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    UK’s Sky scraps show with Joseph Fiennes as Michael Jackson 

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments2667 Views
    In this Feb. 17, 2016 file photo, actor Joseph Fiennes attends AOL's BUILD Speaker Series to discuss the film, "Risen" in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
    LONDON (AP) --

    A British broadcaster said Friday it was canceling a TV comedy starring Joseph Fiennes as Michael Jackson after the program was condemned by the late musician's family.

    Sky Arts said it has decided not to broadcast the program "in light of the concerns expressed by Michael Jackson's immediate family." It said Fiennes "fully supports our decision."

    Sky had been criticized for casting the white "Shakespeare in Love" star as the King of Pop in "Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon." The half-hour program also features Stockard Channing as Elizabeth Taylor and British actor Brian Cox as Marlon Brando.

    Jackson's daughter Paris tweeted that she felt angry after watching a trailer for the show, which was due to be broadcast next week.

    "I'm so incredibly offended by it, as I'm sure plenty of people are as well, and it honestly makes me want to vomit," she wrote.

    "It angers me to see how obviously intentional it was for them to be this insulting, not just towards my father, but my godmother Liz as well."

    The show is an episode in the "Urban Myths" series, which Sky says looks at "remarkable stories from well-known historical, artistic and cultural figures, which may or may not have happened in real life."

    It centers on a possibly apocryphal cross-country road trip taken by Jackson, Taylor and Brando after the Sept. 11 attacks.

    Sky said it was intended as "a light-hearted look at reportedly true events and never intended to cause any offense."

    Fiennes defended his casting to The Associated Press last year, saying the project does not promote stereotyping.

    Tags:Joseph FiennesMichael JacksonSky ArtsUrban Myths



    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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