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    Virus prompts late shows to drop audiences, “Survivor” delay

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1537 Views
    This Feb. 4, 2020 image released by CBS shows host Stephen Colbert, left, greeting the audience during a taping of "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" in New York. The show, along with other New York-based late night talk shows "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" and "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" will tape their shows without studio audiences due to the new coronavirus. For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms. For some it can cause more severe illness. (Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via AP)

    By Lynn Elber, Television Writer

    LOS ANGELES (AP) --

    The ripple effect of the new coronavirus on the entertainment industry reached late-night television and far beyond to the series "Survivor" in Fiji. 

    "The Tonight Show" and other late-night talk shows in New York announced Wednesday they will tape without audiences, while CBS said that production on the next season of "Survivor" was being postponed.

    In a statement Wednesday, NBC said it was suspending live audiences for Jimmy Fallon's "Tonight Show" and "Late Night with Seth Meyers" starting Monday, citing the safety of guest and employees as the "top priority."

    CBS announced that "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" also will tape without an in-studio audience, as did Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Trevor Noah," HBO's "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" and Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen." 

    "For the past several weeks, 'The Late Show' producers have consulted daily to share information with other New York-based late night shows, who will also be moving forward without an audience," CBS said in a statement.

    The step was taken based on guidance from New York City officials, CBS said, and out of an "abundance of caution regarding" the virus and the uncertainty of the situation.

    The shows' broadcasts will be unaffected.

    Also Wednesday, CBS said production on the 41st edition of "Survivor" has been postponed in response to the spread of the coronavirus. Filming was scheduled to begin later this month in Fiji, but CBS now said production will start on May 19, depending on events.

    The entertainment sector's response to the unfolding crisis has included cancellation of the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, and delays of events include California's Coachella festival and the release of the latest James Bond movie.

    For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. 

    The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.

    AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy in New York contributed to this report.

    Tags:coronavirusSurvivorThe Late Show With Stephen ColbertThe Tonight Show



    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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