White is reluctant to pursue a deal and no official process is underway, Bloomberg reported.

Both Dish and DirecTV representatives declined to comment.

Any talks between the two major U.S. satellite television operators would come as the two top cable TV providers, Comcast Corp and Time Warner Cable Inc agreed to merge.

Shares of DirecTV jumped 7.7 percent at $77.83, Dish was up 9.4 percent at $63.92 in afternoon trading.

(Reporting by Jennifer Saba in New York; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)