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Comcast Makes Formal $31 Billion Bid for Sky
As expected, Comcast Corp. April 25 announced a “pre-conditional superior cash offer” of $31 billion for Sky, the European satellite TV operator headquartered in the U.K. The offer represents a 16% premium on 21st Century Fox’s standing bid for the 61% stake in Sky it does not own. “We have long believed Sky is an … Continue reading “Comcast Makes Formal $31 Billion Bid for Sky”
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‘Lost In Space’ Reboot Bows at No. 2 on Digital Original Series Chart
The Spanish limited series “Money Heist” (“La Casa De Papel”) remained in the No. 1 spot on the digital originals chart for the second consecutive week, with a nearly 20% spike in demand during the week ended April 21, according to Parrot Analytics Expressions data. Last week the crime heist drama jumped to No. from … Continue reading “‘Lost In Space’ Reboot Bows at No. 2 on Digital Original Series Chart”
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Studios, Streamers Sue Online TV Service for Pirating Content
Hollywood studios and over-the-top video behemoths Amazon Prime Video and Netflix have joined together in a lawsuit against “SeTV Now,” an online service allegedly streaming pirated content globally. The suit – filed April 20 in Los Angeles District Court – by Amazon Content Services, Columbia Pictures Industries, Disney Enterprises, Netflix Studios, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures … Continue reading “Studios, Streamers Sue Online TV Service for Pirating Content”
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‘Twin Peaks’ Revival Takes Top Honors in 2018 Home Media Awards
Twin Peaks: A Limited Event Series, from Paramount Home Media Distribution and CBS Home Entertainment, earned the top prize in the eighth annual Home Media Awards, which honor the best home video releases of 2017, taking Title of the Year and TV on Disc of the Year. Blu-ray Disc of the Year went to Warner … Continue reading “‘Twin Peaks’ Revival Takes Top Honors in 2018 Home Media Awards”
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AT&T Planning $15 Online TV Service
On the witness stand defending his company’s $85.4 billion acquisition of Time Warner as pro consumer, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson took the opportunity to announce the pending roll out of a $15 monthly online TV service. Dubbed “AT&T Watch,” the platform would be the cheapest online TV service on the market — $5 less than … Continue reading “AT&T Planning $15 Online TV Service”
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‘Greatest Showman’ Sings Up a No. 1 Disc Debut
After two weeks at No. 1, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi finally ceded the top spot on the national home video sales charts to a new release from 20th Century Fox. The Greatest Showman, a musical biopic about circus showman P.T. Barnum, took the No. 1 spot the week ended … Continue reading “‘Greatest Showman’ Sings Up a No. 1 Disc Debut”
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MoviePass Parent Finds Third-Party Stock Seller
Cash-strapped Helios and Matheson Analytics (HMNY), which owns 92% of theatrical ticket subscription service MoviePass, has hired a third-party company to sell upwards of $150 million in company stock. HMNY entered into an “At-the-Market” equity offering sales agreement with Canaccord Genuity LLC, under which HMNY may, from time to time, offer and sell shares of … Continue reading “MoviePass Parent Finds Third-Party Stock Seller”
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Amazon Tops 100 Million Prime Members Globally
Amazon April 18 announced for the first time (in a shareholder letter) it has exceeded 100 million Prime members globally since launching the $99 annual membership loyalty platform with free two-day shipping 13 years ago. Prime membership includes free access to Prime Video, Prime Photo, Twitch Prime (video games), Prime Now deliveries and Prime Music, … Continue reading “Amazon Tops 100 Million Prime Members Globally”
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MoviePass Parent Lost $150 Million in 2017, Auditor Questions Company’s Future
Helios & Matheson Analytics, corporate parent of MoviePass, posted a loss of $150.8 million in 2017 – much of it associated with the investment group’s purchase of the theatrical ticket subscription service, according to an April 17 regulatory filing. Revenue topped $10.4 million, up from $6.7 million in 2016. The company ended the year with … Continue reading “MoviePass Parent Lost $150 Million in 2017, Auditor Questions Company’s Future”
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Best Buy Embedding Amazon Fire Streaming Player in Branded TVs
Retail rivals Amazon and Best Buy April 18 announced a deal to bring the next generation of the ecommerce giant’s Fire TV streaming media player/app to smart TVs in the United States and Canada. Best Buy will launch a series of 4K UHD and HD Fire TV Edition models featuring Alexa voice-recognition software from house … Continue reading “Best Buy Embedding Amazon Fire Streaming Player in Branded TVs”
