In this Oct. 11, 2012 file photo, Anthony Bourdain attends "On The Chopping Block: A Roast of Anthony Bourdain" in New York. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP Images, File)
John Walsh, Lisa Ling, Anthony Bourdain and Morgan Spurlock will host varied shows
NEW YORK (AP) --
CNN is replacing Piers Morgan's prime-time talk show with not one program but several — featuring personalities like Mike Rowe, John Walsh, Lisa Ling, Anthony Bourdain and Morgan Spurlock.
The network revealed its schedule change Thursday in a meeting with advertisers. The new prime-time lineup ends a three-decade tradition of a CNN talk show at 9 p.m. Eastern, first with Larry King and then with Morgan, who ended his show in the past few weeks.
The time slot will be filled with a series of documentary-style programs, including Bourdain's popular "Parts Unknown" travelogue and Spurlock's "Inside Man."
Rowe, former host of "Dirty Jobs," will profile people with unusual professions. Walsh will follow criminal investigations and Ling will immerse herself in American subcultures.
Dish Network satellite dishes are shown at an apartment complex in Palo Alto, Calif., Feb. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)
DirecTV is calling off its planned acquisition of rival Dish after the offer was rejected by bond holders at that company.
The deal was reliant on Dish bond holders agreeing to trade in the debt they held for debt in the new company, a swap that would have cost them about $1.6 billion, collectively.
The retreat by DirecTV this week may end a years-long effort by the company to acquire both Dish and Sling after it announced the bid in September.
DirecTV was looking to acquire Dish TV and Sling TV from its owner EchoStar in a debt exchange transaction that included a payment of $1, plus the assumption of approximately $9.8 billion in debt. The deal was contingent on several factors, including regulatory approvals and bondholders writing off debt related to Dish.
"While we believed a combination of DirecTV and Dish would have benefited all stakeholders, we have terminated the transaction because the proposed exchange terms were necessary to protect DirecTV's balance sheet and our operational flexibility," DirecTV CEO Bill Morrow said in a statement.
The prospect of a DirecTV-Dish combo has long been rumored, and reported talks resurfaced over the years. And the two almost merged more than two decades ago — but the Federal Communications Commission blocked the deal valued at the time at $18.5 billion deal, citing antitrust concerns.
The pay-for-TV market has shifted significantly since. As more and more consumers tune into online streaming platforms, demand for more traditional satellite entertainment continues to shrink.
DirecTV says that it will continue to invest in next-generation streaming platforms and offer new packaging options while integrating content from live TV alongside direct-to-consumer... Read More
