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    Abrams skirts Oscars talk for ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1690 Views
    In this Jan. 8, 2016, file photo, J.J. Abrams arrives at the AFI Awards at the Four Seasons Hotel in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
    PASADENA, Calif. (AP) --

    J.J. Abrams, director of the blockbuster "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," is deflecting Oscars talk for himself but is hoping other people involved in the film will see their work recognized.

    Academy Awards nominations will be announced Thursday. Abrams said that the gift of working on the franchise was enough, and that he didn't need further validation. But there are co-workers he would be disappointed for if they didn't get nominated. He declined to name any of them.

    "If I name eight people, the ninth person will be like, 'thanks,'" he said at a news conference on Saturday.

    He said he's grateful to anyone who's seen the movie, which has become the top-grossing American film of all time as it nears $800 million in earnings. It was released last month.

    "I hear anecdotally that some people have gone to see the movie seven or eight times," he said. "I just want to apologize to their parents."

    Tags:J.J. AbramsStar Wars: The Force Awakens



    DirecTV calls off acquisition of rival Dish, possibly ending a yearslong pursuit

    Friday, November 22, 2024
    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

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