DISH vs Visoon

Sling Discontinues Short-Term Passes

Sling TV has discontinued its short-term 'Sling Passes,' which allowed users to subscribe for one to seven days. Introduced in August 2025, the passes included Day, Weekend, and Week options, priced at $4.99, $9.99, and $14.99 respectively. The launch aimed to attract cord cutters during football season, but faced legal challenges from Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery, who sued Sling's parent company DISH for breach of contract over the unapproved packages. The lawsuits likely influenced the decision to retire the passes, though no official reason was given. Sling now returns to its standard lineup: Orange, Blue, combined Orange & Blue, and the newer Basic plans ($19.99/month).

• Sling TV discontinued its short-term Sling Passes as of October 5, 2026.
• The passes, launched in August 2025, included Day Pass ($4.99), Weekend Pass ($9.99), and Week Pass ($14.99).
• Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery filed lawsuits against DISH over the passes for breach of contract.

DISH Teams Up with United Airlines to Provide Live Football at 35,000 Feet

Passengers on United airplanes with Starlink-enabled seatback screens have access to live college and pro football games starting this week across ...

Sling TV's Future Uncertain After DISH Bankruptcy Filing

Sling TV — one of the first over‑the‑top live multichannel services, launched February 9, 2015 — faces an uncertain future after its parent’s prepackaged Chapter 11 filing. DISH DBS Corporation (an EchoStar subsidiary) filed for Chapter 11 on June 30, 2026 after a delay in closing a large spectrum sale to AT&T left the company short of cash to repay $2 billion in notes. Sling peaked near 2.6 million subscribers around 2020 but reported 1.707 million subscribers as of the end of June 2026. The restructuring aims to clean the balance sheet and wind down DISH’s wireless build; industry observers expect EchoStar may consider selling or spinning off DISH satellite and Sling assets once the process concludes.

• Sling TV launched on February 9, 2015 as an over‑the‑top live multichannel television service in the U.S.
• Sling reported 1.707 million subscribers as of the end of June 2026, down from a peak near 2.6 million around 2020.
• On June 30, 2026, DISH DBS Corporation (an EchoStar subsidiary) filed a prepackaged Chapter 11 case in Houston.

German TV Sales Houses Shift to Selling Business Outcomes

At the dmexco digital marketing fair in Cologne, German TV advertising sales houses (Ad Alliance, Seven.One Media, Visoon) presented strategies to overcome the TV advertising crisis by integrating data and targeting capabilities. They emphasized moving beyond mere reach to delivering measurable business results for advertisers. Seven.One Media demonstrated a case with More Nutrition, linking TV spot airings with Shopify data to show traffic spikes. Visoon advocated for a converged approach across linear TV, streaming, and addressable TV. The industry is working to become more targetable, automated, and measurable, while maintaining the trust and brand-safe environment of traditional television. The shift reflects an effort to compete with digital platforms like Google and Meta by offering data-driven, outcome-based advertising.

• The article was published on 23.09.2026 by DWDL.de.
• Ad Alliance, Seven.One Media, and Visoon presented strategies at dmexco to modernize TV advertising.
• Seven.One Media aims to sell business results, not just contacts.

Welt's Frank Hoffmann: TV must provide broader context

In a DWDL.de interview, Frank Hoffmann — described as a former RTL programming director and producer — outlines Welt’s editorial and commercial strategy. He says TV news must offer context beyond instant alerts, is sharpening its profile with more clearly labeled opinion pieces while retaining objectivity, and is seeing a demographic shift toward younger, more female audiences. Hoffmann details investments in studio upgrades, automation and AI to boost production efficiency but insists journalists remain essential for on-the-ground reporting. He names Visoon as Welt’s commercial partner, highlights competition for ad spend from platforms like Facebook and Google, and cites an independent study that advertising in trusted news environments yields credibility and effectiveness. He also notes producing Sat.1’s Frühstücksfernsehen with MAZ & More at Axel Springer’s HQ and launching the economic talk 'Stimmen der Wirtschaft.'

• Frank Hoffmann is identified as a former RTL programming director and as a producer.
• Welt is emphasizing context, more clearly labeled opinion pieces, and a sharper editorial profile while maintaining objectivity; it notes younger and more female audiences.
• Welt works with Visoon as its commercial/marketing partner.