In this June 5, 2014, file photo, founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation John Perry Barlow, co-founder & vice chairman of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, communicates with former NSA contractor Edward Snowden via video at the 2014 Personal Democracy Forum, at New York University in New York. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, FIle)
LOS ANGELES (AP) --
A founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and a former lyricist for the Grateful Dead John Perry Barlow has died.
EFF said in statement that Barlow passed away early Wednesday morning in his sleep at age 70. The cause of death was not immediately known.
Barlow was known for his belief in cyber liberties and co-founded the EFF in 1990 to champion free expression and privacy online.
EFF says that Barlow, "always saw the Internet as a fundamental place of freedom, where voices long silenced can find an audience and people can connect with others regardless of physical distance."
He also wrote lyrics for Grateful Dead songs including "Touch of Grey" and "Brown Eyed Woman," among dozens of others.
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
