In this Nov. 4, 2001, file photo, actor Peter MacNicol smiles at the 53rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards at the Shubert Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon, File)
LOS ANGELES --
Peter MacNicol's Emmy nomination for best guest actor for his work on "Veep" this past season has been revoked after officials determined he appeared in too many episodes of the HBO comedy.
MacNicol was nominated last week for his portrayal of powerbroker Jeff Kane. But the Los Angeles Times reports the Television Academy now says he is ineligible for the award because he appeared in five of the 10 episodes of the fifth season of "Veep." Under rules changed last year, performers must appear in less than 50 percent of a season's episodes to be eligible as a guest actor.
An HBO representative tells The Associated Press that the network expected MacNicol to appear in only four episodes and he was entered before all the episodes had aired.
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
