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    Arts & Sciences opens London office under aegis of James Bland

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    James Bland
    LONDON --

    Production company Arts & Sciences (A&S)–with bases of operation in West Hollywood, Calif., and Brooklyn, NY–has extended its reach by opening an office in London under the aegis of James Bland who had most recently served as EP and partner at Blink Productions in the U.K.

    A&S London launches with a directorial roster consisting of Adam & Dave, Mike Warzin, Sean Meehan, Fiona McGee, Anthony Mandler, Shaniqwa & Raj, Alex Prager, Matt Lenski, and co-founder Matt Aselton. 

    A&S was formed back in 2010 by partners Aselton, Marc Marrie and Mal Ward. The latter said, “We’ve had our eye on London for a while and we wanted to do this in a very specific and thoughtful way. Fortunately for us, James Bland was willing to partner with some ambitious and somewhat idealistic Americans. Being open ten years, it’s a benchmark moment and we couldn’t be more excited to mark it by establishing our brand and directors in what is arguably one of the best markets in the world.”

    Indeed the company is enthused over its prospects in the U.K. even in the midst of a global pandemic, the resulting economic uncertainty and in the shadow of Brexit. Bland said, “We are opening with a very refined and focused proposition; extremely talented directors that are committed to the market and want to collaborate with agencies on the best creative work. I’m thrilled to be leading the company in the UK and Europe, and we look forward to supporting great ideas with our elite production team.” 

    Tags:James BlandMal WardMatt Aselton



    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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