AT&T bows to pressure from activist investor, may sell ailing DirecTV unit

Mere weeks after activist investor Elliott Management publicly pressed AT&T to slash costs and dial down its acquisitions strategy, it appears as if Chairman-CEO Randall Stephenson has knuckled under to those demands. Speaking today on AT&T’s third-quarter earnings call, Stephenson laid out a three-year plan that includes a pledge to conduct a comprehensive review of all non-essential businesses that may be be sold or spun off, while also making a commitment to retire all the debt related to its $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner. Stephenson also said that he plans to stay aboard through at least 2020. This is particularly important, as speculation that he was about to hand the reins to WarnerMedia boss John Stankey may have been one of the factors that precipitated Elliott’s decision to put the squeeze on the AT&T board. “I believe we’re on the threshold of something really remarkable, in terms of the next chapter of AT&T’s storied history,” Stephenson said. “I have every intention of being here, and I will be here through 2020.” Stephenson added that when the time comes for AT&T to choose his successor, the CEO and chairmanship positions will be made separate, a split for which Elliott advocated in its Sept. 9 letter to the board. Stankey, who recently was upped to chief operating officer at AT&T, remains the heir apparent. “Following five-plus years of heavy investment, it’s now time to reap the rewards of these investments and deliver... Continue reading at 'Advertising Age'

[ Advertising Age | 2019-10-28 20:32:03 UTC ]
News tagged with: #streaming services #investment fund #hbo max #unique position #time warner

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Print Unit Sales Declined 3.3% Last Week

Unit sales of print books fell 3.3% last week, the third consecutive week in which print sales have fallen. In contrast, unit sales continue to do better when compared to 2019. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-16 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Government must pressure Amazon over working conditions, unions say

Unions are calling on the UK government to exert pressure on Amazon over its working conditions after a report by the TUC claimed the retail giant had been awarded government and local authority contracts worth £630m since 2015. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-10-12 09:51:08 UTC ]
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How Do Readers Rate The New York Times Best-Selling Books?

What do actual readers think about the books which land on the New York Times Bestseller List? A new study finds out. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-10-09 10:33:00 UTC ]
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Weekly Unit Sales Slip Again

Despite seven new titles appearing among the top 10 bestsellers last week, unit sales of print books fell 1.2% compared to the week ended September 26. The decline followed a 5.5% unit sales decline in the last full week of September. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-09 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Print Unit Sales Fell 5.5% Last Week

With no new big book hitting shelves last week, unit sales of print books fell 5.5% compared to the week ended September 19 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan, but were up 10.3% over the week ended September 28, 2019. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Print Units Post Double-Digit Gains at the End of September

With the juvenile and YA nonfiction categories both posting better than 32% gains, unit sales of print books rose 10.3% in the week ended Sept. 26, 2020, over the comparable week in 2019, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-10-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Industry Groups Unite in Environmental Initiative

In the first major industry-wide environmental initiative in several years, the Book Industry Study Group, along with BookNet Canada and the U.K.-based Book Industry Communications, have formed the International Green Book Supply Chain Alliance. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-29 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Print Unit Sales Continue to Roll in Mid-September

Helped by the release of Bob Woodward’s Rage, unit sales of print books jumped 16.4% in the week ended Sept. 19, 2020, over the comparable week in 2019, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-25 04:00:00 UTC ]
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White House 'pressured official to say John Bolton book was security risk'

Ex-National Security Council official claims she was pressured her to say manuscript contained sensitive information after her department had cleared itA former National Security Council official who while working there reviewed John Bolton’s memoir for classified information before publication,... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-09-24 15:10:36 UTC ]
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Release of 'Rage' Led to Small Unit Sales Increase Last Week

Helped by the release of Bob Woodward's 'Rage,' unit sales of print books rose 2.3% last week at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-24 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Print Unit Sales Rose 7.2% in Early September

Unit sales of print books in the week ended Sept. 12, 2020, rose 7.2% over the comparable week in 2019, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-18 04:00:00 UTC ]
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September Begins with a 17.5% Gain in Unit Sales

With all but one category posting double-digit gains, unit sales of print books rose 17.5% in the week ended Sept. 5, 2020, over the comparable week in 2019, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Print Unit Sales Rose 4.3% Last Week

After two weeks of minor declines, unit sales of print books rose 4.3% last week over the week ended August 29 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. The increase was helped by Dav Pilkey's 'Dog Man: Grime and Punishment,' which sold more than 239,000 copies in its first week on sale. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-10 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Climate activists accused of ‘attacking free press’ by blockading print works

Extinction Rebellion protests at News Corp sites condemned by Society of Editors as ‘attempt to silence other voices’Ministers and MPs from all parts of the political spectrum have condemned Extinction Rebellion for blocking the delivery of newspapers across the UK on Saturday.Four national... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-09-05 17:00:00 UTC ]
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Print Unit Sales Rose 7% at the End of August

Unit sales of print books rose 7.1% in the week ended Aug. 29, 2020, over the comparable week in 2019, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-04 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Print Unit Sales Up 8% in Late August

With all but one category posting increases, unit sales of print books rose 8% in the week ended Aug. 22, 2020, over the comparable week in 2019 at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-08-28 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Powell’s Books will stop selling books through Amazon due to its “detrimental impact” on stores.

With this year’s Independent Bookstore Day occurring at a particularly rough time for booksellers, the iconic Powell’s Books in Portland has decided to make a statement and stop selling through Amazon. In a statement, owner Emily Powell notes that the occasion, this year, feels “especially... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-08-27 19:29:44 UTC ]
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Print Units Post Double-Digit Gains in Mid-August

Unit sales of print books jumped 14.3% in the week ended Aug. 15, 2020, over the comparable week in 2019, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan, with sales skyrocketing in three categories. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-08-21 04:00:00 UTC ]
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LeBron Wrote a Children’s Book and It’s Selling Really Well

In “I Promise,” LeBron James and the illustrator Nina Mata give hope to kids when they need it most. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-08-20 09:00:01 UTC ]
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Unit Sales Fell 5.6% Last Week

Unit sales of print books fell 5.6% last week at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Difficult comparisons to the prior week, when 'Midnight Sun' and 'Live Free or Die' had huge first sales, were a key factor in the drop. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-08-20 04:00:00 UTC ]
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