In this June 20, 2013 file photo, director Gabriela Cowperthwaite attends a screening of "Blackfish" in New York. (Photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP, File)
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) --
The director of the documentary "Blackfish" is applauding SeaWorld's decision to end its orca breeding program.
Gabriela Cowperthwaite says she also is applauding the public for reconsidering attitudes toward killer whales in captivity.
She tells The Associated Press that SeaWorld's announcement is a defining moment for the company. She says breeding orcas and exporting whales to international parks is the heart of SeaWorld's business model, so an immediate end to breeding is a "huge step and paradigm shift."
The Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums said in a statement Thursday that "Blackfish" spread lies and misinformation about captive orcas and SeaWorld.
Cowperthwaite counters that scientists, consumers and animal rights advocates doing independent research since the film came out reached the same conclusion, all finding that keeping killer whales in captivity is inhumane.
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
