DirecTV notified EchoStar Corp. of its intention to terminate an acquisition of Dish Network Corp. after bondholders failed to consent to a key debt exchange, all but killing a deal to create the largest US pay-TV service.

The whole reason Dish was pursuing a sale is because the company is utterly riddled with debt; DirecTV was going to buy Dish for $1 and assume its debt of $9.75 billion. Presumably, everyone knew those figures going in,

EchoStar stock plunged on the news that bondholders of Dish Network rejected a proposed debt deal seen as key to sealing a merger with DirecTV.