Charlie Sorrel
Gear

Echostar Buys Sling for $380 Million

Echostar, owner of the satellite TV company Dish Network, has bought Sling Media for $380 million in cash and shares.... And Sling gets legitimized by the backing of the big boys, protecting it from possible litigation from the content providers (read: network TV and cable companies) in much the same way as YouTube is protected by Google.

DishEchostar, owner of the satellite TV company Dish Network, has bought Sling Media for $380 million in cash and shares.

This is a smart move for both companies. Dish gets access to a market of smart, early adopters and also gains a whole new platform: mobile devices. And Sling gets legitimized by the backing of the big boys, protecting it from possible litigation from the content providers (read: network TV and cable companies) in much the same way as YouTube is protected by Google. Good news all round.

Press release [Sling]