Dish’s Charlie Ergen on Ads, Wireless, Cord-Cutting, Culture and Blockbuster (Video)
Dish chairman Charlie Ergen has a lot to say, and if you missed the livestream of his punchy and wide-ranging interview at D: Dive Into Media, you really missed out.
Here’s the full video of Ergen’s interview with Peter Kafka:
And here’s our coverage of what he said (but again, it’s worth watching the whole thing):
Dish’s Charlie Ergen Says He Doesn’t Want to Kill Ads, for Real
“I don’t want to kill ads. I think advertising is great, and I’m very aware that there’s multiple revenue streams in television, subscription and advertising. But I also don’t want to put my head in the sand, and I think the world is changing.”
Dish Chairman Ergen on Why the Company Needs a Wireless Network Anyway
“We want to compete against both the cable guys and the wireless guys, and we want to do it inside the house and outside the house, and that’s why we think we need wireless spectrum.”
Dish Chairman: “I Think People Are Cutting the Cord”
“I think we ought to be hooking people on pay TV when they are young. If we are getting run out of town, I want to get in front of that.”
“There are only two kinds of employees that I’ve run across in 30 years. There are ones that get results, and ones that make excuses. If you’re in that second camp, you’re not going to like Dish.”
Dish Bought Blockbuster to Open Wireless Stores
“We were too late on the Netflix thing. I feel stupid that we didn’t think of it first, but I am a fan.”