In this May 31, 2015 file photo, Roma Downey, left, and Mark Burnett arrive at the Critics' Choice Television Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
NEW YORK (AP) --
The spiritual franchise of the husband-and-wife television team of Roma Downey and Mark Burnett is expanding into reality television.
The TLC network said Thursday that it will air their new series, "Answered Prayers," starting next month. It will feature stories of people in life-threatening situations who have experienced moments they regard as divine intervention.
The first episode on July 26 features an Indiana woman who said she heard the voice of God telling her to protect her family from a storm, moments before a tornado struck.
Downey, the "Touched by an Angel" star, and Burnett, executive producer of "Survivor" and "The Voice," made the miniseries "The Bible" and "AD" together.
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
