Docket Number:
MB Docket 03-124

This page provides information on the joint application filed by General Motors Corporation (“GM”), Hughes Electronics Corporation (“Hughes”) and The News Corporation Limited ("News Corp." and, collectively with GM and Hughes, the "Applicants") to the Commission seeking consent to transfer control of various Commission licenses and authorizations, including direct broadcast satellite (“DBS”) and fixed satellite space station, earth station, and terrestrial wireless authorizations held by Hughes and its wholly- or majority-owned subsidiaries to News Corp. (“Application”). The proposed transaction involves the split-off of Hughes from GM, wherein Hughes will become a separate and independent company, followed by a series of transactions where News Corp., through its majority-held subsidiary, Fox Entertainment Group, will acquire a 34% interest in Hughes. The remaining 66% interest in Hughes will be held by three GM employee benefit trusts (managed by an independent trustee), which combined will hold an approximately 20% interest in Hughes, and by the general public, which will hold an approximately 46% interest in Hughes.

These applications have been consolidated under MB Docket No. 03-124, and most of the record in the proceeding is accessible through the Electronic Comment Filing System. Copies of documents in the record may also be obtained for a fee from FCC's duplicating contractor Qualex International, or may be viewed and/or copied at the FCC Reference Center.

Timeline

Day 182 - December 19, 2003

Public NoticePublic Comment PeriodPublic Comment PeriodPublic Comment PeriodPublic Comment PeriodPublic Comment PeriodReply PeriodReply PeriodReply PeriodReply PeriodReply PeriodReply PeriodPublic ForumPublic ForumPublic ForumCompleteness ReviewCompleteness ReviewCompleteness ReviewCompleteness ReviewCompleteness ReviewCompleteness ReviewCompleteness ReviewApplicants Submission of Major RevisionsApplicants Submission of Major RevisionsApplicants Submission of Major RevisionsApplicants Submission of Major RevisionsEn banc or public forum on revised applicationEn banc or public forum on revised applicationEn banc or public forum on revised applicationEn banc or public forum on revised applicationEn banc or public forum on revised applicationEn banc or public forum on revised applicationEn banc or public forum on revised applicationEn banc or public forum on revised applicationEn banc or public forum on revised applicationEn banc or public forum

Orders & Public Notices

6/15/09
Granted the Petition filed by News Corporation to remove the remaining conditions adopted in the News Corp.-Hughes Order.
MO&O:
Word | Acrobat

4/1/08
Comment Dates Set for Petition for Modification of Conditions Filed by News Corporation.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

2/25/08
FCC Denies Petition for Reconsideration of the Conditioned Approval of the News Corp-DirecTV Merger.
Order: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat

4/6/04
Supplemental Order Granting Applications Subject to Conditions
[ Word | Acrobat ]

1/14/04
FCC Releases Order on Conditioned Approval of News Corp-DirecTV Merger.
Order: Word | Acrobat
Public Notice (12/19/03): Word | Acrobat
Fact Sheet: Word | Acrobat
Powell Statement: Word | Acrobat
Abernathy Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat

11/17/03
Letter Restarting the Clock, Sent to Applicants from W. Kenneth Ferree, Chief, Media Bureau.
Word | Acrobat

10/10/03
Letter Stopping the Clock, Sent to Applicants from W. Kenneth Ferree, Chief, Media Bureau.
Word | Acrobat

7/21/03
Order Adopting Second Protective Order filed by Media Bureau
Order: Acrobat

5/21/03
Protective Order filed by Kenneth Feree, Media Bureau, FCC
Order: Word | Acrobat

5/16/03
General Motors Corporation, Hughes Electronics Corporation, and The News Corporation Limited Seek Approval to Transfer Control of FCC Authorizationa and Licenses Held by Hughes Electronics Corporation to The News Corporation Limited.
Public Notice: Acrobat | Word

Record Documents

Below is a list of record documents in reverse chronological order.

6/8/09
Notice of Firm Name Change, filed by Wiltshire & Grannis LLP

12/4/08
Response to November 25, 2008 Letter of American Cable Association, National Telecommunications Cooperative Association, and Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies, filed by News Corporation

11/25/08
Response to Request for Information, filed by News Corporation

11/25/08
Reply Letter, filed by American Cable Association, National Telecommunications Cooperative Association, and Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies

9/26/08
Notice of Ex Parte Communication, filed by News Corporation

8/14/08
Notice of Ex Parte Communication, filed by Massillon Cable Communications, Inc.

6/24/08
Notices of Ex Parte Communication, filed by American Cable Association
[ 1 | 2 ]

6/19/08
Notice of Ex Parte Communication, filed by News Corporation

6/3/08
Response to Massillon Cable TV, Inc., filed by News Corporation

5/16/08
Reply Comments, filed by Massillon Cable TV, Inc.

5/16/08
Reply Comments, filed by News Corp.

5/16/08
Reply Comments, filed by American Cable

5/1/08
Opposition, filed by National Cable Television Cooperative, Inc.

5/1/08
Opposition, filed by DISH Network

5/1/08
Opposition, filed by American Cable Association

4/14/08
Notices of Ex Parte Communication, filed by American Cable Association
[ 1 | 2 | 3 ]

4/1/08
Notice of Ex Parte Communication, filed by News Corporation

6/7/04
Notice of Ex Parte Communications filed by Pegasus Communications

5/20/04
Notice of Ex Parte Communications filed by Pegasus Communications

4/5/04
Reply to Opposition to Petition for Reconsideration filed by National Hispanic Media Coalition

4/5/04
Reply and Supplemental Comments filed by Pegasus Development Corp.

3/31/04
Notice of Ex Parte Communications filed by The DirecTV Group

3/26/04
Letter filed by Pegasus Development Corp.

3/25/04
Request for Extension of Time filed by Pegasus Development Corp.

3/19/04
Consolidated Opposition to Petitions for Reconsideration filed by General Motors Corp., The DirecTV Group, Inc., and The News Corporation Limited
[ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 ]

2/26/04
Notice of Ex Parte Communications filed by Pegasus Communications

2/13/04
Petition for Reconsideration filed by National Hispanic Media Coalition

2/13/04
Petition for Reconsideration filed by Pegasus Development Corp.

1/23/04
Errata, filed on behalf of Media Bureau

1/7/04
Letter filed by Telecom Dispute Solutions, Inc.

12/23/03
Notice of Consummation filed by General Motors Corp., Hughes Electronics Corp., and The News Corporation Ltd.

12/19/03
Notice of Ex Parte Communications filed by Broadband Service Providers Association

12/15/03
Ex Parte Presentation (redacted) filed by EchoStar Satellite Corp.

12/15/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Advance/Newhouse, Cable One, Cox Communications, and Insight Communications

12/12/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by Victory Sports, LLC
[ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 ]

12/12/03
Comments filed by Tectelcom Tecnica em Telecommunicacoes Ltda

12/12/03
Notices of Ex Parte Communication filed by Consumers Union
[ 1 | 2 ]

12/12/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by Center for Digital Democracy

12/11/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by The News Corporation, Ltd.

12/11/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Cablevision Systems Corp.

12/11/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Center for Digital Democracy

12/10/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Pegasus Communications
[ 1 | 2 | 3 ]

12/10/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentations filed by The News Corporation Ltd.
[ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 ]

12/09/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Advance/Newhouse, Cable One, Cox Communications, and Insight Communications

12/09/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Advance/Newhouse, Cable One, Cox Communications, and Insight Communications

12/09/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Center for Digital Democracy

12/08/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Advance/Newhouse, Cable One, Cox Communications, and Insight Communications

12/05/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentations filed by EchoStar Satellite Corp.

12/05/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Consumers Union

12/03/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentations filed The News Corporation Ltd.
[ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 ]

12/03/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Center for Digital Democracy


11/26/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by American Cable Association
[ 1 | 2 ]

11/26/03
Comments filed by Victory Sports LLC

11/25/03
Petition to Adopt Conditions filed by Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, and Federal Bureau of Investigation
[ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 ]

11/24/03
Letter filed by Communications Careers for Latinos, Inc.

11/24/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by American Cable Association

11/21/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Consumes Union

11/20/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by Cablevision Systems Corp.

11/20/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentations filed by Advance/Newhouse, Cable One, Cox Communications, and Insight Communications
[ 1 | 2 ]

11/20/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by The News Corporation Ltd.

11/19/03
Response to Request for Information filed by The News Corporation Ltd.
[ 1 | 2 ]

11/19/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Center for Digital Democracy

11/18/03
Letter filed by the Hon. Bob Goodlatte and the Hon. Rick Boucher

11/18/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentations filed by American Cable Association
[ 1 | 2 | 3 ]

11/17/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by Center for Digital Democracy

11/14/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by The News Corp. Ltd. and General Motors and Hughes Electronics Corp.

11/12/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Advance/Newhouse, Cable One, Cox Communications, and Insight Communications

11/10/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Cablevision Systems Corporation

11/10/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Advance/Newhouse, Cable One, Cox Communications, and Insight Communications

11/07/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by News Corporation Limited

11/07/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Center for Digital Democracy

11/06/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Advance/Newhouse, Cable One, Cox Communications, and Insight Communications

11/05/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Advance/Newhouse, Cable One, Cox Communications, and Insight Communications

11/04/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by News Corporation Limited et al.

11/04/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Advance Newhouse et al.

11/03/03
Acknowledgements of Confidentiality filed by General Motors Corporation

11/03/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by The News Corporation Limited

11/03/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Center For Digital Democracy


10/31/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by The News Corp. Ltd.

10/31/03
Third Information and Document Request: Word | Acrobat

10/28/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Consumers Union

10/28/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Consumers Union.

10/27/03
Comment filed by Digital Broadband Applications Corp.

10/24/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by RCN Corporation.

10/21/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Center for Digital Democracy.

10/17/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Victory Sports LLC.

10/16/03
Second Information and Document Request.

10/06/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by The News Corporation Limited


9/30/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by Pegasus Communications

9/28/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by Center for Digital Democracy

9/25/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Cablevision Systems Corporation

9/24/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by Center for Digital Democracy

9/23/03
Letter filed by Sen. Mike Dewine and Sen. Herb Kohl

9/23/03
Acknowledgments of Confidentiality filed by EchoStar Satellite Corporation

9/23/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by Consumers Union

9/22/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by The News Corporation Limited, General Motors Corp., and Hughes Electronics Corp.

9/17/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by DirecTV

9/11/03
Acknowledgments of Confidentiality filed by Advance/Newhouse Communications

9/10/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by The News Corporation Limited, General Motors Corp., and Hughes Electronics Corp.

9/08/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by General Motors Corp., Hughes Electronics Corp., and The News Corporation Ltd.
[ 1 | 2 | 3 ]

9/05/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by The News Corporation Limited

9/04/03
Acknowledgments of Confidentiality filed by General Motors Corp. and Hughes Electronics Corp.
[ 1 | 2 ]

9/02/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Cablevision Systems Corporation


8/29/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by Center for Digital Democracy

8/28/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by The News Corporation Limited, General Motors Corp., and Hughes Electronics Corp.

8/26/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by Hughes Electronics Corporation and General Motors Corporation

8/20/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by Advance Newhouse Communications, et al.

8/20/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Cablevision Systems Corporation

8/20/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by Center for Digital Democracy

08/20/03
Letter filed by Center for Digital Democracy

8/18/03
Response to Commission's Initial Information and Document Request filed by General Motors Corporation et al.

8/11/03
Acknowledgments of Confidentiality filed by Advance/Newhouse Communications

8/11/03
Acknowledgments of Confidentiality filed by Cablevision System Corporation

8/07/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by Advance/Newhouse Communications

8/07/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by The News Corporation Limited, General Motors Corp. and Hughes Electronics Corp.

8/06/03
Acknowledgments of Confidentiality filed by EchoStar Satellite Corporation

8/06/03
Response to Commission's Discovery Requests (redacted) filed by Cablevision Systems Corporation
[ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 ]

8/05/03
Acknowledgments of Confidentiality filed by Advance/Newhouse Communications

8/04/03
Petition to Condition Grant of Applications filed by Wyser-Pratte Management Co., Inc.

8/04/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by Advance/Newhouse, Cable One, Cox Communications, and Insight
[ 1 | 2 ]


7/31/03
Response to Commission's Discovery Requests (redacted) filed by Gemstar-TV Guide International, Inc.

7/31/03
Ex Parte Presentation filed by Sun Microsystems, Inc.

7/30/03
Response to Commission's Initial Information and Document Request (redacted) filed by Hughes Electronics Corporation and General Motors Corp.
[ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 ]

7/28/03
Response to Commission's Initial Information and Document Request (redacted) filed by The News Corporation Limited
[ 1 | 2 ]

7/28/03
Acknowledgments of Confidentiality filed by Cablevision Systems Corporation

7/27/03
Comment filed by Center for Digital Democracy

7/24/03
Acknowledgments of Confidentiality filed by Cablevision Systems Corporation

7/24/03
Acknowledgments of Confidentiality filed by National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative

7/22/03
Letter filed by General Motors Corporation et. al.

7/21/03
Acknowledgments of Confidentiality filed by Advanced/Newhouse Communications, et al.

7/21/03
Acknowledgments of Confidentiality filed by Cablevision Systems Corp.

7/21/03
Response to Opposition to Petitions to Deny filed by National Association of Broadcasters

7/18/03
Notice of Ex Parte Presentation filed by The News Corporation Limited

7/17/03
Petition to Designate Application for Hearing filed by National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative

7/16/03
Acknowledgements of Confidentiality filed by Cablevision Systems Corporation

7/15/03
Discovery Requests for Gemstar-TV Guide

7/15/03
Discovery Requests for Cablevision Systems Corporation

7/8/03
Initial Information and Document Request
[ Letter | Attachment ]


6/18/03
Letter filed by Sen. Mike Dewine and Sen. Herb Kohl

6/16/03
Comment of Association of Public Television Stations

6/16/03
Comment of Johnson Broadcasting of Dallas, Inc.

6/16/03
Comment of Microcom

6/16/03
Comment of Cablevision

6/16/03
Comment of Maranatha Broadcasting Company, Inc.

6/16/03
Comment of Advance/Newhouse Communications, Cable One, Cox Communications, and Insight Communications
[ 1 | 2 ]

6/16/03
Comment of American Cable Association

6/16/03
Comment of Intelsat Global Service Corporation

6/16/03
Comment of RCN Telecom Services, Inc.

6/16/03
Petition to Deny of National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative
[ 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 ]

6/16/03
Comment of National Association of Broadcasters

6/16/03
Petition to Deny of Center for Digital Democracy

6/13/03
Petition of EchoStar Corporation

06/11/03
Letter, filed on behalf of Martin T. McBurnette.

06/11/03
Comment, filed on behalf of Johnson Broadcasting of Dallas, Inc.


5/30/03
Letter submitting updated information filed by The News Corporation Limited

5/30/03
Notice of Meeting filed by Pegasus Communications

5/20/03
Brief Comment filed by Jeff Masters

5/15/03
Echostar Satellite Corporation, Application of General Motors Corporation and Hughes Electronic Corporation, et al.

5/15/03
General Motors Corporation, Declaration of Lawrence A. Jacobs

05/15/03
Petition, filed on behalf of EchoStar Satellite Corporation

05/15/03
Other, filed on behalf of General Motors Corporation

5/13/03
Letter Concerning Liberty Media Corporation's Ownership Interest and Declaration of Lawrence A. Jacobs filed by General Motors Corporation and Hughes Electronics Corporation and The News Corporation Limited

5/12/03
Echostar Satellite Corporation's Petition to Require Additional Information

Applications

5/15/03
Application filed by General Motors Corporation et al.:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33

5/02/03
Consolidated Application for Authority to Transfer of Control filed by General Motors Corporation and Hughes Electronics Corporation and The News Corporation Limited

Application
Volume I - Attachments to Narrative Application
Volume II - Transactional Documents
Volume III - Transfer of Control Applications For Licences Controled by Hughes Electronics Corporation

Pre-Public Notice

5/13/03
Letter Concerning Liberty Media Corporation's Ownership Interest and Declaration of Lawrence A. Jacobs filed by General Motors Corporation and Hughes Electronics Corporation and The News Corporation Limited

5/12/03
Echostar Satellite Corporation's Petition to Require Additional Information

5/09/03
Notice of Intention to Participate/Letter filed by Echostar Satellite Corporation

Background

If approved, the proposed transaction will permit News Corp. to hold the single largest block of shares in Hughes, thus providing News Corp. with a de facto controlling interest over Hughes and its subsidiaries, including DIRECTV Holdings, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hughes which provides DBS service in the United States, as well as Hughes Network Services, Inc., a facilities-based provider of very small aperture terminal (“VSAT”) network systems, and PanAmSat Corporation, a global facilities-based provider of geostationary-satellite orbit fixed satellite services. As described in the Application, if the proposed transaction is closed, Rupert Murdoch, chairman and chief executive officer of News Corp., will become chairman of Hughes, and Chase Carey, News Corp.’s former co-chief operating officer, will become president and chief executive officer of Hughes. Eddy Hartenstein, currently Hughes’ corporate senior executive vice president, will be named vice chairman of Hughes. Hughes’ board of directors will consist of 11 directors, six of whom will be independent directors.

Hughes, a Delaware corporation, is a wholly owned subsidiary of GM, also a Delaware corporation. Hughes holds a number of Commission licenses and authorizations directly or through its wholly- or majority-owned subsidiaries. Hughes’ wholly-owned subsidiaries include DIRECTV Holdings, LLC, the parent company of DIRECTV Enterprises, LLC and United States Satellite Broadcasting Company, Inc., both Commission DBS licensees. Hughes Network Systems, Inc. is also a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hughes and holds a number of authorizations for transmit/receive earth stations and VSAT networks for use of frequencies in the C and Ku-bands, as well as authorizations for the construction, launch and operation of the Ka-band SPACEWAY Satellite System. Hughes also indirectly holds an approximately 81% economic and voting interest in PanAmSat Corporation, a publicly traded Delaware corporation and the corporate parent of PanAmSat Licensee Corp., a Commission licensee that holds authorizations to operate fixed satellite service systems using the C and Ku-bands, as well as authorizations for numerous earth stations which are licensed to transmit and receive frequencies in the C and Ku-bands.

News Corp. is a corporation formed under the laws of South Australia with securities that are publicly traded on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Australian Stock Exchange. Shareholders holding a greater than 10% interest in News Corp. are K. Rupert Murdoch, a U.S. citizen and chief executive of News Corp., who directly and indirectly controls an approximately 16% equity and 30% voting interest in News Corp., and Liberty Media Corporation (“Liberty”), a Delaware corporation, which holds preferred limited voting ordinary shares representing approximately 17.6% of the shares of News Corp. but with no voting rights except in limited instances. Liberty holds interests in domestic and international video programming, interactive technology services, and communications businesses in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Among its holdings are majority ownership interests in Starz Encore Group LLC (100%) and Liberty Satellite and Technology, Inc. (86%), and minority interests in a number of other programming companies. Liberty also holds a controlling interest in Astrolink International LLC, and the largest plurality interest in Wildblue Communications, Inc., both Commission licensees authorized to construct, launch and operate satellites using frequencies in the Ka-band.

News Corp. holds its U.S. programming interests through its Fox Entertainment Group, Inc. subsidiary, a Delaware corporation, in which News Corp. currently holds an approximately 80.6% ownership and 97% voting interest. The Fox Entertainment Group, Inc. is principally engaged in the development, production and distribution of television broadcasting and cable network programming. Its programming interests include FOX Broadcasting Company, Fox Television Stations, Twentieth Century Fox Film, Twentieth Century Fox Television, Fox News Channel, and Fox Cable Networks. News Corp. indirectly holds interests in a number of direct-to-home (“DTH”) subscription services, all of which operate outside the United States, including a 36.2% indirect interest in British Sky Broadcasting, which operates in the United Kingdom and Ireland. In addition, News Corp. holds an approximately 42.9% interest in Gemstar-TV Guide International, Inc., which among other things, produces an electronic program guide for on-screen navigation of program offerings. News Corp. also holds an approximately 79% equity interest in NDS Group plc, a supplier of conditional access systems that provide secure solutions for pay television systems.

The Applicants claim that approval of the proposed transaction will create direct and tangible public interest benefits without producing any public interest harms in any relevant market. Overall, they claim that the transaction will benefit consumers by enabling Hughes to reach its full potential as a leader in providing multichannel video programming distribution services by combining the Hughes distribution assets with News Corp.’s resources, expertise in entering new markets and track record of innovation. Specific claimed benefits include increasing the availability of local-into-local broadcast television service into as many markets as possible; increasing the amount of high definition television; working aggressively to ensure that broadband services are available to as many American consumers as possible; enhancing Hughes’ ability to undertake significant risks and costs of developing and deploying new products and services; and bringing News Corp.’s commitment to diversity and equal opportunity to Hughes. Further, the Applicants state that the proposed transaction will increase operating efficiencies at Hughes by drawing upon News Corp.’s DTH experience and rationalizing the use of facilities across the two companies and will create economies of scope and scale that will help drive down costs and reduce the risks of innovation. In addition, by introducing new or enhanced capabilities to the DIRECTV platform, News Corp. claims that the proposed acquisition will increase customer satisfaction and as a result achieve greater subscriber growth and lower churn. The Applicants state that the proposed transaction will improve Hughes’ capital structure and enable it to access the equity markets to obtain financing necessary to underwrite investment in and deployment of new services and technologies. Finally, the Applicants state that the proposed transaction will have no anti-competitive effects in any relevant market. Nevertheless, they offer to be bound by enforceable program access commitments for so long as the Commission’s program access requirements applicable to cable operators and vertically integrated programming vendors remain in effect.

Clock History

Day 1 was on: 5/16/03
This information was last updated on: 12/19/03

Clock Stopped Clock
Restarted
Days
Stopped
Reason for Stop/Start
Day Date
149 10/10/03 11/17/03 38

Letter Restarting the Clock, Sent to Applicants from W. Kenneth Ferree, Chief, Media Bureau.
Word | Acrobat

Letter Stopping the Clock, Sent to Applicants from W. Kenneth Ferree, Chief, Media Bureau.
Word | Acrobat

182 12/19/03    

Subject to Conditions, Commission Approves License Transfers Between General Motors Corporation, Hughes Electronics Corporation and The News Corporation Limited.
Order (1/14/04): Word | Acrobat
Public Notice (12/19/03): Word | Acrobat
Fact Sheet: Word | Acrobat
Powell Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat

Contacts
Marcia Glauberman
Media Bureau
(202) 418-7046
Linda Senecal
Media Bureau
(202) 418-7044