In this Oct. 18, 2012, file photo, James Patterson attends a screening of "Alex Cross" in New York. Investigation Discovery channel is joining forces with bestselling author James Patterson, who will write and executive produce a six-part scripted series for the network. (Photo by Charles Sykes/Invision/AP, File)
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) --
Investigation Discovery channel is joining forces with bestselling author James Patterson, who will write and executive produce a six-part scripted series for the network.
The series will be based on ID-branded true-crime stories written for Patterson's new line of novella-length "BookShots." The portfolio of "BookShots" will be released in conjunction with the on-air 2017 premiere of this series.
Henry Schleiff, Group President of Investigation Discovery and other Discovery networks, called Patterson the network's "partner in crime." Patterson has sold more than 355 million books worldwide.
Each thriller, roughly 150 pages in length, will be available for less than five dollars.
The announcement was made Monday at the Television Critics Association meeting.
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
