Investopedia: Industry At A Glance - Pay TV

On the surface it may not seem like there would be much growth left in the U.S. pay TV market. Penetration rates are already north of 90% and most Americans consider cable (or satellite) TV service to be just as much a necessity as electricity or gas. Moreover, with the decline of dial-up, pay TV carriers also provide the entryway to Internet access for most people in this country.

And yet, that doesn't mean that there isn't growth potential or vibrant competition. Satellite providers, cable TV providers and phone companies are stepping up their battle to offer more or less the same services to the same customer base. What's more, alternate online options are reducing some of the distribution power of this sector, while more and more distributors also see themselves as content providers. Oh, and there's this tech company called Apple (Nasdaq:AAPL) that may have some ideas of its own about how TV service should look in the future.


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Investopedia: TiVo's Battle Only Beginning

It has been a multi-year roller coaster ride for TiVo (Nasdaq:TIVO) bulls, and yet plenty of volatility and uncertainty remains. Not only does the company have several significant IP lawsuits still in progress, but the company is a long way from establishing that it has a business model capable of producing attractive free cash flow in the years to come.

On the other hand, the company has won legal validation for its IP and signed up several major TV partners. With valuable technology and patents, and several large tech companies likely coveting the in-home reach and potential of this technology, TiVo could yet attract some interest from a bidder. As I said, the roller coaster ride isn't over yet.

First Quarter Results Include a Major Win and Significant Concerns  
There is no question that the company's settlement with DISH Network (Nasdaq:DISH) was a dominating factor this quarter. After another legal setback, DISH chose to take a settlement with TiVo - agreeing to pay $500 million in damages, with $300 million upfront and $200 million coming between 2012 and 2017. With that settlement, TiVo was profitable on an accounting basis. 

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