US digital TV groups chase Primestar.

Collapse of proposed merger deal between News Corporation's ASkyB and US digital satellite broadcaster Primestar has led to renewed clamouring among country's other two digital satellite platforms for valuable high-powered satellite assets held by ASkyB. Both Echostar, which itself failed in a planned merger with ASkyB last year, and DirecTV are eyeing the satellite slot, one of only three high-powered birds covering US. For Primestar (USA; +1/303 755 3946; www.primestar.com), breakdown of talks is yet another blow in long-running saga during which it has tried repeatedly to acqu