In this image made from screengrab, journalist Carrie Gracie gives evidence to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee in Portcullis House, London, Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018. (PA via AP)
LONDON (AP) --
A list of top earners at the BBC shows that men dominate the highest paid jobs despite pledges to grant women equal pay.
The BBC said Wednesday its top earner is soccer presenter Gary Lineker, who took home between 1.75 million pounds ($2.32 million) and 1.76 million pounds.
The BBC says recent changes aren't reflected in a list that compiled salaries until April and that the gender pay gap has been reduced by nearly a fifth over the past year.
The BBC has been struggling to address the issue, which was highlighted earlier this year when senior journalist Carrie Gracie quit her post as China editor to protest the company's gender pay gap. Over the past 12 months, the BBC has announced pay cuts for some of its male stars.
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
