DirecTV Banned From Raising Prices

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HDNet LLC has obtained a temporary restraining order barring DirecTV Group Inc. from moving the Dallas high-definition television network to a more expensive tier of HD programming, according to court documents.


Judge Teresa Guerra Snelson made the ruling Monday and said it will stay in effect until Dec. 10. Snelson added that she will hear arguments Dec. 7.


According to HDNet’s petition, the company, which is owned by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, learned via an Oct. 15 DirecTV press release that programming for it and its sister channel, HDNet Movies, was being moved to a new tier of high-definition programming that would cost customers and additional $15 per month.


HDNet said the move breaches a 2002 contract it has with DirecTV that calls for HDNet and HDNet Movies to be available in “the most widely distributed tier” of high-definition programming, which the two channels, HDNet and HDNet Movies, have been included in.


HDNet’s said in its petition that DirecTV has “decided to effectively kill HDNet’s viewership by moving the two HDNet networks from their current DirecTV broadcast package.


Shares in DirecTV closed down 9 cents to $23.93 in trading Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange.

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