In this June 20, 2016 file photo, the full moon rises near the ancient marble Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, southeast of Athens. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris, file)
ATHENS, Greece (AP) --
A panel of archaeologists has granted a British television crew access to an ancient site near Athens to film scenes for a TV adaptation of spy novelist John le Carre's "The Little Drummer Girl" — reversing a decision last week following strong government criticism.
The Central Archaeological Council on Tuesday granted access to the 2,500-year-old Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion on April 12 after the production company said it would limit the number of hours needed.
The miniseries being produced for the BBC and the U.S.-based cable network AMC is due to be released next year.
Greece's government has launched a new campaign to attract film productions as part of a wider strategy to lure investors back after eight years of a crippling financial crisis.
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
