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Sat-Birmingham News Report #: 010
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Sat-Birmingham News Report #: 010
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TODAYS NEWS: Friday 14th November 1997. ==US NEWS==
NextLevel To Lay Off 225 At Satellite Networks Unit
PrimeStar Assembles More Of Management Team
Heartland Taps DirecTV For MDU Service
Moody's Confirms Hughes Ratings
PROGRAM NOTES: NBA Gets $2.6 Billion From NBC, TBS and TNT
NextLevel To Lay Off 225 At Satellite Networks Unit
As part of its plan to improve financial performance, NextLevel Systems
is restructuring its Satellite Data Networks business and letting go
around 225 employees representing 20 percent of the workforce.
The employee reduction at the San Diego-based unit starts immediately
and most layoffs are expected to be complete by the end of the year, the
company said. It is part of NextLevel's plan announced last month to
improve the company's financial performance.
Earlier this month, NextLevel announced that its Chicago corporate
headquarters will be consolidated with its broadband networks unit in
Horsham, Pa., during the first quarter of 1998.
Separately, NextLevel named Eric M. Pillmore acting chief financial
officer, replacing Charles T. Dickson, who accepted an executive
position with WinStar Communications in New York.
PrimeStar Assembles More Of Management Team
PrimeStar announced appointments for a number of key management
positions that will to become effective after the company begins
operating as a public company in early 1998.
In finance, under the direction of Senior Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer Ken Carroll, are: Scott McDonald, vice president and
controller; Lisa Frank, director of financial systems operations;
Carlisle Sewell, director of tax; and Scott Denning, director of
purchasing and materials management.
Legal efforts, under the direction of general counsel Marc Evans, is Pam
Strauss, associate general counsel.
Marketing and programming, which will be headed by Senior Vice
President Denny Wilkinson, are: Dave Limebrook, vice President of
business development; Cynthia Carpenter, director of retention
marketing; Diane Keeton, director of local field advertising, and Adam
Naide, director of pricing, packaging and promotion.
In sales and distribution, which will be operated by Senior Vice
President Chris Sophinos are: Mike O'Horo, director of buying Groups;
Madeline Shefferly, director of merchandising and trade shows; and Paul
St. Germain, director of multi-level marketing.
John Johnson will serve as regional vice president of the Midwestern
region, Julia McGrath will be regional vice president of the
Southwestern region, Bill Gilmore will become regional vice president of
the Western region while Randy Watson is regional vice president of the
Southeastern region.
In technology and operations, headed by senior vice president Joel
Ginsparg, are: Glenn Iwata, director of business and customer
management systems development; Steve Mezey, director of technical
operations; Derk Juhl, director of fulfillment operations; Ray Mills,
director of broadcast technology; Patrick Wright-Riley, director of
broadcast applications management; and Tom Glavan, Director of the
customer service center.
Heartland Taps DirecTV For MDU Service
Heartland Wireless signed a seven-year agreement with DirecTV that
will allow the wireless cable operator to deliver the home satellite
service to apartments, condos and other multi-dwelling units.
The deal will allow Heartland to sell DirecTV packages on a commission
basis and offer individual channels to augment Heartland's channel
lineup for MDU's under a channel transport arrangement with DirecTV.
Heartland will offer local channels, local service and sales support
through its DirecTV business.
Heartland Chairman Carroll McHenry also said DirecTV has agreed to
begin discussions on similar agreements for single-family units in
markets served by the company as well as commercial entities such as
hotels, motels, hospitals and nursing homes. "We are extremely excited
about the possibilities this alliance offers for broadening the market
segments that our company can competitively and profitably serve," he
said.
Moody's Confirms Hughes Ratings
Moody's confirmed its A3 long term and Prime-2 short term rating for
Hughes Electronics in anticipation of parent General Motor's plans to
close on a restructuring of its subsidiary.
The rating includes an outlook on the spin-off of Hughes' defense
business and the merger of Delco, Hughes' automotive business, into
Delphi, GM's automotive parts operation.
At the same time, Moody's assigned an A3 rating to the proposed
Hughes' Bank Credit Agreement. Moody's based its rating confirmations
and assignment on Hughes' "leadership position in a number of
satellite-related telecommunications businesses, its improving debt
protection measurements and its overall financial flexibility."
PROGRAM NOTES: NBA Gets $2.6 Billion From NBC, TBS and TNT
*NBA GETS $2.64 BILLION FROM NBC, TBS AND TNT - NBC will pay $1.75
billion for exclusive broadcast rights to carry National Basketball
Association games through 2002, more than twice the $750 million it paid
for the current four-year deal that expires at the end of the 1997-98
season. And TNT and TBS will pay $890 million for their exclusive
four-year cable renewals, compared to $350 million in the current
contract. Dick Ebersol, president of NBC Sports, said the network will
break even or make money on the deal due to the 35 percent increase in
the number of NBA playoff games, which jumps from 23 in previous years
to 31 contests.
*ROLLING STONES ON PPV - The Rolling Stones' "Bridges to Babylon"
concert in St. Louis at the TWA Dome will be broadcast via pay-per-view
Dec. 12 through Viewer's Choice and DirecTV. The show will sell for
$19.95 for cable customers, and is being offered free to DirecTV's 3
million subscribers. The concert also will be simulcast on radio
stations nationwide via syndicator Westwood One.
*BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD SERIES FINALE SET - "Beavis and Butt-Head Are
Dead," the series finale of Beavis and Butt-Head, will debut on MTV
Friday, Nov. 28 at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The show repeats Saturday,
Nov. 29 at 7:00 p.m. Following the debut of the series finale, Beavis
and Butt-Head will remain on MTV in reruns.
*THE SITE WINS TOP INTERNET HONORS - The web site for The Site.com
received the Gold Award in The Best Online/Web Site Category at The New
Media INVISION Awards ceremony in San Francisco. The Site.com, a
companion web site to the Emmy Award winning television show The Site,
received the award for its innovative design, in-depth reporting and
incisive commentary. Five other finalists were The Discovery Channel
Online, Spot Media's Gamespot, Berkeley System's Bezerk and
envirolmedia's Hit The Site: KR Team Roberts. The Site and future
computer/online network ZDTV were developed by Ziff-Davis.
*SPAWN RETURNS TO HBO - The hit HBO animated series "Todd McFarlane'S
Spawn" will return next spring with six new half-hour episodes. Based on
McFarlane's smash hit comic book, the HBO Animation series debuted its
first six shows last May and June.
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All contents (C) 1997 Neil Anthony Powell UK SATELLITE CONTROL
Some material (c) 1997 Dominic Sedghi, www.sat-net.com/sat-uk
and Skyreport (c) 1997 All Rights Reserved.
The above may not be reproduced without written consent.
Information is subject to change and/or may be incorrect.
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