Cable networks such as USA Network and E! under new ownership by 2026 With the business in freefall, Comcast Corp. has decided to part ways with its cable networks. As hinted a few weeks ago, Comcast announced Wednesday it is spinning off its cable networks from its NBCUniversal into a new company. Tentatively titled SpinCo (we hope it’s a temporary […]
Surprise deal lands popular pre-, halftime, and post-game show at ESPN This article was updated on November 18 with more information. The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday that Warner Bros. Discovery has settled a lawsuit with the NBA after not being included in the recent $76 billion worth of new media deals, which saw NBCUniversal, Disney, and Amazon grab rights. […]
Ten-year linear, streaming deal start in 2027 The Grammy Awards has a new home as music’s biggest night is headed to ABC. The Walt Disney Co. announced Wednesday it has obtained the rights to carry the Grammy Awards to air on ABC and streaming on Hulu and Disney Plus. The ten-year deal reunites the awards show with the Alphabet network […]
A change in Presidential administration toward Trump could help Venu Is the Venu-Fubo fight becoming politicized? To the surprise of some, it is. As first reported by Awful Announcing on September 28, six Republican Attorney Generals and five Republican Congressmen are filing separate friend-of-the-court briefs with Venu in their fight with Fubo over the right to exist. The Attorneys General […]
Signals return in time for Emmys and MNF After thirteen days, The Walt Disney Co. and DirecTV settled their beef with a new tentative carriage agreement, restoring Disney’s sixteen channels to the service, including ABC and ESPN. The settlement also returns those channels – including all ABC affiliates nationwide, to DirecTV Stream and U-Verse. The signals returned Saturday morning just […]
Networks disappeared a few minutes after 6 p.m. Central Time The impasse between Disney and DirecTV has resulted in a blackout of their channels, with Disney pulling the plug a little after 6 p.m. Central Time Sunday. If you are a DirecTV, DirecTV Stream, or U-Verse subscriber, you no longer receive ESPN and its family of networks, Freeform, FX, National […]
Subscribers could lose Disney channels, including ABC 7 Chicago As speculated for the last few weeks, a potential retrans dispute between Disney and DirecTV is about to come to fruition. Cord Cutters News was the first to report on possible service disruptions if a deal between the two wasn’t reached by September 1. The dispute picked up steam as the […]
Cites antitrust issues; appeal planned A federal judge Friday afternoon temporarily blocked plans for Venu to launch later this month due to anti-trust concerns. Judge Margaret N. Garnett granted the injunction requested by vMVPD Fubo against Disney, Fox. and Warner Bros. Discovery, who formed a joint venture to launch a new sports-centered virtual streaming service. Garnett found reason to believe […]
Deals worth $76 billion NBA returns to NBC for the first time in 21 years Amazon Prime gets streaming games for first time Warner Bros. Discovery may take legal action against the league in an unprecedented move [This article has been updated. See the bottom of this post for notations.] Roundball Rock is coming home. After months…and months of speculation, […]
Also: The Drive reclaims the top spot in Chicago radio ratings; Young Sheldon redeems himself [Editor’s Note: The second item of this piece was updated on May 21.] Wrapping up the upfronts: ABC released its fall schedule last week as part of a Disney upfront presentation that hardly mentioned the network. And little wonder – there isn’t much to talk […]
Still on track to launch this fall After first announcing the new sports streaming service in February, Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery finally came up with a name: Venu. Not to be confused with Venmo the Internet Pay app, or Ventura, the transit card used by the CTA, Pace, and Metra, the service is still on track to launch […]
Includes Hulu and but no word on if new sports streaming service is included In a move for their streaming services to become more economical for subscribers, The Walt Disney Co. and Warner Bros. Discovery announced Wednesday a plan to bundle their streaming services. Both plan to launch the bundle this summer with ad-supported and commercial-free tiers being offered. Notably […]
Paramount, Skydance advance merger talks; Iger survives Disney proxy board vote The fallout continues from the decision to lay off fourteen employees at WBEZ and Sun-Times owner Chicago Public Media last Wednesday, with a Chicago alderperson from the city’s 49th Ward on the far North Side being the latest to weigh in. “Seeing the increases, seeing the benefits, and then […]
Justice Department to analyze deal as the NFL pushes back The planned sports streaming venture proposed by Disney’s ESPN, Fox Corporation, and Warner Bros. Discovery could be finished before it even gets off the ground. Two significant developments took place this week as the Department of Justice (DOJ) is now looking at the proposed joint venture for anti-trust concerns. The […]
s Questionable if others are on board; cable group opposes effort With the surprise announcement of a new sports streaming service this week involving three big media conglomerates, reaction is pouring in and as expected, it’s mixed. Local station broadcaster Gray Television said it would support the new planned effort between Fox, Disney-owned ESPN/ABC, and Warner Bros. Discovery under one […]
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