DirecTV and Dish are in advanced talks to merge in a deal that would create the largest US pay-TV provider, with almost 20 million subscribers, people familiar with the matter said.
An agreement could be announced as soon as the coming days, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information. DirecTV is in talks to control the combined entity, which will be closely held, the people said. DirecTV, founded in 1994 by Hughes Electronics, is owned by AT&T Inc. and TPG Inc., and has about 11 million customers. Dish, started in 1980 by billionaire Charlie Ergen, is part of his EchoStar Corp. and has about eight million subscribers.
While past discussions of a DirecTV-Dish combination have faced antitrust concerns, the shift from pay TV to streaming has changed the competitive landscape, potentially making the path easier this time. A deal would help them better compete with cable companies and streaming services such as Netflix Inc. A merger of the two largest satellite-TV providers would come at a challenging time for the pay-TV industry, which has been losing customers.
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