Legal
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Streaming Services Sundance Now and Shudder Acquire ‘A Discovery of Witches’ Based on Best Seller
Streaming services Sundance Now and Shudder July 19 announced at San Diego Comic-Con the joint acquisition of the Sky production, “A Discovery of Witches.” The original drama series will premiere in the United States and Canada simultaneously on both services, marking the first partnership of this kind for the two SVOD services, according to a press … Continue reading “Streaming Services Sundance Now and Shudder Acquire ‘A Discovery of Witches’ Based on Best Seller”
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‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Still No. 1 on Digital Originals Chart, While ‘Orange is the New Black’ Sees Demand Double
The arrival of the highly anticipated finale of Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” on July 11 meant the dystopian drama series had no trouble staying at the top of the digital originals chart the week ended July 14, with 25% higher demand compared to last week, according to Parrot Analytics data. “The Handmaid’s Tale” also surged up … Continue reading “‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Still No. 1 on Digital Originals Chart, While ‘Orange is the New Black’ Sees Demand Double”
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Warner Bros. Sets ‘DC Universe’ SVOD Pricing
Warner Bros. Digital Labs’ pending over-the-top video service, DC Universe, July 19 disclosed its pricing, which is $74.99 annually pre-ordered or $7.99 monthly upon launch. Warner will be selling memberships at 2018 Comic-Con International: San Diego, which runs through July 22. In conjunction with the pricing announcement, Warner released a first-look at the SVOD service’s … Continue reading “Warner Bros. Sets ‘DC Universe’ SVOD Pricing”
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Comcast Ends Pursuit of 20th Century Fox, But Not Sky
As expected, Comcast Corp. July 19 officially dropped out of its attempt to acquire select assets of 21st Century Fox, including 20th Century Film and majority ownership of Hulu. The media giant was considering upping its $65 billion offer for Fox, which included a 39% stake in British satellite TV distributor Sky. “Comcast does not … Continue reading “Comcast Ends Pursuit of 20th Century Fox, But Not Sky”
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DOJ Wants Fast-Tracked AT&T-Time Warner Appeals Process
The Trump Administration really doesn’t want a merger between AT&T and Time Warner, whose assets include Warner Bros., Turner (TBT, TNT, CNN) and HBO. On July 18, the government requested the U.S Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia speed up the process by mandating an October deadline for all legal briefs, with oral … Continue reading “DOJ Wants Fast-Tracked AT&T-Time Warner Appeals Process”
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DOJ Appealing Judge’s Approval of AT&T’s Acquisition of Time Warner
In a surprise, the Justice Department is set to appeal a recent federal judge’s decision greenlighting AT&T’s $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner, including Warner Bros., Turner and HBO. In a court document filed July 12, the DOJ appears to be acting on its initial disappointment last month after U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon … Continue reading “DOJ Appealing Judge’s Approval of AT&T’s Acquisition of Time Warner”
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Brazil’s Team Most Pirated at World Cup
Piracy prevention company Irdeto detected more than 5,000 unique illegal streams redistributing games over the internet during the group stage of the 2018 World Cup. Brazil was the most pirated team, with more than 582 illegal streams detected for Brazil’s three group stage matches, followed by Morocco (561 streams) and Portugal (535 streams). England was … Continue reading “Brazil’s Team Most Pirated at World Cup”
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Feds Approve Disney Bid to Buy Fox Assets
The Walt Disney Co. has won U.S. antitrust approval to buy most of 21st Century Fox’s assets for $71.3 billion on the condition it divest 22 Regional Sports Networks (RSNs), the Justice Department announced June 27. Disney’s deal to buy Fox, agreed on in December but now hotly contested by cable operator Comcast, still needs numerous … Continue reading “Feds Approve Disney Bid to Buy Fox Assets”
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Fox/Disney Cite Hulu in Arguments Against Comcast Bid
NEWS ANALYSIS — Apparently, 21st Century Fox and The Walt Disney Co. really don’t want Comcast to buy the former’s 20th Century Film and British satellite TV operator Sky businesses no matter how many billions the cabler puts on the table. Fox, which is run by Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan — in a regulatory … Continue reading “Fox/Disney Cite Hulu in Arguments Against Comcast Bid”
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Report: AT&T Had Eyes on CBS Before Time Warner
Before AT&T set in motion its $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner, the telecom’s CEO Randall Stephenson reportedly approached Viacom chairman Shari Redstone about acquiring CBS. Redstone, whose family-owned National Amusements (with ailing father Sumner Redstone) controls Viacom and CBS, declined the overture, according to The Wall Street Journal, which cited people familiar with the … Continue reading “Report: AT&T Had Eyes on CBS Before Time Warner”
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E-commerce Takes a Hit as U.S. Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Sales Taxes on Web Merchants
The U.S. Supreme Court June 21 in a 5-4 decision ruled that states can levy a sales tax on products sold by e-commerce merchants regardless of a physical presence in the state. The decision is a multibillion-dollar windfall for states. The ruling overturned a 1992 decision that held the Constitution barred states from collecting taxes … Continue reading “E-commerce Takes a Hit as U.S. Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Sales Taxes on Web Merchants”
