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    WGN America’s “Underground” set to debut new season in March 

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments4208 Views
    This image released by WGN shows Aldis Hodge, left, and Jurnee Smollett-Bell in a scene from “Underground.” (Skip Bolen/Sony Pictures Television via AP)
    NEW YORK (AP) --

    WGN America’s drama “Underground” is set to premiere its second season on March 8, 2017, the network announced Tuesday.

    Set in a divided America on the brink of the Civil War, the 10-episode season will add to the cast Aisha Hinds playing abolitionist Harriet Tubman as its characters continue their underground journey to freedom.

    Hinds joins returning cast members Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Aldis Hodge, Jessica de Gouw, Alano Miller, Amirah Vann and Christopher Meloni.

    John Legend, an executive producer of the series, will also guest star in this second season.

    “Underground,” which debuted last March, has been honored as the first public program presented at Washington’s new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

    Tags:UndergroundWGN America



    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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