AT&T Sings “I Want My DirecTV”? Dish Next to Verizon, Apple?

Fast on the heels of its $500 million content development venture with The Chernin Group and Comcast’s acquisition of Time Warner Cable, AT&T is rumored to be mulling over a $40 billion take-over of DirecTV.  If rumors become reality, this deal would signify yet another recent massive move in the world of premium multi-screen video.  AT&T immediately would (1) have a national footprint for its U-Verse content services (television, movies) -- leap-frogging from 6 million to 26 million subscribers, and (2) potentially control and own DirecTV’s coveted exclusive NFL “Sunday Ticket” package.  Remember, AT&T and DirecTV are already partners -- bundling AT&T broadband services in certain markets.

What else?  Rival DISH Networks would be immediately in play.

By whom?

One obvious potential buyer would be AT&T rival Verizon.  After all, there are no other real satellite options.

On the non-obvious side, how about Apple?  Apple has been quietly sitting on the sidelines throughout all of these premium multi-screen video and OTT machinations.  Too quiet.  Apple needs to be in the living room.  I previously wrote at length about this -- i.e., the strategic rationale and logic of such a move for Apple.

These truly are exciting times in the wild world of digital media ....