Bassem Youssef, who has been dubbed the Jon Stewart of Egypt for his biting political satire, participates in a discussion of satire and free speech Friday, May 1, 2015, in Boston. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
NEW YORK (AP) --
Egyptian satirist Bassem Youssef has been chosen to host the 2015 International Emmy Awards Gala in New York in November.
Youssef became one of the Arab world's most famous TV personalities as host of the groundbreaking TV political satire show "Al-Bernameg ("The Program"). He canceled the show last year after former army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi was elected president.
Bruce L. Paisner, head of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, says in a statement Monday that Youssef "has been dubbed the Jon Stewart of the Arab world but in fact his talent has no borders."
Youssef is a resident fellow this spring at the Harvard Institute of Politics at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. He says that as the first International Emmys host from the Middle East, he hopes to spotlight "the vibrant entertainment industry" in his region.
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
