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Disney sells YES Network stake; FCC chairman seeks Nexstar-Tribune deal approval

S&P Global Market Intelligence provides a wrap-up of U.S. companies' technology, media and telecommunications deal announcements, completions and updates from Aug. 27 to Sept. 3.

* Annams Systems Corp. Inc., which does business as Sunflower Systems, was acquired by CGI Group Inc. for an undisclosed sum. Annams Systems provides asset management software solutions and services.

* Communications infrastructure real estate investment trust Uniti Group Inc. and Macquarie Infrastructure Partners Inc. completed the acquisition of telecommunications company Bluebird Network LLC. The partners paid $319 million for Bluebird's fiber network, including approximately 178,000 fiber strand miles in the Midwest region of the United States across Missouri, Kansas, Illinois and Oklahoma. Uniti also completed the sale of its Uniti Fiber Midwest operations to Macquarie for about $37 million in cash, including related prepaid rent.

* The U.S. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai has sought support from fellow officials for the approval of Nexstar Media Group Inc.'s proposed acquisition of Tribune Media Co., Reuters reported, citing a spokeswoman for the U.S. agency. A majority of the five-member FCC will have to grant a go-ahead for the deal to push through. The transaction was approved by the U.S. Department of Justice in July, on condition that the broadcasters will divest TV stations in 13 markets.

* The Walt Disney Co. sold its equity interest in the YES Network (US) to a newly formed investor group, including Yankee Global Enterprises LLC, Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. and Amazon.com Inc., among others. The group acquired the 80% of the YES Network not already held by the Yankees in a deal that valued the total network at $3.47 billion. As part of the consortium, an indirect unit of Diamond Sports Group LLC acquired a 20% equity interest in the Yankee Entertainment and Sports Network, valued at about $346 million. The transaction received the approval of the U.S. Department of Justice. With the transaction, Disney now has completed the sale of all 22 Fox regional sports networks it was required to divest as a condition of Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox Inc. assets.

* New Media Investment Group Inc. and USA Today owner Gannett Co Inc. asked stockholders to vote in favor of a proposed cash-and-stock transaction between the companies. The companies also urged stockholders to vote in favor of a proposal to adjourn the meeting if there are not sufficient votes to approve the transaction. The meeting dates were not disclosed. The New Media transaction committee and the boards of both companies approved the merger deal, which is expected to close by the end of 2019.

* Stereo Vision Entertainment Inc. acquired Climate Cure Capital Corp. for an undisclosed sum. Climate Cure Capital has $500,000 in environmental credits on account and provides environmental commodities services to produce and broker carbon offset credits, emissions offset credits, as well as other offset credits that finance pollution mitigation and renewable energy projects. Stereo Vision Entertainment is a development stage company focused on the creation, acquisition and production of multimedia content.

* Product review solutions provider Bazaarvoice Inc. acquired Influenster Inc., a product discovery and reviews platform, for an undisclosed sum. Influenster's platform, which has almost 6 million community members worldwide, enables brands to generate reviews and social content as well as license user-generated content to their online shopping pages.

* Accenture PLC acquired Fairway Technologies Inc., a provider of engineering services, for an undisclosed sum. Fairway Technologies employs more than 80 people and has offices in San Diego and Irvine, Calif., and in Austin, Texas.

* Middle-market private equity firm JLL Partners LLC and healthcare-focused investor Water Street Healthcare Partners LLC acquired THREAD, a virtual research platform, for an undisclosed sum. Biopharma, life science companies, contract research organizations and nonprofit researchers use THREAD's platform to capture clinical study data.