooperative ad plan. The offer pays dealers $50 for every module they buy when they follow certain guidelines to advertise satellite TV. The decision not to lower the price of VC RS modules arguably precipitates a four-month module shortage, the industry's second in as many years. (Satellite Business News, Aug. 10, Sept. 7, and Oct. 19, 1994) August: MTV Networks, in its first high-publicity TVRO move as a sales and marketing entity separate from sister company Showtime Satellite Networks Inc., forges an agreement with HBO Direct Inc. for distribution of MTV, VH1, and Nickelodeon in HBO programming packages. Under pressure from Showtime to draft a similar agreement for distribution of Multichannel Showtime and The Movie Channel, the deal falls apart in November. HBO announces it will pull the plug on the MTV Networks its subscribers have purchased. (Satellite Business News, Aug. 24 and Nov. 30, 1994) Aug. 3: DirecTv launches its DBS-2 satellite from Cape Canaveral, Fla., via a General Dynamics rocket and, about two months later, turns subscribers on to a full line-up of DirecTv programming. (Satellite Business News, Aug. 24, 1994) Aug. 3: The SBCA stages its second national trade show, in steamy Orlando, Fla. Moderate dealer attendance re-ignites discussions among SBCA members about permanently parking the shows in Las Vegas and Nashville. (Satellite Business News, Aug. 24, 1994) Aug. 5: Primestar completes the upgrade of its 75,000 subscribers to digital service. The digital upgrade enables Primestar to increase its channel offerings seven-fold, en route to competing more closely with DirecTv's 150-channel service. (Satellite Business News, Aug. 10, 1994) SEPTEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER September: DirecTv lands exclusive DBS rights to sell the NFL's Sunday Ticket package to the DBS market. The deal includes a late- season offer in 1994-95 and full-season coverage beginning in 1995-96. (Satellite Business News, Oct. 5, 1994) Sept. 8: AT&T loses its Telstar 402 satellite less than 30 minutes after it is launched aboard an Arianespace rocket. The satellite loss triggers widespread concern about a transponder capacity crunch and an accompanying price rise. (Satellite Business News, Sept. 21, 1994) Sept. 16: GI's front door continues its yearlong spin, with the Communications Division bidding adieu to President Hal Krisbergh one year after he was named to the post. In mid-October, GI welcomes telecommunications veteran Jim Faust to the senior vice president's position and places him temporarily in charge of the Communications Division. GI then brings in telephone company executive Larry Osterwise to permanently head the division, and four weeks later, Faust resigns (Satellite Business News, Dec. 5, Nov. 2, and Nov. 16, 1994) September 29: TCI buys Advanced Communications to secure a high-power DBS orbital slot for Primestar. TCI's Tempo Satellite applies for FCC permission to launch satellites into Advanced's 110-degree slot and use Advanced's channels to carry Primestar programming beginning in late 1996. (Satellite Business News, Oct. 5, 1994) Sept. 29: EchoStar sues DBS permittee Advanced for $150 million, but many consider the move to be an attempt to pressure Advanced's DBS business partner, TCI, to give up key 119-degree channels it does not plan to use for its Primestar service. (Satellite Business News, Nov. 16, 1994) October: GI and Showtime parent Viacom International settle their decoder suit out of court. GI paid Viacom $18 million to $22 million to end the suit, which claims the manufacturer owed Viacom more than $38 million in back royalty payments (Satellite Business News, Oct. 19, 1994) October: The VC RS module shortage reaches its peak, after about six weeks of rising concern among distributors, then dealers and manufacturers, that GI's supplies would not cover TVRO's strong fall selling season. GI executives predict a possible 10,000-module shortfall in the pipeline, and prices rise to more than $500 per unit. (Satellite Business News, Oct. 19, 1994) Oct. 18: President Clinton signs the Satellite Compulsory License Extension Act of 1994 into law. Better known as the superstation copyright bill, the measure sets rules by which copyright fees will be determined and outlines procedures for signal testing in white areas. (Satellite Business News, July 13, Oct 5., and Nov. 2, 1994) November: High-power DBS services DirecTv and USSB overtake medium- power competitor Primestar in number of subscribers. DirecTv and USSB combine for about 225,000 homes by late November, while Primestar logs about 195,000 subscribers. (Satellite Business News, Nov. 30, 1994) November: Major cable systems TCI and Comcast Cable Communications Inc. start publicity campaigns to try to check the growing popularity of high-power DBS. (Satellite Business News, Nov. 16 and Nov. 30, 1994) November: Microsoft and DirecTv discuss a wide variety of cooperative and joint ventures, including Microsoft possibly delivering data and video services via DirecTv satellites and reception systems. (Satellite Business News, Nov. 30, 1994) Nov. 15: The SBCA votes to change to one national and two regional shows beginning in 1996. (Satellite Business News, Nov. 30, 1994) Nov. 29: Showtime Satellite gets distribution rights to Turner Broadcasting System Inc.'s CNN, CNN Headline News, CNN International, and TNT. Until this year, the two programmers had refused to cut a deal to distribute each other's channels. (Satellite Business News, Dec. 14, 1994) Dec. 1: The NBA begins delivering its new 400-game League Pass offer to C-band, Primestar, and DirecTv subscribers. The multi-year distribution deal, retailing to DBS dish owners for $149 for the first season, features out-of-market games previously blacked out or only available on backhauls. (Satellite Business News, Dec. 14, 1994) Dec. 1: EchoStar drops the prices of all of its receiver lines by as much as 25 percent. Despite other receiver manufacturers' professed lack of concern about a price war, Uniden America Corp., TVRO's leading receiver marketshare holder, follows suit within two weeks. (Satellite Business News, Dec. 14 and Dec. 28, 1994)     Please direct questions about this site to general.mail@satbiznews.com q 2000 Satellite Business News Inc. All rights reserved.