This combination photo shows Fred Rogers as he rehearses the opening of his PBS show "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" in Pittsburgh on June 28, 1989, left, and Tom Hanks at the London premiere of the film 'The Post ' on Jan. 10, 2018. (AP Photo)
LOS ANGELES (AP) --
The Fred Rogers drama "You Are My Friend" starring Tom Hanks as the beloved television host is coming to theaters in late 2019.
Sony Pictures says Wednesday that the film will be released on October 18, 2019.
The story is inspired by the real-life friendship between Rogers and journalist Tom Junod.
Marielle Heller, who made the well-reviewed coming-of-age drama "Diary of a Teenage Girl," is directing the film.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," inspiring a PBS special, a postage stamp and a feature-length documentary "Won't You Be My Neighbor," which hits theaters on June 8.
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
