Still, the recent decision by the antitrust staff cannot take effect until it is approved by Mr. James, although there are signs that he will follow the recommendation. In recent weeks, government lawyers have begun preparing for a trial should the companies decide to try to contest the government's finding. In a last-ditch effort to salvage the EchoStar deal -- and capitalize on it -- Cablevision Systems of New York, the nation's seventh-largest cable television company, has proposed buying some EchoStar assets, including transponders and 17 satellite frequencies, to start its own satellite television company. Lawyers for Cablevision made the proposal in a meeting last week with officials at the Federal Communications Commission, according to a document on file at the commission that describes the presentation.