The leaders of Dish Network and DirecTV have discussed the possibility of merging the two satellite television companies, according to a report Wednesday from Bloomberg News.

The outlet, citing “several people with knowledge of the matter,’’ said Dish chairman Charlie Ergen proposed the idea to DirecTV CEO Mike White in response to Comcast’s recent $45 billion purchase of Time Warner Cable.

White is hesitant to pursue a merger because he worries such a deal might be blocked by regulators, but he has not ruled it out entirely, Bloomberg reported.

Dish’s Ergen said to approach DirecTV CEO White about satellite TV merger: http://t.co/NyIoC24r3l — Bloomberg News (@BloombergNews) March 26, 2014

The companies have tried to merge before, according to the Associated Press. In 2002, the Federal Communications Commission squashed a deal to fuse Dish and DirecTV because it would eliminate competition.


Shares of both companies surged in midday trading Wednesday, the AP reported.