This undated file photo shows American author John Steinbeck, winner of the 1940 Pulitzer Prize for his novel "The Grapes of Wrath." (AP Photo, File)
LOS ANGELES (AP) --
A federal jury in Los Angeles has awarded John Steinbeck's stepdaughter more than $13 million in a lawsuit claiming the author's son and daughter-in-law impeded film adaptations of his classic works.
The jury on Tuesday found in favor of Waverly Scott Kaffaga, who had alleged that long-running litigation over the Steinbeck's estate prevented her from making the most of his copyrights. She claimed remakes of "The Grapes of Wrath" and "East of Eden" fell apart.
Kaffaga said in a statement that the verdict upholds the Steinbeck estate's mission of sharing his legacy with the world.
Messages seeking comment from defense attorneys were not immediately returned.
Kaffaga, daughter of the late author's third wife, sued the estate of stepbrother Thomas Steinbeck, who died last year, his widow and their company.
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
