Robert Parente, who served as Miami’s film czar from 2002-2010, died last week after a long battle with cardiac disease. He was 62.
A beloved industry figure, Parente did much to attract and retain filming in Miami, spanning assorted projects ranging from commercials to features and TV. In the latter arena, he was instrumental in the long run that Miami enjoyed with the filming of USA Network’s Burn Notice spy thriller series. He also had a hand in developing a production incentive program (which expired this year) as well as a unified film permitting system called FilMiami.
A life celebration ceremony will be held 4-8 p.m. today at the Van Orsdel chapel at 4600 SW Eighth St. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 900 SW 26th Rd.
He is survived by his mother and his four siblings.
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
