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    Autism Society’s AutFest to honor Sony Pictures Television

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments2143 Views
    Jeff Frost (l) and Chris Parnell of Sony Pictures Television
    LOS ANGELES --

    Sony Pictures Television Studios will receive the Visionary Award at the 2nd Annual AutFest International Film Festival presented by The Autism Society at a VIP Reception on Sunday, April 29 at 7:30pm at the Writers Guild of America Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif. Honorees include Jeff Frost, president of Sony Pictures Television Studios (SPT), and co-presidents of Sony Pictures Television Chris Parnell and Jason Clodfelter. The announcement was made by Matthew Asner, VP of Development for The Autism Society. AutFest is sponsored by Hyundai Motor America and SAG-AFTRA.

    Said Scott Badesch, president of Autism Society of America: “To think that one studio can represent almost one full day of programming (Atypical, The Good Doctor and Roman J. Israel ESQ) at AutFest Film Festival is almost unthinkable. Obviously, Sony Pictures understands that autism is a part of all of our lives and we are very proud to honor them with our Visionary Award at this year’s AutFest. Each of these Sony Pictures programs and features are bold statements that tell stories of many special lives on the autism spectrum.”

    “We are incredibly honored to be represented in the festival and to receive the Visionary Award on behalf of Sony.” said Frost.

    Elevated to lead the studio this year, Frost, Parnell and Clodfelter oversee all U.S. production and programming, including the current shows The Good Doctor, Atypical, SWAT, One Day at a Time, The Blacklist, The Goldbergs, Outlander and Sneaky Pete. Frost was formerly EVP, U.S. business affairs for SPT and joined the company in 2008, coming from ABC Studios, where he was SVP business affairs.  Both Parnell and Clodfelter were formerly EVPs of drama development and programming at SPT. They guided the development of scripted programming for drama series, working with writers and producers on projects for broadcast, cable and streaming outlets.

    Past AutFest honorees include Ben Affleck (The Accountant) and Pixar’s Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera (Inside Out). Celebrating autism awareness “from spectrum to screen,” AutFest Film Festival is now in its second year. Its mission is to further advance the well-being of all with an autism diagnosis, as well as to educate the nation about autism and the important need to fully respect and value each person with autism. AutFest celebrates films and television programs that promote autism awareness and support autistic filmmakers and artists that have chosen film as their profession.

    A number of additional special awards will be handed out at a special ceremony at the conclusion of AutFest on Sunday, April 29, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Documentary, Best Actor, Best Actress as well as an Audience Award. 

    AutFest Honorary Committee Members include seven-time Emmy® winner and autism advocate Ed Asner, actress Kristen Bell (House of Lies), actor Dax Shepard (CHIPS), Emmy-winning actress comedian Sarah Silverman, Golden Globe®-nominated actor Matthew Modine (Stranger Things), Emmy-nominated actor Gary Cole (Veep), Autism Speaks co-founder Bob Wright, The Suzanne Wright Foundation president Liz Feld, Warner Bros. president and CCO Peter Roth and Autism Society’s VP of development Matthew Asner.

    Tags:AutFest International Film FestivalJeff FrostSony Pictures Television Studios



    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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