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    NBC picks up “Chicago Med,” 2 other dramas for new season

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments951 Views
    This photo provided by NBC shows, Laurie Holden, from left, as Dr. Hannah Tramble, Nick Gelfuss as Dr. Will Halstead, and S. Epatha Merkerson as Sharon Goodwin in a scene for the new NBC series drama, Chicago Med." (Elizabeth Morris/NBC via AP)

    By Lynn Elber, Television Writer

    LOS ANGELES (AP) --

    NBC is expanding its "Chicago Fire" and "Chicago P.D." family with "Chicago Med," set in a hospital emergency room and starring Oliver Platt and S. Epatha Merkerson.

    The new series will feature characters from its sibling police and fire department dramas, also produced by network stalwart Dick Wolf. Other cast members include Laurie Holden, Nick Gehlfuss and Yaya Dacosta.

    Merkerson played New York police Lt. Anita Van Buren on Wolf's "Law & Order," the original series in the NBC franchise.

    The network's new season plans include two other dramas: another medical series, "Heartbreaker," and a thriller, "Blindspot."

    The announcement was made in advance of the major broadcast networks' presentations to advertisers in New York later this month of their 2015-16 schedules.

    "Heartbreaker," based on the career of heart-transplant surgeon Kathy Magliato, stars Melissa George as the title character, named Dr. Alex Panttiere in the series and described as a fearless physician with a racy personal life. Other cast members include Dave Annable and D.L. Hughley.

    "Blindspot" is about an international conspiracy involving a woman bearing mysterious tattoos. Its stars include Sullivan Stapleton, Jaimie Alexander and Marianne Jean-Baptiste.

    Tags:Chicago MedHeartbreakerNBC



    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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