Top news
* Walt Disney Co. and AT&T Inc. struck an agreement in principle on a new retransmission consent and carriage contract to avoid a potential blackout for DIRECTV, U-verse and AT&T TV Now subscribers, Broadcasting & Cable reports. The move allows DIRECTV, U-verse and AT&T TV Now to continue carrying networks, including ABC (US), ESPN (US) and the Disney Channel (US). Financial terms of the new agreement in principle were not disclosed.
* HBO (US) turned out to be the biggest winner at the 71st Emmy Awards held Sept. 22, winning 34 awards in total. Netflix Inc. came in second with 27 awards, followed by Amazon.com Inc.'s Prime Video in the third place with 15 awards. "Game of Thrones" ended the night with 12 awards, winning the most awards during the night, followed by "Chernobyl" at No. 2 with 10 awards.
* Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. and AT&T are bracing for what could lead to a disconnect later this month. Sinclair said on Friday that DIRECTV and U-verse customers, as well as subscribers to virtual provider AT&T Now, formerly DIRECTV NOW, in 86 markets could lose access to 136 stations, including its national cable network Tennis Channel.
* Under pressure to reevaluate its strategic priorities, AT&T would face several challenges should it attempt to sell its DIRECTV unit, analysts said. AT&T is exploring various options for its satellite TV unit, including a spinoff and a combination of DIRECTV with rival satellite operator DISH Network Corp., sources told The Wall Street Journal.
Film & TV
* Focus Features LLC's "Downton Abbey" pulled in $31 million to top the domestic box office for the Sept. 20 weekend, followed by 20th Century Fox Television's "Ad Astra" at No. 2 with $19.2 million and Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.'s "Rambo: Last Blood" at the third spot with $19.0 million, according to Comscore Inc. Warner Bros.' "IT Chapter Two" dropped to No. 4 with $17.2 million, while STX Entertainment's "Hustlers" took the fifth spot with $17 million.
* With the closing of its deal for Tribune Media Co. now officially in the books, Nexstar Media Group Inc. already has its eye on other opportunities within the TV station sphere. Perry Sook, Nexstar president, chairman and CEO, told analysts on a Sept. 20 call discussing the deal's closing that the Tribune buy increases the company's audience reach by about 50%.
* Viacom Inc. announced the acquisition of exclusive cable rights to "Seinfeld" from Sony Pictures Television Inc. for all 180 episodes. All of the series' episodes will air among Viacom's entertainment brands, including Comedy Central (US), Paramount Network (US) and TV Land (US), starting October 2021.
Internet & OTT
* Netflix will spend more on British productions in 2020, Reuters reports. The streaming giant's CEO, Reed Hastings, said the company will make a "big increase" in its investment in U.K.-made content next year, citing the country's "phenomenal" storytelling capabilities.
* In other Netflix news, comedy series "Glow" has been renewed for a fourth and final season at Netflix, Variety reports. Series creators, executive producers, and showrunners Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch will return for the final season, along with executive producers Jenji Kohan, Tara Herrmann and Mark Burley.
* Facebook Inc. suspended tens of thousands of apps on the social networking platform under its App Developer Investigation, according to an official blog post. The investigation began in March 2018 as part of the company's response to the episode involving Cambridge Analytica LLC.
Technology
* Facebook acquired Israel-based Servicefriend, an artificial intelligence-based chat-bot startup for customer service, for an undisclosed sum, TechCrunch reports, citing a Facebook confirmation. The acquisition is expected to help the social networking giant's plans for the Calibra digital wallet that it is developing.
* U.S. trade regulators on Sept. 20 approved 10 out of 15 requests for tariff exemptions filed by Apple Inc. following a reprieve on levies on computer parts, Reuters reports, citing a public docket published by the U.S. Trade Representative and a Federal Register notice. Apple requested the exemptions to components such as partially completed circuit boards in a move that could make it easier for both Apple and small makers of gaming computers to assemble devices in the U.S. by lowering the costs of importing parts.
The day ahead
Early morning futures indicators pointed to a mixed opening for the U.S. market.
In Asia, the Hang Seng declined 0.81% to 26,222.40.
In Europe, around midday, the FTSE 100 was down 0.53% to 7,305.56, and the Euronext 100 was down 0.86% to 1,089.26.
On the macro front
The Chicago Fed National Activity Index and the PMI Composite Flash are due out today.
Click here to read about today's financial markets, setting out the factors driving stocks, bonds and currencies around the world ahead of the New York open.
Featured news
The Daily Dose Europe: Netflix on UK content; Google's European investment; Facebook, Twitter in Spain: Netflix CEO Reed Hastings announced plans to increase investments in the U.K., Google LLC is looking to invest €3 billion in European data centers, and Facebook and Twitter removed some accounts in Spain.
The Daily Dose Asia-Pacific: Huawei/China Mobile bid for Brazil's Oi; WeWork CEO pressure; Hitachi's strategy: Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. may partner with China Mobile Ltd. to launch a bid to buy a struggling Brazilian telco, WeWork Companies Inc. CEO Adam Neumann is facing pressure by board members to step down, and Hitachi Ltd. is looking to raise about ¥1 trillion to accelerate its growth strategy.
MarketWeek: AT&T stumbles on DIRECTV pressure; Snap surges following upgrade: AT&T shares lost ground during the week ended Sept. 20 as the company faced mounting pressure to part ways with its DIRECTV subsidiary. Snap Inc.'s stock soared on an analyst upgrade.
Why regulatory concerns could kill potential DIRECTV-DISH deal: The Trump administration's approach to major mergers remains difficult to predict, telecom attorneys told S&P Global Market Intelligence. AT&T is reportedly considering a sale of DIRECTV, igniting new speculation about a DISH Network Corp. merger.
Data Dispatch: Action hero, British gentry battle evil clown at box office: It will be an eclectic race to the top of the domestic box office for the weekend of Sept. 20.
Amazon Music launches in Brazil; Netflix to invest $200M in Mexico: Amazon Music launched in Brazil and Netflix will invest $200 million in Mexico in 2020.
The Best Of: Editor's picks: Cable CEOs discuss mobile; programmers talk sports betting: Stories about cable's mobile future and sports betting opportunities are featured in the editor's technology, media and telecommunications top picks for the week ended Sept. 20.
The Best Of: Most read: AT&T's M&A strategy; Apple's new gaming service: Articles about AT&T's growth strategy and Apple's new gaming service were among the most read in technology, media and telecommunications news for the week ended Sept. 20.
Featured research
Economics of Networks: HBO's OTT subs surpass 10 million in Q2: Premium networks returned subscriber gains from over-the-top sources, but multichannel video units fell sharply in the second quarter.
Broadcast Investor: Broadcast deal market August – Settling into a slower pace: August 2019 delivered a broadcast deal volume of just $54.0 million, with three of the largest deals involving either low power or noncommercial stations.
Economics of TV & Film: Streamer prices skyrocket for off-network content: Big streaming deals recently announced for "Seinfeld" and "The Big Bang Theory" indicate that the online war is far from won.
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