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    Santa Fe courthouse featured in USA TV pilot

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    The old district courthouse building in downtown Santa Fe, NM has been transformed into a U.S. Embassy for the pilot episode of a new TV show call "Stanistan" on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014. (AP Photo/The Santa Fe New Mexican, Jane Phillips)
    SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) --

    A vacant Santa Fe courthouse was transformed this week into a U.S. Embassy in the Middle East, thanks to the magic of television.

    Crews have been filming in downtown Santa Fe for the USA Network pilot, "Stanistan," the Santa Fe New Mexican reported.

    The dramedy follows CIA officers, State Department employees and journalists working out of an American compound. "Dexter" star Jennifer Carpenter headlines the series. It also co-stars Zach Gilford ("Friday Night Lights") and Jonathan Cake ("Desperate Housewives").

    An entrance of the former state District Court building was guarded by gray walls topped with barbed wire on Thursday. A U.S. government seal was attached to the main doors with numerous sandbags lining the walkway.

    The production shut down parts of the streets near the courthouse, covering one portion with mud.

    Showrunner Michael Duggan says the production, which started Tuesday, is also using Santa Fe Studios south of the city. The props added to the building should be down in a few days depending on the shooting schedule, Duggan said.

    Duggan praised Santa Fe as a "film-friendly town." He said it wasn't known yet where else the 160-member crew will film.

    The 56,000-square-foot building has remained empty since court operations moved to another building in June 2013. The County Commission approved a plan in March to raze the courthouse and erect a new one.

    In the meantime, the property has found new life as a movie set. The space was used for a Lifetime TV movie, "Jubilee," and the now-cancelled A&E crime drama, "Longmire."

    Tags:New MexicoStanistan



    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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