The crew of movie "Trivisa" celebrate after winning the Best Actor and Best Film awards during the Hong Kong Film Awards in Hong Kong, Sunday, April 9, 2017. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
HONG KONG (AP) --
Crime thriller "Trivisa" was the big winner at the Hong Kong Film Awards, taking home five awards including the prize for best film.
The movie, which takes place on the eve of the Hong Kong's 1997 handover from Britain, also took home awards for best director and best actor on Sunday evening.
News sites in mainland China downplayed their coverage, which Hong Kong media speculated was because one of its directors worked on 2016's "Ten Years," about Beijing's tightening grip on the semiautonomous city.
Best actress went to "Happiness" star Kara Hui. She won her fourth Hong Kong Film Award for playing a middle-aged recluse suffering from Alzheimer's.
Family-themed movie "Mad World" was another big winner, receiving trophies for best supporting actor and actress and best new director.
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
