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    PBS airing live nature special from Alaska this summer 

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    In this undated image released by PBS, a brown bear catches salmon at Brooks Falls Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska. PBS is collaborating with the BBC on a live nature series set in Alaska this July, where cameras will attempt to capture bears, eagles, wolves and whales in their natural habitat.  (Gareth Wildman/PBS via AP)

    By David Bauder, Television Writer

    NEW YORK (AP) --

    PBS is collaborating with the BBC on a special live event this summer where cameras will try to catch bears, wolves, eagles and other wildlife in their natural habitat in Alaska.

    "Wild Alaska Live" will air over three nights on PBS on July 23, 26 and 30. Cameras placed in the Tongass National Forest, the Kenai Fjords National Park, in Hallo Bay and other locations will hunt for wildlife as the show discusses how the state's human population interacts with nature.

    The show is similar to "Big Blue Live," a 2015 event focused on marine life in California's Monterey Bay. That was another partnership with the BBC, said Beth Hoppe, chief programming officer at PBS.

    "Live natural history has really caught on for them," Hoppe said. "For them, it's a big spectacle. For us, it's a way to dip our toes into the space."

    Brothers Chris and Martin Kratt of the PBS Kids series "Wild Kratts" will host the event.

    PBS has a run of natural history and science programming lined up for its "Summer of Adventure." Next month will see the start of multi-part series "The Story of China" and "Big Pacific," the latter on the ocean's "most guarded secrets." ''Nature's Great Race" details stories of migration, and PBS will also show travelogues in Cuba and Ireland.

    Through the adventure programming and other series, PBS is emphasizing family friendly viewing at a time it sees competing broadcast networks getting away from that notion, Hoppe said. An adaptation of "Anne of Green Gables" did well for the network last fall, and PBS has agreed to air two other films in a related trilogy. PBS is also planning a three-hour version of "Little Women."

    "It's a good thing to emphasize right now," she said.

    Tags:BBCPBSWild Alaska Live



    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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