This image provided by Dog Eat Dog Films shows director Michael Moore in a scene from his 2016 documentary, "Where to Invade Next." (Dog Eat Dog Films via AP)
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) --
Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore won't be around for a Michigan film festival that he founded but the show will go on.
Moore has announced the lineup for the 13th annual Traverse City Film Festival, which runs from July 25-30. It will include 117 feature films and other events.
Moore usually makes personal appearances at the festival. But this year, he'll be in New York for his one-man Broadway show called "The Terms of My Surrender."
The Traverse City fest will have plenty of movies with political themes.
The "Travel Ban Sidebar" will consist of what Moore calls seven "daring and beautiful stories that celebrate our connected world," an apparent reference to the Trump administration's policies on travel to the U.S. by people from predominantly Muslim nations.
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
