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Analyze This:
T-Mobile 1Q11 lost 99K subs bringing its base down to 33.6M; operating profit plunged from $362M y/y to $135M. Blame was placed on
Verizon’s LTE rollouts.
Citadel’s
Shing Yin points out, “Among the major carriers, T-Mobile is the only one to have reported a y/y decrease in equipment revenues but an increase in equipment costs.” All of which might help convince regulators T-Mobile isn’t a viable competitor making that acquisition easier. ---
Frontier is jettisoning
FiOS as fast as possible as it reported 1Q11 revenue jump of 29% ... but legacy landline losses hurt earnings. ---
Collins Stewart’s
Tom Eagan reiterated his ‘buy’ (target $59) for
DIRECTV saying competitive fears are bit overdrawn. --- Eagan keeps
Scripps Networks Interactive ‘neutral’ (target $53) predicting slowing growth until
Travel Channel affiliation renewals kick in ’12. --- And Eagan rates
Cablevision ‘buy’ (target $44) asserting the company’s leverage target implies either acquisition or more stock buyback.
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Rules & Regs:
Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) says he will introduce “do-not-track” legislation.
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Folks: New Prez/CEO of
Tribune is
Eddy Hartenstein ...
Kathy Thomson becomes Prez/COO of the
Los Angeles Times Communications as Eddy stays as publisher, too. Other senior execs include
Don Liebentritt as Chief Restructuring Officer,
Nils Larsen as Chief Investment Officer and Chairman of
Tribune Broadcasting, and
Tony Hunter as President, Publisher and CEO of
Chicago Tribune Company, with oversight responsibility for Tribune's six mid-market newspapers. --- Interesting take from
BTIG’s
Rich Greenfield as he watches (over and over, we think)
Charlie Rose’s interviews with
Reed Hastings ... from current and ’05
here (registration required). Good news for
Starz.
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Retail: Lot of pumped-up retailers leaving Denver and
DISH's Team Summit tomorrow ... new products and packages coming ... more Sling and a cool Tailgate dish included.
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Programming:
OWN has a new head:
Peter Liguori is now interim CEO as
Christina Norman leaves. (1st reported by
The Wrap.) ---
Wealth TV is doing the
Musee du Louvre in 3D.
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More News in The Morning BRIDGE ... early Monday morning in your in-box. Have a great weekend.•
