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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UK bookseller Waterstones to start selling Kindles

The UK's biggest bookstore chain has announced that it will start selling Kindles alongside other digital services from Amazon. Waterstones stores will let Kindle owners digitally browse books in-store and link up with special offers, tying into the chain's plans for substantial renovations that... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-05-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital services #waterstones stores #special offers #opposite direction #kindle sales


Waterstones to sell Amazon Kindle

UK bookseller Waterstones plans to sell Amazon's Kindle ebook reader and other Kindle digital services. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2012-05-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kobo to sell Potter ebooks

Kobo is to join the ranks of physical and online booksellers licensed by Pottermore to sell Harry... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-05-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Comma sells Blasim tales to Penguin US

Manchester-based independent Comma Press has sold short story collection The Corpse Exhibition by... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-05-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pottermore ebook store sells '£3m in first month'

The Pottermore ebook store sold £3m-worth of Harry Potter ebooks in its first month, the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-05-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Fifty Shades of Grey' by E.L. James is selling books (and more)

'Fifty Shades of Grey' by E.L. James and sequels are an ebook and paperback phenomenon that is also causing a sales spike in sex shops. How did it all happen?The staff of the Pleasure Chest, a high-end West Hollywood sex shop, were first tipped to the "Fifty Shades of Grey" phenomenon by their... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fifty shades #selling books #young woman #west hollywood


Hachette Livre sells its ebook distribution platform

Hachette Livre has sold its ebook distribution platform Numilog to its founder and c.e.o. Denis... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-04-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hachette livre


J.K. Rowling's Website Starts Selling Harry Potter E-Books

It didn't take a Hogwarts magician to know this day would eventually come. The bookstore feature of J.K. Rowling's Pottermore website went live Tuesday, enabling English-language readers to buy the digital editions of all seven Harry Potter novels—and the audiobook editions—from anywhere in the... Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2012-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital editions #pottermore website


United Agents promotes four

United Agents has promoted four of its younger staff members, with three stepping up into... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Wiley to sell Frommer's as it 're-deploys resources'

Wiley is planning to sell a number of professional and trade business assets across its culinary... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Publishing to sell series of ebooks outside the Kindle Store

It remains to be seen if it's a full-on change of policy, but it looks like Amazon is at least shifting it stance when it comes to where some of the ebooks put out by its Amazon Publishing division are sold. As you may recall, Barnes & Noble and other booksellers recently pulled print... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-03-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle store #barnes noble #ebook versions #latest addition #ebook form


Chorion sells Christie stake to Acorn

Media content group Chorion has sold its 64% stake in the Agatha Christie estate to US media... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Selling Social Media

As an element of a marketer’s branding strategy, social media is huge. Some publishers are finding ways to leverage their social graph as a part of their overall marketing package offers to advertising clients. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2012-03-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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James Murdoch Leaves News Corp. Publishing Unit

More fallout from PhoneGate: News Corp. executive James Murdoch has "relinquished his position" as executive chairman head of News International, the conglomerate's British newspaper unit. News Corp., which also owns this Web site, says News International chief executive Tom Mockridge will stay... Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2012-02-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publishing unit #news international #web site #james murdoch


Bloomsbury to sell Bloomsbury Verlag GmbH

Bloomsbury is selling its German subsidiary Bloomsbury Verlag GmbH to a subsidiary of Swedish... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-02-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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ASP Westward Sells Community Media of Colorado to Macari-Healey Publishing Company, LLC

HOUSTON, TX - February 6, 2012 - Macari-Healey Publishing Company, LLC, of Golden, Colorado has purchased Community Media of Colorado from ASP Westward. The Houston-based newspaper publisher had owned CMC since 2002. ASP Westward also ope ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Putnam Pays $13,800 for Defense in Elizabeth Ailes Newspaper Lawsuit

CARMEL — Putnam County is paying more than $13,000 to an outside law firm for defending it against a lawsuit brought by Elizabeth Ailes, a weekly newspaper publisher and the wife of Fox News honcho Roger Ailes. Elizabeth Ailes, who owns the ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2012-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #law firm #lawsuit brought


Library supporters to unite for 13th March rally

Members of six organisations have announced they will gather to lobby parliament on cuts to... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-01-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble shares under pressure as company explores Nook ebook business options

Barnes & Noble shares under pressure as company explores Nook ebook business options Continue reading at MarketWatch.com

[ MarketWatch.com | 2012-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bangor Metro Regional Magazine to be Sold to Private Investors

Bangor Metro, a six-year old business, lifestyle and opinion magazine serving the Bangor, Maine region, will be sold next month to a group of investors within the city—principally Jack Cashman of Cashman Asset Management, a long-time Bangor businessman. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2012-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #private investors