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    Arizona university gets $1.9M to research future of TV news

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1322 Views
    This Nov. 14, 2008 file photo shows the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, at the downtown campus of Arizona State University in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
    PHOENIX (AP) --

    Arizona State University's journalism school on Thursday was awarded nearly $2 million in funding to research the future of television news.

    The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication received the $1.9 million grant from the Knight Foundation that will provide funding over three years to fund initiatives aimed at ensuring TV news companies remain competitive in broadcast and digital storytelling.

    Chief among the goals is the establishment of an online hub where newsrooms can see the latest strategies their counterparts elsewhere are trying out.

    "The best way I can describe it is I think it's going to be a resource where someone can come to this site from anywhere and get a sense of what new ideas are floating around in space, what works and what doesn't," said Cronkite Associate Dean Mark Lodato.

    The school also plans to become a testing ground for improved local news content and dissemination.

    "In an academic space like ASU, you can fail and understand the progress. It's very hard to do that in a corporate environment when corporate dollars and people's jobs are at risk," Lodato said.

    The desire for experimentation comes as broadcast news companies are under tremendous pressure to keep up with social media and other top content providers, he added.

    The Knight Foundation is known for its investment in journalism and the arts in cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight published newspapers.




    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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