BRIEFS

Cable World,  Oct 6, 2003  

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DIRECTV CUTS DVR PRICES

In an effort to drive up penetration of digital video recorders, DirecTV last week unveiled a marketing campaign designed to push its latest offering - a $99 satellite receiver with capacity to record up to 40 hours of programming, down from current prices of about $200 for a similar model. Separately, the company raised its outlook for the year as a result of higher demand for its NFL Sunday Ticket package. DTV said it expects to add 320,000 subscribers in the third quarter and 1.05 million for the year, up from previous expectations of 900,000 for the year.

FIBER STRETCHES OUT

Fiber-to-the-Home communities keep multiplying, presenting a small but growing threat to cable operators. Twenty-four FTTH communities were added in the last six months, bringing the total to 94 nationwide, according to the Fiber-to-the-Home Council. That number should only grow since FTTH company OFS today will announce products that make it cheaper and faster to transmit video, data and voice via fiber, says Max Nelson, OFS senior manager for strategic business planning.

INSIGHT UPPED

Shares of Insight Communications got a boost after Fulcrum Global partners analyst Richard Greenfield upped his rating on the company to neutral from sell, and Natexis Bleichroeder analyst Robert Routh initiated coverage on the company, saying Insight is an eventual acquisition target in the continuing consolidation of the cable industry. Greenfield noted that although the company may reduce its full-year earnings guidance when it reports third-quarter earnings, the slowdown has already been reflected in the company's stock.

STARZ ENCORE REORG

Starz Encore has reorganized its corporate communications department. Chelsye Burrows has been promoted from director of multicultural communications to executive director of corporate communications and will report to VP, communications, Tom Southwick. Eric Becker is also executive director of corporate communications and also reports to Southwick. Marc McCarthy, executive director of corporate communications, has left the company. Becker will be developing closer local ties with MSO field personnel in an effort to build Starz's subscriptions while Burrows will oversee day-to-day operations of the corporate communications department, according to Southwick.

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