quote:Originally posted by Bialystock: Okay, last old link I'll post, but this link goes to the programming schedule from way back when. Interesting to see (beyond John Waters' Pink Flamingos!! Love that!) that they were going to schedule gay RELIGIOUS programming. That is still to this day ahead of its time (correct me if you know of any)...and I think something that will be very well received. Some in the gay community still feel outcast from their own religious groups and I think will appreciate gay religious programming even if they have to subscribe to it for now. There are just as many non-religious gays as straights I'm sure, but by the same token, I'm sure many others miss a sense of inclusion in organized faith. That QTV was catering to that need is visionary television programming, IMO. [URL=http://web.archive.org/web/20010417034934/www.triangletelevisionnetwork.com/week3.html]http://web.archive.org/web/20010417034934/www.triangletelevisionnetwork.com/week3.html[/ URL]
posted
GENERAL AND MISC. INFORMATION RE: QTV (QBIB)
QBID Triangle Multi-Media Ltd Inc (OTHER OTC) 5/7/2004 12:00:00 AM ET
Realtime Quote $0.01 UNCH UNCH Refresh Quote
Press Release for Triangle Multi-Media Ltd Inc
Financial Relations Inc: Desert Son Media Corp., parent company of Traders Nation completes construction on new broadcast facility 5/7/2004 10:17:17 AM Phoenix, Arizona, May 07, 2004 (M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- Traders Nation, known to be the largest syndicated 'live' radio talk show for smallcap stocks has a new home thanks to its parent company Desert Son Media Corp.
Stocks covered throughout the show include: Tasker Capital Corporation ( TKER ) closed for the day (05.06.04) at .48 with the days volume of 2,700,400.
One Voice Technologies Inc ( ONEV ) closed for the day (05.06.04) at .035 with the days volume of 48,702,900. Samsonite Corporation ( SAMC ) closed for the day (05.06.04) at $1.65 with the days volume of 1,337,800. Triangle Multi-Media Ltd., Inc. ( QBID ) closed for the day (05.06.04) at .014 with the days volume of 212,268,100. GlobeTel Communications Corporation ( GTEL ) closed for the day (05.06.04) at .131 with the days volume of 19,271,200. Listen at http://www.tradersnation.com/radio.shtml#anchor2
The current rebroadcast (05.06.04) of the show features two segments. The first segment covers the top smallcap stories of the day. The second segment -- Bill Panetta, a professional partner of Traders Nation, and Kurt Schemers, host and creator of Traders Nation -- gives their listeners the potential hot stock plays for the day.
"We're very pleased to have built this state-of-the-art broadcast facility for the production of Traders Nation and other audio / video projects, says Kurt Schemers, President of Desert Son Media Corp. Additionally, we have allocated capital for wall to wall racks of Telos ISDN and satellite broadcast equipment to meet the distribution demand from station managers in the US and foreign markets for our smallcap audio products."
Through countless months of planning and building, we have fortified our media and collateral infrastructure to an unparalleled level. Even at its inception, states Schemers, the goal for Traders Nation has been to be the best, provide the most and lead the market. Simply put, Traders Nation has succeeded in meeting those measurable accomplishments.
About TradersNation.com
TradersNation.com is the leader in the smallcap community for providing syndicators and Web site visitors current market trend commentary and delivering that content via an audio program produced live daily, named Traders Nation. Outside markets are also covered with breaking news, interviews of news makers and financial video content, making TradersNation.com the first broadcasting company to encompass the full range of media information products for smallcap investors.
-- Traders Nation is currently syndicated online with 108 sites carrying the show.
-- Traders Nation can be heard on 1190 AM, an NBC affiliate radio station in Phoenix, during the prime "morning drive" time.
-- Traders Nation is also heard by tens of thousands of end users via QuoteStream's online financial software.
-- Traders Nation as seen on Lycos-owned sites including RagingBull.com with 500,000 unique visitors per month.
-- Traders Nation as seen on StockHouse.com and Smallcapcenter.com with 750,000 unique visitors per month.
CONTACT: Kurt Schemers, TradersNation.com, Phoenix c/o Desert Son Media Corp. Tel: +1 623 465 0844 e-mail: kurt@tradersnation.com
M2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com.
I E-MAILED THEM (TRADERS NATION) INFO ON QBID AND PR. FIRM DEVENEY. GAVE THEM A HEADS UP FOR THIS WEEK PR. OUT BY TUES. ALSO SENT THEM HOT LINE INFO AND PHONE NUMBER.
THIS WAS THEIR RESPONSE TO MY E-MAIL:
Thank you Date: 5/8/2004 3:47:06 PM US Eastern Standard Time From: support@tradersnation.com Reply To: To: realityinc21xxxxxxxx CC: BCC: Sent on:
Sent from the Internet (Details) Internet Address Card Attached
Thank you for your email inquiry. We'll be in contact with you very soon.
Kindest Regards, Traders Nation TradersNation.com
AS YOU CAN SEE FROM E-MAIL LIST ALSO MAILED INFO TO LOTS OF OTHER STOCK PICK.COMS.
Dear Viewer, I am sorry to do this but you have reached your bandwidth limit for the time being. You've reached this message one of two ways. You either viewed too many files within a short period or reached the daily Megabyte quota. If it was the former then simply try again in about an hour, otherwise just come back tomorrow. This is unfortunately necessary but with a little luck and money in the future their will be no limit at all.
posted
The Final Frontier 6 steps to digital cable success By Allison Romano -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/3/2004
In this story: 1. Demonstrate a demand 2. Avoid the competition 3. Hire pros 4. Build a realistic model 5. Raise beaucoup bucks 6. Sweeten the deal
Sidebars: Network Hopefuls
Call it cable's rite of spring. At the National Cable & Telecommunications Association's annual gathering, wannabe cable networks pitchhard. But few will turn up on your cable listings. Hype is the easy part, says one cable vet: "Until you get funded, you are not a network." New channels typically need $100 million to $150 million to break even.
There was a time when operators needed networks to populate their digital packages. Not any more. "We're looking to leverage the relationships we already have," says Cox Vice President of Programming Bob Wilson.
Industry consultant Cathy Rasenberger, who specializes in startup networks, has heard an estimated 200 proposals in the past few years. The odds of their success are slim, she cautions prospective clients.
About a dozen recently launched channels are making it. Among them: G4, Fine Living, Sν TV, and sports diginets Fuel, CSTV, and Tennis Channel (see list at right). New networks associated with a big media company or distributor stand the best chance. Independents face an uphill climb.
National Cable Television Cooperative President and CEO Mike Pandzick says operators are focused on growing their businesses, not taking on more costs. "Most look at new networks and ask, How much it is going to cost me? How many new subs is it going to get me?"
Adds Pandzick, "That's why most new networks are almost dead in the water. There are so few interests that are not already being met."
But if you want to brave the odds, do it with Rasenberger's help. Here is B&C's tip sheet for starting a digital network.
1. Demonstrate a demand Cable already offers a dizzying array of niche networks. There are channels for foodies, videogamers, and history buffs. Aspiring outlets must find something newand prove that people want it.
Launching a channel "is about the hardest thing to do in the world," says Brad Siegel, formerly a Turner Entertainment executive and now vice chairman for startup Gospel Music Channel. "If you don't have a large, passionate fan base, it's a nonstarter."
You need to identify the target and then find data to back up your plan. For the Gospel Music Channel, Siegel and network founder Charles Humbard, a Discovery Networks vet, see a wide-open space. (BET offers some gospel programming, but only a few shows a week.) More important, Gospel Music Channel says this is a proven marketplace: 80 million people a week tune in to such programming. And 8% of all U.S. music sales are for gospel music. Jazz, in contrast, makes up 4% of sales.
2. Avoid the competition "It can disturb or destroy your business if someone else is competing for distribution and programming," says Rasenberger. Operators and advertisers might say they want alternatives to big, established cable networks, but it's tough going up against major players.
Stand Up Comedy Television, another first-time exhibitor at this week's NCTA show, will offer a lot of standup specials. Remember, Comedy Central has carved out the standup turf; even HBO and Bravo do it. In the gaming space, Game Show Network (now called GSN) and G4 are already up. Two new channels: Casino & Gaming Television is still looking for carriage deals, while Edge TV is joining the fray (see page 32). The channel is eyeing an early-2005 launch and has enlisted the expertise of former ABC Family distribution exec John Burns III, distribution specialist Hot House Media, and talent agency Creative Artists Agency.
Consider diversity. The National Football League's channel is everything NFL, while The Football Network will offer the rest (college, high school, women's football). But do operators want two football-themed channels? Do viewers want all football all the time? Clearly, only the strong survive. So far, The NFL Network has major deals on DirecTV, Charter, and Insight. TFN has secured deals with MSOs Time Warner and NCTC. The NFL Network kicked off last November, but TFN has been plagued by financial problems and may not run till year's end.
3. Hire pros TV people are good. Cable people are better. There is nothing like the personal touch. It helps open the right doors at Comcast and Time Warner. Take CSTV, for example. Co-founder Brian Bedol is a familiar face in the cable industry. He started Classic Sports, then sold it to ESPN. He's calling on many of the same cable operators pitching his new channel.
Most new channels recruit an industry vet in their executive ranks or on their boards. The reason is simple: Cable can be a frustrating business. "You need to be prepared for a marathon," says TFN chief Jerry Solomon, a former sports agent. "I've negotiated a lot of deals, but I've never seen deals take as long to materialize as [carriage deals]."
4. Build a realistic model Cable can be a great business, thanks to the dual revenue streams from subscriber fees and ad sales. But that model doesn't apply to many new diginets. With programming costs soaring for existing services, operators don't want expensive new services. They might be willing to shell out a few pennies per subscriber, but not immediately. Maybe not ever.
And don't count on advertising as a stable revenue stream. Sure, a few advertisers will take a leap early. "Some ideas are so interesting, you can take a flyer on it" and make a small buy, says Doug Seay, senior vice president for Publicis & Hal Riney. An early investment can pay off. Buyers usually get in for a dirt-cheap CPM and try to grandfather the rate. If a channel grows, the gamble is a good one.
Most advertisers want to see Nielsen ratings first. Says Seay, "A lot of people won't buy on concept." With hard data, they see who is watching and when.
It's also wise to consider other revenue streams. Rasenberger is keen on concepts with merchandising extensions. She's handling distribution for lifestyle startup Wine Network, which plans to sell wine and travel packages as a way to intoxicate coffers.
5. Raise beaucoup bucks To begin, you'll need about $5 million in hand. The initial funds go for research, programming, and a road show to woo potential investors, as well as cable and DBS operators. But seed money goes only so far. The building blocks of a channelmore research, acquiring programs, commissioning originals, launch feesrun into a lot of money. The benchmark is at least $100 million. If you plan a lot of originals or live events, kick it up.
Trouble is, venture-capital money is hard to get. And startups face a tough predicament: Cable operators often want to know there is funding before they'll seal a deal. Investors want to see distribution before committing. It takes time to finesse both ends. Budget for at least three years to launch. It could take six to eight years to break even. Some networks die out because they can't sustain the investment. Jokevision, intended to show jokes 24/7 and commercial-free, has put the brakes on development. Backers are devising a sustainable business model.
6. Sweeten the deal Understand what the operators want and need. Many distributors are pushing specialty tiers like Hispanic and sports packages. That has helped CSTV and the Tennis Channel get carriage. Startup Spanish-language kids network Sorpresa is finding a home on Hispanic tiers.
Other enticements may help sway an operator. Proposed young-adult network XY.tv says it will share ad revenue with early distributors. A few channels, including Wine Network, would share revenue from merchandise sales. Many are offering high-definition and video-on-demand content.
High-tech boondoggles may also work. Take the Anime Network. The channel's parent company A.D. Vision Inc. already owns a vast library of anime programs that it produces and sells on DVD. Starting a cable channel seemed a logical extension. Except that operators pushed back. To prove Anime Network's worth, the channel started as a video-on-demand service. Big MSOs like Comcast, Time Warner, and Cablevisionall eager to push VODwere hooked.
Going VOD first, says President Kevin Corcoran, "allows us to demonstrate there is a sufficient demand for a 24/7 channel." At least one operator agrees. Anime is expected to announce its first deal, with Insight Communications, this week at the National Show.
Rasenberger's best advice: "Find a model that is expense-neutral and revenue-positive for the operator."
Then you can tackle world peace.
Network Hopefuls On their way Anime Network: Japanese animation
CSTV: Broad swath of college-sports events, as well as news and information
Fox Sports Digital Networks: Three channels culled from Fox Sports regional networks' programming
Fuel: Fox Sports' action sports network
G4: Comcast-owned video-gaming network
GolTV: Soccer games and related shows in English and Spanish
Horseracing TV: Live races and related programming
NBATV: League-owned channel with NBA games, entertainment shows, news
NFL Network: League-owned channel with entertainment and news shows but no games
Reality TV: Non-scripted and documentary programming
One viewer..on the first page..posted this: (NCTA)
"ask jay if he has heard about Q TELEVISION NETWORK COMING IN MAY,BIG SHOW DOWN IN NEW ORLEAN CALLED (NCTA)MAY 2-5 DON'T MISS IT COMING TO TV IN MAY,THIS SHOW WILL BE IT FOR 2004,THANKS ALLWAYS WATCH THE SHOW,LOVEIT. ROBERT WEBER FROM PA."
posted
Taken from another board. Do your own DD for verifiable info.
grantallen_1 08 May 2004, 05:59 PM EDT Msg. 287854 of 287917 Jump to msg. # GotChocolates.com owner here! HI everyone, I personally would like to thank all those who bought items from our gotchocolates.com web site. We are the banner advertiser on the QBID web site. I also made the favors that were used at there trade show. My relationship with QTN is not only an advertiser but as a share holder and believer in the company and its concepts. We are also in a profit sharing plan with QTN. We hope everyone orders from our site as we are splitting the profits 50/50 which will turn into a popsitive side to QBIDs income. Once they get on cable we will be shooting a commercial as well. We are NOT just in this for the money. as most who have ordered know we gave lots of free items with each order including some Q coins, Thanks again and email me with any requests, thanks Grant Allen, GotChocolates
Investors fled cable and satellite TV stocks late last week amid fears of growing competition in video and broadband services.
Shares in satellite broadcasters EchoStar Communications (DISH) and DirecTV Grouped fell. The two companies are adding subscribers at a good clip, but they're spending more on marketing to do so.
Cable stocks Comcast, (CMCSA) Cox Communications (COX) and Charter Communications (CHTR) fell too, although the sell-off abated late Friday.
"Many investors feel that the video industry as a whole is becoming much more competitive," said Tom Hill, analyst at Schwab Soundview Capital Markets. "When they see higher (subscriber acquisition costs) out of EchoStar and DirecTV, they think it's a reflection of that."
Investors are skittish about cable-satellite competition in pay-TV services as well as recent gains by phone companies in selling speedy broadband Internet access. Cable firms' lead over phone companies in broadband services shrank in the first quarter.
"Cable stocks are depressed because of anxieties about future price wars in all of their businesses, including broadband as well as in video with the satellite guys," said Craig Moffett, analyst at Bernstein Research.
DirecTV Tuesday reported that it added 460,000 net subscribers in the first quarter. That was up 67% from a year earlier. EchoStar added 360,000, up 10,000 from the year-ago period.
In the first quarter, EchoStar reported a $43 million loss, or 9 cents per share, compared with a profit of $58 million, or 12 cents per share, a year earlier. Sales rose 16% to $1.58 billion.
DirecTV posted a wider first-quarter loss, but its results include a noncash charge related to the pending sale of its PanAmSat satellite unit.
DirecTV's loss widened to $639 million, or 46 cents per share, from $50.9 million, or 4 cents per share, a year earlier. Sales increased 22% to $2.51 billion.
Murdoch-controlled News Corp. (NWS) acquired DirecTV from General Motors (GM) in December.
Growth Vs. Value
"Satellite stocks are always torn between growth and value investors," said Hill. "Growth investors want to see accelerating subscribers adds, which is happening. But value investors want to see them print cash."
DirecTV serves 12.63 million customers while EchoStar has 9.79 million. Combined, they've grabbed more than 20% of the pay-TV market over the last decade.
However, subscriber acquisition costs marketing expenses and equipment subsidies are climbing fast at both DirecTV and EchoStar.
Most cable TV companies now offer hundreds of digital channels, just like satellite broadcasters. And unlike satellite firms, cable system operators sell speedy Internet services.
"The offerings from cable are getting more competitive and stickier," Moffett said.
To get an edge on cable firms, EchoStar and DirecTV have been selling or leasing digital recorders along with set-top boxes.
Discounts on the digital recorders as well as promotions that offer multiple set-top boxes are crimping margins at satellite firms, analysts say.
Hill says that in the long run, digital recorders will build up revenue at the satellite firms. In addition, he says, customers with digital recorders are less likely to disconnect service.
Some observers think DirecTV may be better off than EchoStar if video competition heats up.
EchoStar averages $51.76 in monthly subscriber revenue. DirecTV gets $63.30.
"DirecTV and cable (firms) are better positioned at the high end of the market," said Bernstein's Moffett. "EchoStar is increasingly focused on the low-end part of the market. That's problematic."
In a conference call Thursday with analysts, EchoStar Chief Executive Charles Ergen was upbeat. He told analysts that the combined growth of DirecTV and EchoStar spells trouble for cable TV firms.
"Three million net adds as an industry (in 2004) is not unrealistic," he said.
DirecTV added 1.19 million subscribers in 2003 while EchoStar garnered 1.25 million.
At Morgan Stanley, analyst Benjamin Swinburne estimates that DirecTV will add 1.5 million subscribers this year while EchoStar will nab 1.4 million.
Financial Woes
There's concern that EchoStar may be falling behind in the pay-TV battle.
"EchoStar's first-quarter subscribers were strong, but the financials weren't," said Thomas Eagan, analyst at Oppenheimer. "Margins were lower, and SAC (subscriber acquisition costs) were higher."
EchoStar's first-quarter costs rose $416.3 million, up 35% from a year earlier.
DirecTV's acquisition costs climbed 54% to $588 million. Part of the hike was due to its large number of subscriber adds.
In 2002, regulators rebuffed EchoStar's attempt to buy DirecTV. Earlier this year, speculation rose that EchoStar could be a takeover target. However, no buyer seems in the wings, analysts say.
DirecTV's 460,000 first-quarter subscriber additions marked an all-time high.
"DirecTV's numbers were very impressive," said Bruce Leichtman, head of the Leichtman Research Group. "It's a lot like what Comcast did coming out of the gate after acquiring AT&T Broadband. They blew the roof off. The same thing happened at DirecTV."
Comcast acquired AT&T's cable business in late 2002.
The bulk of satellite gains are coming from smaller cable systems, says Leichtman. "Rural operators are being decimated by DBS (direct broadcast satellite)," he said.
Then there's troubled Adelphia. It's mired in Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Adelphia lost 50,000 subscribers in the quarter ended March 31. Adelphia, which is up for sale, has lost 800,000 customers in two years, says Eagan.
The three biggest cable firms Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cox didn't lose customers in the first quarter, Leichtman says. Comcast added 35,000, Cox 30,000 and Time Warner 11,000, he says.
But Charter, which reports Monday, is vulnerable to satellite competition because it has many rural systems, Leichtman adds.
quote:Originally posted by Rics1997: That said, If you look up the Market cap of Viacom (VIA) and compare to QBID. If QBID where to go to 63 cents a share it would be equal in value to Viacom. Now, how can you say this will go to a $1.00. QBID would then be 55% larger then one of the biggest TV Networks in the country. It may have hit a dollar before but I don't think it had as many O/S then and thats the difference. Do your own DD but I know my math.
Well, just let me know why I am wrong and give me proof.
----------------------------------------- This was taken from another message board:
It will be hard for you to value a company when it hasn't launched yet. Right now, we have no idea what the revenue will be from month to month. No point in speculating about it, just let it happen.
Let me just say this a pet peeve of mine. Especially when people say "at 1.00 per share this market cap would be x billion $$ and that just can't happen." To that I say Bullcrap. Speculation on what this company MIGHT become is what will drive this pps high. Sure it might settle back down after a while, but along the way I can see it going for a ride.
Fundamentals can't really be applied here, so stop trying to do it, it will just frustrate you.
Dan
P.S. happy mother's day to all the mothers out there.
The Final Frontier 6 steps to digital cable success
By Allison Romano -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/3/2004
In this story: 1. Demonstrate a demand 2. Avoid the competition 3. Hire pros 4. Build a realistic model 5. Raise beaucoup bucks 6. Sweeten the deal
Sidebars: Network Hopefuls
Call it cable's rite of spring. At the National Cable & Telecommunications Association's annual gathering, wannabe cable networks pitchhard. But few will turn up on your cable listings.........
And at this point whizknock would like you to remember that the ones that do make it,,, DO NOT TRADE UNDER A DOLLAR A SHARE!
And on Mummy's day, no less. Thanks for the great efforts!
Okay, y'all KNOW I've been waiting desperately for my fudge to arrive from GoChocolates.com, which is in cahoots with Qtv. I finally had to email them and b*tch a little.
Here's how it went down:
Dear Fudge Packers,
Just kidding!
Dear GoChocolates, Where on Earth is my order? It's been over a week. I'm so hungry! What's the hold up?
I'm on a huge Bulletin Board with tons of QBID investors waiting on the outcome of my order. They want to know if it's yummy or not. Please hurry, thanks...Jason
(Okay, I embellished a little, but I'm sure we all want to know the deal on a Q-partner, eh? And yes, my real name is Jason )
And here is their prompt response:
Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 14:52:10 -0400
Jason, everything is ready to go. I had to hold up a few orders so I can make the amaretto fudge, and many of the rush items were for mothers day and I wanted to get them out first ( can't dissapoint mom)
Yours will be leaving Monday NEXT day air, remember i'm including a free goody bag, I would love for qbid board members to order as i'm including in the share of the profits with qtn so that they actually make money as well.
THanks for your patients, UNfortunately, Amaretto is the harderst fudge to make because it takes a lot longer to harden due to the amaretto, thanks again, and PLEASE tell me what you think when it arrives,,,
Not bad, eh? Very personal. Does anyone think the amaretto will F##K with my 2-years sobriety? Maybe I'll be sukkin' down a fifth of Jack an hour later? (Don't go there, Farmboy!)
Okay, freaks, guess I better call Ma -Always love your Booty!
posted
2004-05-01 Signature gathering for Ohio marriage ban begins Petitioners may begin collecting signatures to place a constitutional amendment on the November 2 ballot that would require Ohio and local governments to recognize marriage as only a union between a man and a woman. The Franklin County Board of Elections certified the petitioners had collected more than 100 valid signatures of registered voters needed to begin the petition drive. The Advocate
2004-05-01 Kansas wants more than just a marriage ban Legislative negotiators have agreed that a proposed amendment to the Kansas constitution banning same-sex marriage should also deny legal recognition to other same-sex arrangements such as civil unions. The language, drafted April 29, is similar to a proposed amendment adopted in March by the house. The senate last month rejected a narrower version that addressed only gay marriage. Two thirds of both chambers must approve the same language for a proposed amendment to the constitution to be placed before voters in November. The Advocate
2004-05-01 Catholic institutions in a quandary over married gay employees Catholic institutions face a quandary on the eve of the legalization of gay marriage in Massachusetts: The church opposes it, but the states highest court ruled that couples are entitled to the rights and benefits of marriage. The Advocate
2004-05-01 Minnesota environmental bill killed by gay-marriage link The chief sponsor of a bill aiming to guarantee funding for natural resources preservation withdrew his proposal from consideration Thursday after it got tangled in the gay marriage debate. But Sen. Dallas Sams pulled the bill from consideration in the Senate Finance Committee after Sen. Tom Neuville offered an amendment that would set a referendum on whether the Constitution should be amended to ban gay marriage. startribune.com
2004-05-01 New Jersey will become the fourth state in the nation to legalize domestic partnerships New Jersey will become the fourth state in the nation to legalize domestic partnerships when the law takes effect on July 1. California and Hawaii have partnership laws and Vermont has legalized civil unions for gay couples. The Miami Herald
2004-05-01 Gay couples praise New Jerseys domestic partner law, but want more Starting May 1, gay couples in New Jersey will need just one piece of paper to legally prove their relationship. New Jerseys domestic partnership law will give gay couples the right to make medical decisions for each other and to file joint state tax returns. But its still not even close to the rights married couples get. philly.com
2004-05-01 Germany expands gay partner rights A German court has ruled that the civil service and all government agencies must pay benefits to the partners of same-sex couples equal to those they pay to the married spouses of heterosexuals. The decision by the federal labor court in effect expands the countrys domestic partner laws without parliamentary approval. In their ruling, the judges said that there is no difference between a registered life partnership and marriage when it came to remuneration in the public service Gay365.com
2004-04-30 Gay marriages at Oxford Pride Same sex couples will get a chance to pledge their commitment to each other in a marriage-style ceremony at the May Day Gay Pride event in Oxford, England. BBC News
2004-04-30 Attorney for New Mexico clerk launches gay marriage Web site An attorney for Sandoval County, N.M., clerk Victoria Dunlap has launched a new Web site detailing the controversy the clerk stirred up by issuing marriage licenses to gay couples. The site includes discussion about same-sex marriage and the law in New Mexico, in addition to other parts of the country where the debate continues. The Advocate
2004-04-30 Kansas legislators debate gay marriage language Legislative negotiators today were at odds over a proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriages. Under the proposal, voters would decide in the November election whether to change the Kansas Constitution to deny legal recognition of same-sex marriages and other arrangements, such as civil unions. Along with the ballot amendment, the Legislature must approve a note that will explain what the amendment means. Thats what the dispute was over today. Lawrence Journal-World
2004-04-30 Lawmakers ask Massachusetts high court to set aside ruling on gay marriage Thirteen Massachusetts legislators asked the states highest court Tuesday to reverse its November decision legalizing gay marriagea ruling that the same court reaffirmed in February. Legal observers say there is little chance the Massachusetts justices will agree. Dallas Voice
2004-04-30 Poll finds Oregon lawmakers divided on gay marriage Oregon lawmakers are sharply divided over banning same-sex marriages, but are more open to offering civil-union rights to gay and lesbian couples. The Oregonian
2004-04-30 Blumenthal to respond to Romney inquiry on gay marriage Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said he would determine by the middle of May whether the states laws recognize same-sex marriages performed in Massachusetts. Blumenthal said his decision would be in response to a letter from Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney questioning if laws in any state permitted gay couples to marry. New York Newsday
2004-04-30 Opponents of gay marriage plan Washington rally Opponents of gay marriage, including members of hundreds of conservative Christian churches, hope to draw a crowd of 35,000 for a Mayday for Marriage rally. The rally at Safeco Field will include speeches by religious leaders, including James Dobson, founder of the evangelical Christian group Focus on the Family. New York Newsday
2004-04-29 Domestic partnership benefits for straights endangered? Some benefit specialists are saying that gay marriage will mean the demise of domestic-partner benefits. After all, domestic partner benefits were designed to deal with the inherently unequal situation between straights, who could marry, and gays, who could not. Once that inequality is done away with, the need for domestic partner benefits would not be as urgent and they may well be eliminated by businesses as an unnecessary expense. morons.org
2004-04-29 California Supreme Court to hear first gay marriage case in May The California Supreme Court will hear oral arguments May 25 in the first of what is expected to be a number suits headed to the high court on same-sex marriage. The case stems from San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsoms decision in February to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples. 365gay.com
2004-04-29 Chirac: France would not vote for gay marriage President Jacques Chirac challenged French proponents of gay marriage Thursday to seek changes to the law if they wanted same-sex unions but predicted that they would not succeed. Indirectly responding to a mayor who vowed to officiate at France's first gay wedding in June, Chirac also said anyone violating the current law would be punished. The San Diego Union-Tribune
2004-04-29 New Hampshire House passes gay marriage ban The New Hampshire House Thursday passed legislation that would bar the state from recognizing same-sex marriages. A similar bill was passed by the Senate last month. The two bills must be merged into a single piece of legislation to overcome differences in the wording and then receive approval by the two houses before going to the governor for signing. The House version would allow for the possibility of civil unions. 365gay.com
2004-04-28 Motion to dismiss New York gay marriage suit denied A judge denied New Paltz Mayor Jason Wests motion to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to bar him from performing same-sex marriages. New York Newsday
2004-04-28 France non to gay wedding Frances first gay wedding, planned for June, would be null and void in the eyes of society, Justice Minister Dominique Perben said Wednesday, and ruled out any change in the law to allow same-sex marriages. CNN.com
posted
Since Q is pursuing distribution by every means of carriage they can get, whether dish or cable, or what have you, I don't see where this would hurt us. Maybe it could even help us? Increased competition sparks greater risk-taking sometimes. Cutting edge cable programming could be more in demand if Cable feels threatened by the dish. And that's us. Just a thought.
quote:Originally posted by Bialystock: Since Q is pursuing distribution by every means of carriage they can get, whether dish or cable, or what have you, I don't see where this would hurt us. Maybe it could even help us? Increased competition sparks greater risk-taking sometimes. Cutting edge cable programming could be more in demand if Cable feels threatened by the dish. And that's us. Just a thought.
Very interesting, Todd. Not sure how we'll be effected. Anyone?
Well, one tid bit in that article is this: --------- Some observers think DirecTV may be better off than EchoStar if video competition heats up. EchoStar averages $51.76 in monthly subscriber revenue. DirecTV gets $63.30.
"DirecTV and cable (firms) are better positioned at the high end of the market," said Bernstein's Moffett. "EchoStar is increasingly focused on the low-end part of the market. That's problematic." -------- 2 Great possibilities I see that could play out from the above line of thinking: 1. DirecTV and Q are a great fit particularly when you look at the gay demographics, DirecTV alrighty has extra programming that brings in the higher buck, such as The Sunday NFL Ticket and could use Q to drive a nail in his competitors coffins even more. In addition, Rupert, even though he owns Fox News which is perceived to be ultra conservative, has always had programming a bit out of the norm.
2. EchoStar could pull Q in to bring in the higher paying demographic. If I was Echostar I would be all over trying to pull in a multi billion dollar demographic.
Just my two cents
Oh by the way.. I got out to the gay clubs last night for the first time in months and everyone knows there is a gay station coming, they dont know the name or what its all about, they just know its coming.
posted
OH,I SEE PEOPLE STILL TRYING TO PUSH THEIR MARKET CAP RELIGON ON US. TRYING TO COMPARE HOW QBID WOULD BE VALUED MORE THAN VIACOM; HOW COULD THAT BE.... GEE I WONDER.
VA Linux
Issued On 12/9/99 $30.00 Daily High $239.25 on 12/9/99 Close as of 1/16/01 $2.16
theglobe.com
Issued On 11/13/98 $9.00 Daily High $63.50 on 11/13/98 Close as of 1-16-01 $0.045
Foundry Networks
Issued On 9/28/99 $25.00 Daily High $156.25 on 9/28/99 Close as of 1-16-01 $7.98
Webmethods
Issued on 2/11/00 $35.00 Daily High $212.62 on 2/11/00 Close as of 1-16-01 $22.58
FreeMarkets
Issued on 12/10/99 $48.00 Daily High $280.00 on 12/10/99 Close as of 1-16-01 $20.00
Cobalt Networks
Issued on 11/05/99 $22.00 Daily High $128.125 on 11/05/99
acquired by Sun Microsystems in 12/00
Marketwatch.com
Issued on 1/15/99 $17.00 Daily High $97.50 on 1/15/99 Close as of 1/16/01 $4.00
Akamai Technologies
Issued on 10/29/99 $26.00 Daily High $145.1875 on 12/10/99 Close as of 1/16/01 $4.76
Cacheflow
Issued on 11/19/99 $24.00 Daily High $126.3750 on 11/19/99 Close as of 1/16/01 $2.26
Sycamore Networks Issued on 10/22/99 $38.00 Daily High $184.75 on 10/22/99 Close as of 1/16/01 $4.83
"According to tried and tested measures, Wall Street today is more over-valued than at any time in the past 150 years. In September 1929, just before the crash, the price-earnings ratio for the S & P index (the main share index at that time) calculated on a backward moving average of earnings, reached 33. That was far higher than at the other two great market peaks of the past century, in 1901 and 1966. Until the 1990s, these three dates were the distant outliers in the history of that crucial ratio: in all threee cases the markets went on to suffer prolonged (and, in 1929, catastrophic) slumps. In January the price-earnings ratio, calculated on the same basis, soared to 44. And this week, after three months of extraordinary turbulence, it was once again at about that level" (Economist 25th March 2000) The figures are amazing - literally gobsmacking.
------------>Microsoft is said to be worth more than Canada. What can this mean? Microsoft is a firm owned by the world's richest man, Bill Gates, and provides the standard Windows applications service to millions of personal computer users. But Canada is a country where nearly thirty million people live and work. Who knows what wealth its surface area of nearly 10 million square kilometres contains? Likewise Amazon.com is said to be worth more than Texaco,an oil company that has made pots of money for the lucky capitalists that own it. Amazon has yet to turn in a profit. We have to ask - who is Microsoft worth more than Canada for - or Amazon more than Texaco?<---------------
What is fueling the Internet stocks' bubble? By James Brookfield 12 January 1999 The 1999 opening week on Wall Street saw skyrocketing share prices for a number of Internet-related companies. While to a certain extent this jump continued the late-1998 trend and mirrored the rise in the market as a whole following the autumn interest rate cuts, it has taken on a phenomenal character. Last week share prices rose 10, 20, even up to 50 percent in a single day for a number of companies. It is not unusual to find Internet firms--Yahoo, the popular search Web site; and Amazon, the bookseller, for example--whose stock prices have quadrupled since September. The overall market capitalization figures have correspondingly gone through the roof. America Online, the popular online service, for example, has seen its price more than triple during this time, giving it a larger capitalization than General Motors.
Why are the prices of the Internet stocks soaring? To find out, I examined one of last week's heavily traded companies, broadcast.com, which bills itself as the "leading aggregator and broadcaster of streaming media programming on the Web." Broadcast.com held its initial public offering on the NASDAQ exchange last July. In September its stock fell from the mid-60s to the low-30s, only to skyrocket to 100 at the end of the year. Last Friday it rose from 132 to 197, a jump of 50 percent. Panicked NASDAQ officials stopped trading and tried to get an explanation from the company, which could offer none. On Monday, after the company announced a two-for-one stock split, its price climbed to 278, a 40 percent gain.
Broadcast.com is little more than a name, a company in search of a business. Its web site is limited, almost amateurish. It produces nothing itself (it relies on "content providers" in Internet lingo). It simply plays ("streams" to use the jargon again) low-quality audio and video generated by other companies (radio stations, CSPAN, etc). The most recent of its "Current Events" is a speech given by Sandy Berger, the US National Security Advisor, on December 23, i.e., more than two and a half weeks ago. Even with a high-speed modem the picture is choppy, hardly a surprise given the still limited technology of Internet video.
The company's most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission is a revealing document. "The Company has incurred significant losses since its inception and, as of September 30, 1998, had an accumulated deficit of approximately $20.2 million." In the first nine months of 1998 it had revenues of $11.4 million, a figure that, within the framework of US capitalism, puts it in the category of small- to medium-size businesses, a group encompassing tens of thousands of generally struggling firms. The company spent $23.1 million in the same period, a figure twice the size of its revenues. Nevertheless, Monday's closing price gives the company a market capitalization ($4.873 billion) larger than Wendy's ($2.831 billion), which has annual earnings of $100 million and 47,000 employees, and more than half that of Delta Airlines ($8.282 billion) which has annual earnings of nearly $1 billion and 70,000 employees.
Broadcast.com's losses, even the company admits, will continue. It's SEC filing states: "The Company expects to incur substantial operating losses for the foreseeable future." Are there plans to cut back? "The Company expanded from fewer than 10 employees on September 20, 1995, to 225 employees on October 31, 1998, and the Company expects to increase its personnel significantly in the near future." It goes on: "The Company currently intends to increase substantially its operating expenses in order to, among other things, (i) expand its distribution network capacity, (ii) fund increased sales and marketing activities, (iii) acquire additional content, (iv) develop and upgrade technology and (v) purchase equipment for its operations."
The long-term outlook is also highly questionable. "There can be no assurance that the company will ever achieve profitability or, if profitability is achieved, that it can be sustained." The SEC filing adds that the company's agreements with its program providers are nonexclusive, i.e., broadcast.com can be underbid. Most of the company's revenue is from short-term advertising on its web site and radio and TV. There is no guarantee that their site will ever be widely used. "It is not known whether businesses and other organizations will utilize the Internet to any significant degree as a means of broadcasting business and other events."
And finally there are the internal problems, including: that nearly all the senior management just joined the company, that nearly all of its equipment is in a single location with no backups maintained, that it may not be able to handle a large increase in user traffic, that it has no guarantee against being hit by the year 2000 problem, and that it carries no insurance to protect it from copyright lawsuits or the loss of key employees.
In other words, the company is a young, small startup facing immense risks and uncertainties. Its underlying fundamentals are shaky. It has few ideas and no real product. Not only its future earnings, but even the company's future existence, are dubious. The skyrocketing share price is entirely speculative.
Broadcast.com has become a magnet for drawing together vast aggregates of capital, which it does not employ for any real constructive purpose. It exemplifies the growing detachment of capital from the social productive process. Money is poured into the market, driving prices up, increasingly without regard to the underlying productive capabilities. The company's dividend from earnings plays an increasingly negligible role in the return on investment in light of the inflated prices. Prior to the 1990s bull market a price-to-earnings ratio (PE ratio) of 20:1 was considered to be at the upper end of a safe investment. In 1999, however, PE ratios of 100 to 200 are increasingly common and ratios of 400 are not unheard of.
------------>For some stocks, like broadcast.com, the PE ratio cannot even be calculated as the company has never earned money.<--------------
Very interesting, Todd. Not sure how we'll be effected. Anyone?
Could cause more interest by the carriers. If the competition is getting that fierce then it would be only logical to begin targeting niche areas of the market that haven't been focused on. The GLBT is definately one of those areas.
posted
My medicine kicked in and it has me thinking at this witching hour of one in the morning. It has been said, over and over, the spending capacity of the Gay and Lesbian market is over $500 billiob dollars. If the Q-Tv Network manages to secure just 1% of this market, or namely 4 billion dollars, wouldn't our share price be in the order of .25 - .35 per share? At a dime, we would control $1.5 billion of a $500 BILLION market. Why is a dime or even thirty cents so hard to imagine when we think of the Q-Tv Network? Even if the price of a share was at a dollar, it still would only be 3% of the G/L spending power/market...
IP: Logged |
posted
The one month chart for QBID looks like it's turning very positive. That combined with positive PR may really give the PPS a big boost this week.
WHY ARE YOU CONTINUING TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW HIGH QBID CAN GO IN RESPONSE TO SOMEONE'S BABBLING ABOUT THE MARKET CAP KEEPING US DOWN? PLEASE READ THIS ENTIRE POST THAT I AM PUTTING RIGHT HERE. READ IT ENTIRELY. DONT' SKIM OVER IT LIKE WE ALL DO SOME POSTS THAT SEEM RATHER LONG, REALLY READ IT. IN THE FIRST PART OF IT, PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE DATES LISTED AND SEE THE IMPOSSIBLE HAPPEN BEFORE YOUR EYES.
LET ME REMIND YOU.
JUST LOOK AT THE NUMBERS...
VA Linux
Issued On 12/9/99 $30.00 Daily High $239.25 on 12/9/99 Close as of 1/16/01 $2.16
theglobe.com
Issued On 11/13/98 $9.00 Daily High $63.50 on 11/13/98 Close as of 1-16-01 $0.045
Foundry Networks
Issued On 9/28/99 $25.00 Daily High $156.25 on 9/28/99 Close as of 1-16-01 $7.98
Webmethods
Issued on 2/11/00 $35.00 Daily High $212.62 on 2/11/00 Close as of 1-16-01 $22.58
FreeMarkets
Issued on 12/10/99 $48.00 Daily High $280.00 on 12/10/99 Close as of 1-16-01 $20.00
Cobalt Networks
Issued on 11/05/99 $22.00 Daily High $128.125 on 11/05/99
acquired by Sun Microsystems in 12/00
Marketwatch.com
Issued on 1/15/99 $17.00 Daily High $97.50 on 1/15/99 Close as of 1/16/01 $4.00
Akamai Technologies
Issued on 10/29/99 $26.00 Daily High $145.1875 on 12/10/99 Close as of 1/16/01 $4.76
Cacheflow
Issued on 11/19/99 $24.00 Daily High $126.3750 on 11/19/99 Close as of 1/16/01 $2.26
Sycamore Networks Issued on 10/22/99 $38.00 Daily High $184.75 on 10/22/99 Close as of 1/16/01 $4.83
"According to tried and tested measures, Wall Street today is more over-valued than at any time in the past 150 years. In September 1929, just before the crash, the price-earnings ratio for the S & P index (the main share index at that time) calculated on a backward moving average of earnings, reached 33. That was far higher than at the other two great market peaks of the past century, in 1901 and 1966. Until the 1990s, these three dates were the distant outliers in the history of that crucial ratio: in all threee cases the markets went on to suffer prolonged (and, in 1929, catastrophic) slumps. In January the price-earnings ratio, calculated on the same basis, soared to 44. And this week, after three months of extraordinary turbulence, it was once again at about that level" (Economist 25th March 2000) The figures are amazing - literally gobsmacking.
------------>Microsoft is said to be worth more than Canada. What can this mean? Microsoft is a firm owned by the world's richest man, Bill Gates, and provides the standard Windows applications service to millions of personal computer users. But Canada is a country where nearly thirty million people live and work. Who knows what wealth its surface area of nearly 10 million square kilometres contains? Likewise Amazon.com is said to be worth more than Texaco,an oil company that has made pots of money for the lucky capitalists that own it. Amazon has yet to turn in a profit. We have to ask - who is Microsoft worth more than Canada for - or Amazon more than Texaco?<---------------
What is fueling the Internet stocks' bubble? By James Brookfield 12 January 1999 The 1999 opening week on Wall Street saw skyrocketing share prices for a number of Internet-related companies. While to a certain extent this jump continued the late-1998 trend and mirrored the rise in the market as a whole following the autumn interest rate cuts, it has taken on a phenomenal character. Last week share prices rose 10, 20, even up to 50 percent in a single day for a number of companies. It is not unusual to find Internet firms--Yahoo, the popular search Web site; and Amazon, the bookseller, for example--whose stock prices have quadrupled since September. The overall market capitalization figures have correspondingly gone through the roof. America Online, the popular online service, for example, has seen its price more than triple during this time, giving it a larger capitalization than General Motors.
Why are the prices of the Internet stocks soaring? To find out, I examined one of last week's heavily traded companies, broadcast.com, which bills itself as the "leading aggregator and broadcaster of streaming media programming on the Web." Broadcast.com held its initial public offering on the NASDAQ exchange last July. In September its stock fell from the mid-60s to the low-30s, only to skyrocket to 100 at the end of the year. Last Friday it rose from 132 to 197, a jump of 50 percent. Panicked NASDAQ officials stopped trading and tried to get an explanation from the company, which could offer none. On Monday, after the company announced a two-for-one stock split, its price climbed to 278, a 40 percent gain.
Broadcast.com is little more than a name, a company in search of a business. Its web site is limited, almost amateurish. It produces nothing itself (it relies on "content providers" in Internet lingo). It simply plays ("streams" to use the jargon again) low-quality audio and video generated by other companies (radio stations, CSPAN, etc). The most recent of its "Current Events" is a speech given by Sandy Berger, the US National Security Advisor, on December 23, i.e., more than two and a half weeks ago. Even with a high-speed modem the picture is choppy, hardly a surprise given the still limited technology of Internet video.
The company's most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission is a revealing document. "The Company has incurred significant losses since its inception and, as of September 30, 1998, had an accumulated deficit of approximately $20.2 million." In the first nine months of 1998 it had revenues of $11.4 million, a figure that, within the framework of US capitalism, puts it in the category of small- to medium-size businesses, a group encompassing tens of thousands of generally struggling firms. The company spent $23.1 million in the same period, a figure twice the size of its revenues. Nevertheless, Monday's closing price gives the company a market capitalization ($4.873 billion) larger than Wendy's ($2.831 billion), which has annual earnings of $100 million and 47,000 employees, and more than half that of Delta Airlines ($8.282 billion) which has annual earnings of nearly $1 billion and 70,000 employees.
Broadcast.com's losses, even the company admits, will continue. It's SEC filing states: "The Company expects to incur substantial operating losses for the foreseeable future." Are there plans to cut back? "The Company expanded from fewer than 10 employees on September 20, 1995, to 225 employees on October 31, 1998, and the Company expects to increase its personnel significantly in the near future." It goes on: "The Company currently intends to increase substantially its operating expenses in order to, among other things, (i) expand its distribution network capacity, (ii) fund increased sales and marketing activities, (iii) acquire additional content, (iv) develop and upgrade technology and (v) purchase equipment for its operations."
The long-term outlook is also highly questionable. "There can be no assurance that the company will ever achieve profitability or, if profitability is achieved, that it can be sustained." The SEC filing adds that the company's agreements with its program providers are nonexclusive, i.e., broadcast.com can be underbid. Most of the company's revenue is from short-term advertising on its web site and radio and TV. There is no guarantee that their site will ever be widely used. "It is not known whether businesses and other organizations will utilize the Internet to any significant degree as a means of broadcasting business and other events."
And finally there are the internal problems, including: that nearly all the senior management just joined the company, that nearly all of its equipment is in a single location with no backups maintained, that it may not be able to handle a large increase in user traffic, that it has no guarantee against being hit by the year 2000 problem, and that it carries no insurance to protect it from copyright lawsuits or the loss of key employees.
In other words, the company is a young, small startup facing immense risks and uncertainties. Its underlying fundamentals are shaky. It has few ideas and no real product. Not only its future earnings, but even the company's future existence, are dubious. The skyrocketing share price is entirely speculative.
Broadcast.com has become a magnet for drawing together vast aggregates of capital, which it does not employ for any real constructive purpose. It exemplifies the growing detachment of capital from the social productive process. Money is poured into the market, driving prices up, increasingly without regard to the underlying productive capabilities. The company's dividend from earnings plays an increasingly negligible role in the return on investment in light of the inflated prices. Prior to the 1990s bull market a price-to-earnings ratio (PE ratio) of 20:1 was considered to be at the upper end of a safe investment. In 1999, however, PE ratios of 100 to 200 are increasingly common and ratios of 400 are not unheard of.
------------>For some stocks, like broadcast.com, the PE ratio cannot even be calculated as the company has never earned money.<--------------
quote:Originally posted by JBCak47: My medicine kicked in and it has me thinking at this witching hour of one in the morning. It has been said, over and over, the spending capacity of the Gay and Lesbian market is over $500 billiob dollars. If the Q-Tv Network manages to secure just 1% of this market, or namely 4 billion dollars, wouldn't our share price be in the order of .25 - .35 per share? At a dime, we would control $1.5 billion of a $500 BILLION market. Why is a dime or even thirty cents so hard to imagine when we think of the Q-Tv Network? Even if the price of a share was at a dollar, it still would only be 3% of the G/L spending power/market...
posted
LET ME EXPLAIN HOW A INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING GOES. THE COMPANY HAS TO FILE PAPERWORK WITH THE SEC. THE SEC LOOKS AT ALL THE NUMBERS AND SAYS:
"OUR CACULATIONS BASED UPON X-Y AND X SAY YOUR COMPANY IS WORTH X-AMOUNT OF DOLLARS. WE AGREE TO LET YOU ISSUE 5 MILLION SHARES AT $9.00 EACH."
COMPANY THEN OPEN UP THE MARKET, PUTS IT'S SHARES ON THE OPEN MARKET, AND YOU AND I BUY THEM.
NOW LOOK AT THE GLOBE.COM. IT ISSUED AT $9.00 AND HIT A HIGH OF $63.50 THAT VERY SAME DAY WHICH TAKES ANY IDEA BOUT A MARKET CAP AND THROWS IT OUT THE WINDOW.
THE COMPANY COLLECTED $45 MILLION DOLLARS PER THE SEC CACULATED WORTH BUT THE STOCK JUMPED THAT SAME DAY TO $63.50/SHARE THEREBY GIVING IT A MARKET CAP/VALUE OF $317,500,000.
WHO-EVER POSTS A MARKET CAP THEORY IS COMPLETELY, ABSOLUTELY, POSTIVELY AND 1000000% WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG.
GET IT THRU ALL OF YOUR HEADS THAT THE MARKET CAP DOESN'T MEAN SQUAT! NOW DO THE SAME MATH ON THESE COMPANIES AND COME BACK AND EXPLAIN YOUR MARKET CAP BULLCRAP!
VA Linux
Issued On 12/9/99 $30.00 Daily High $239.25 on 12/9/99 Close as of 1/16/01 $2.16
theglobe.com
Issued On 11/13/98 $9.00 Daily High $63.50 on 11/13/98 Close as of 1-16-01 $0.045
Foundry Networks
Issued On 9/28/99 $25.00 Daily High $156.25 on 9/28/99 Close as of 1-16-01 $7.98
Webmethods
Issued on 2/11/00 $35.00 Daily High $212.62 on 2/11/00 Close as of 1-16-01 $22.58
FreeMarkets
Issued on 12/10/99 $48.00 Daily High $280.00 on 12/10/99 Close as of 1-16-01 $20.00
Cobalt Networks
Issued on 11/05/99 $22.00 Daily High $128.125 on 11/05/99
acquired by Sun Microsystems in 12/00
Marketwatch.com
Issued on 1/15/99 $17.00 Daily High $97.50 on 1/15/99 Close as of 1/16/01 $4.00
Akamai Technologies
Issued on 10/29/99 $26.00 Daily High $145.1875 on 12/10/99 Close as of 1/16/01 $4.76
Cacheflow
Issued on 11/19/99 $24.00 Daily High $126.3750 on 11/19/99 Close as of 1/16/01 $2.26
Sycamore Networks Issued on 10/22/99 $38.00 Daily High $184.75 on 10/22/99 Close as of 1/16/01 $4.83
theglobe.com
Issued On 11/13/98 $9.00 Daily High $63.50 on 11/13/98 Close as of 1-16-01 $0.045
Investors fled cable and satellite TV stocks late last week amid fears of growing competition in video and broadband services.
Shares in satellite broadcasters EchoStar Communications (DISH) and DirecTV Grouped fell. The two companies are adding subscribers at a good clip, but they're spending more on marketing to do so.
Cable stocks Comcast, (CMCSA) Cox Communications (COX) and Charter Communications (CHTR) fell too, although the sell-off abated late Friday.
"Many investors feel that the video industry as a whole is becoming much more competitive," said Tom Hill, analyst at Schwab Soundview Capital Markets. "When they see higher (subscriber acquisition costs) out of EchoStar and DirecTV, they think it's a reflection of that."
Investors are skittish about cable-satellite competition in pay-TV services as well as recent gains by phone companies in selling speedy broadband Internet access. Cable firms' lead over phone companies in broadband services shrank in the first quarter.
"Cable stocks are depressed because of anxieties about future price wars in all of their businesses, including broadband as well as in video with the satellite guys," said Craig Moffett, analyst at Bernstein Research.
DirecTV Tuesday reported that it added 460,000 net subscribers in the first quarter. That was up 67% from a year earlier. EchoStar added 360,000, up 10,000 from the year-ago period.
In the first quarter, EchoStar reported a $43 million loss, or 9 cents per share, compared with a profit of $58 million, or 12 cents per share, a year earlier. Sales rose 16% to $1.58 billion.
DirecTV posted a wider first-quarter loss, but its results include a noncash charge related to the pending sale of its PanAmSat satellite unit.
DirecTV's loss widened to $639 million, or 46 cents per share, from $50.9 million, or 4 cents per share, a year earlier. Sales increased 22% to $2.51 billion.
Murdoch-controlled News Corp. (NWS) acquired DirecTV from General Motors (GM) in December.
Growth Vs. Value
"Satellite stocks are always torn between growth and value investors," said Hill. "Growth investors want to see accelerating subscribers adds, which is happening. But value investors want to see them print cash."
DirecTV serves 12.63 million customers while EchoStar has 9.79 million. Combined, they've grabbed more than 20% of the pay-TV market over the last decade.
However, subscriber acquisition costs marketing expenses and equipment subsidies are climbing fast at both DirecTV and EchoStar.
Most cable TV companies now offer hundreds of digital channels, just like satellite broadcasters. And unlike satellite firms, cable system operators sell speedy Internet services.
"The offerings from cable are getting more competitive and stickier," Moffett said.
To get an edge on cable firms, EchoStar and DirecTV have been selling or leasing digital recorders along with set-top boxes.
Discounts on the digital recorders as well as promotions that offer multiple set-top boxes are crimping margins at satellite firms, analysts say.
Hill says that in the long run, digital recorders will build up revenue at the satellite firms. In addition, he says, customers with digital recorders are less likely to disconnect service.
Some observers think DirecTV may be better off than EchoStar if video competition heats up.
EchoStar averages $51.76 in monthly subscriber revenue. DirecTV gets $63.30.
"DirecTV and cable (firms) are better positioned at the high end of the market," said Bernstein's Moffett. "EchoStar is increasingly focused on the low-end part of the market. That's problematic."
In a conference call Thursday with analysts, EchoStar Chief Executive Charles Ergen was upbeat. He told analysts that the combined growth of DirecTV and EchoStar spells trouble for cable TV firms.
"Three million net adds as an industry (in 2004) is not unrealistic," he said.
DirecTV added 1.19 million subscribers in 2003 while EchoStar garnered 1.25 million.
At Morgan Stanley, analyst Benjamin Swinburne estimates that DirecTV will add 1.5 million subscribers this year while EchoStar will nab 1.4 million.
Financial Woes
There's concern that EchoStar may be falling behind in the pay-TV battle.
"EchoStar's first-quarter subscribers were strong, but the financials weren't," said Thomas Eagan, analyst at Oppenheimer. "Margins were lower, and SAC (subscriber acquisition costs) were higher."
EchoStar's first-quarter costs rose $416.3 million, up 35% from a year earlier.
DirecTV's acquisition costs climbed 54% to $588 million. Part of the hike was due to its large number of subscriber adds.
In 2002, regulators rebuffed EchoStar's attempt to buy DirecTV. Earlier this year, speculation rose that EchoStar could be a takeover target. However, no buyer seems in the wings, analysts say.
DirecTV's 460,000 first-quarter subscriber additions marked an all-time high.
"DirecTV's numbers were very impressive," said Bruce Leichtman, head of the Leichtman Research Group. "It's a lot like what Comcast did coming out of the gate after acquiring AT&T Broadband. They blew the roof off. The same thing happened at DirecTV."
Comcast acquired AT&T's cable business in late 2002.
The bulk of satellite gains are coming from smaller cable systems, says Leichtman. "Rural operators are being decimated by DBS (direct broadcast satellite)," he said.
Then there's troubled Adelphia. It's mired in Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Adelphia lost 50,000 subscribers in the quarter ended March 31. Adelphia, which is up for sale, has lost 800,000 customers in two years, says Eagan.
The three biggest cable firms Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cox didn't lose customers in the first quarter, Leichtman says. Comcast added 35,000, Cox 30,000 and Time Warner 11,000, he says.
But Charter, which reports Monday, is vulnerable to satellite competition because it has many rural systems, Leichtman adds.
quote:Originally posted by Booty Quest: Wow, lots of great reads guys/gals/gays.
And on Mummy's day, no less. Thanks for the great efforts!
Okay, y'all KNOW I've been waiting desperately for my fudge to arrive from GoChocolates.com, which is in cahoots with Qtv. I finally had to email them and b*tch a little.
Here's how it went down:
Dear Fudge Packers,
Just kidding!
Dear GoChocolates, Where on Earth is my order? It's been over a week. I'm so hungry! What's the hold up?
I'm on a huge Bulletin Board with tons of QBID investors waiting on the outcome of my order. They want to know if it's yummy or not. Please hurry, thanks...Jason
(Okay, I embellished a little, but I'm sure we all want to know the deal on a Q-partner, eh? And yes, my real name is Jason )
And here is their prompt response:
Date: Sat, 8 May 2004 14:52:10 -0400
Jason, everything is ready to go. I had to hold up a few orders so I can make the amaretto fudge, and many of the rush items were for mothers day and I wanted to get them out first ( can't dissapoint mom)
Yours will be leaving Monday NEXT day air, remember i'm including a free goody bag, I would love for qbid board members to order as i'm including in the share of the profits with qtn so that they actually make money as well.
THanks for your patients, UNfortunately, Amaretto is the harderst fudge to make because it takes a lot longer to harden due to the amaretto, thanks again, and PLEASE tell me what you think when it arrives,,,
Not bad, eh? Very personal. Does anyone think the amaretto will F##K with my 2-years sobriety? Maybe I'll be sukkin' down a fifth of Jack an hour later? (Don't go there, Farmboy!)
Okay, freaks, guess I better call Ma -Always love your Booty!
YOU MAKE ME LAUGH!! LAUGHING--I HAVE FOUND PERSONALLY IS THE NEXT BEST THING TO GOOD DRUGS...LOL
I MADE AMARETTO FUDGE ONCE. NEVER DID GET HARD. HAD TO EAT IT WITH A SPOON. LOL
COOKING UP SOME ROCK AT THE SAME TIME. WHILE TRYING TO BOIL, ADD BAKING SODA AND STRAIN ROCK THRU THE CHEESE CLOTH--COULDN'T REMEMBER IF THE FUDGE HAD BEEN AT A ROLLIN' BOIL FOR 5 FULL MINUTES BEFORE ADDING AMARETTO.
MORAL OF THE STORY: I AM FAIRLY SURE THERE ISN'T ONE. LOL
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