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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Best-Selling Debut Novels Are the Bald Eagles of the Book World

Unless an author is a household name or has a celebrity endorsement, the hardcover fiction list can be elusive for first-timers. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-12-23 10:00:01 UTC ]
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Vivendi denies plans to sell off Editis after Lagardère takeover

Vivendi has denied a report that it plans to sell off Editis, France’s second largest book publisher, after it takes over Lagardère, owner of market leader Hachette Livre, French trade magazine Livres Hebdo has reported. The newsletter La Lettre A reported on Wednesday (22nd December) that... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2021-12-23 07:07:12 UTC ]
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Print Unit Sales Fell 12.2% in Early December

With only the adult fiction category posting an increase, unit sales of print books fell 12.2% in the week ended Dec. 11, 2021, from the comparable week in 2020, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-12-17 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Print Unit Sales Fell 12.2% Last Week

With only the adult fiction segment posting an increase, unit sales of print books fell 12.2% last week compared to the week ended December 12, 2020, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-12-16 05:00:00 UTC ]
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NPD Projects US Print Book Unit Sales 17 Percent Above 2019

Year-to-date performance in the American book market is looking likely to converge with that of 202 at 8 percent, NPD Books reports. The post NPD Projects US Print Book Unit Sales 17 Percent Above 2019 appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-12-14 02:53:50 UTC ]
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Anne Rice, best-selling novelist who helped launch a vampire revival, dies at 80

Her first novel, “Interview With the Vampire,” launched a blockbuster book series and was adapted into a movie starring Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-12-14 00:33:11 UTC ]
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Why is Agatha Christie the Best-Selling Author of All Time?

Agatha Christie, the Queen of Mystery, is the best-selling novelist of all time. What makes her work so timeless? Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2021-12-06 11:40:00 UTC ]
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Print Unit Sales Rose 9.7% in Late November

Driven once again by gains in fiction, unit sales of print books rose 9.7% in the week ended Nov. 27, 2021, over the similar week in 2020, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-12-03 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Unit Sales Rose 9.7% Last Week Led by Adult Fiction

Facing difficult comparisons to last year when Barack Obama's 'A Promised Land' was piling up huge sales numbers, unit sales still increased 9.7% last week over 2020 as adult fiction sales jumped 35.3%. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-12-02 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Nielsen’s Look at Audiobooks in the United Kingdom: ‘Curiosity, Multitasking’

Nielsen's 'Understanding the UK Audiobook Consumer' sees the format's growth moving steadily forward in the British market. The post Nielsen’s Look at Audiobooks in the United Kingdom: ‘Curiosity, Multitasking’ appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-11-30 09:15:28 UTC ]
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Jakucho Setouchi, Buddhist nun and best-selling Japanese author, dies at 99

She wrote a modern translation of "The Tale of Genji," one of Japan's most celebrated novels. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-11-30 02:12:35 UTC ]
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The United Kingdom’s Costa Book Awards Name Five Shortlists

With the 'book of the year' winner to be announced on February 1, the Costa Book Awards will name its 2021 winner in 2022. The post The United Kingdom’s Costa Book Awards Name Five Shortlists appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-11-23 19:51:12 UTC ]
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Wilbur Smith, Best-Selling Author of Swashbuckling Novels, Dies at 88

His books were full of lovers, dysfunctional families, pirates and hunters, and set in locations from ancient Egypt to colonial Africa. They sold in the millions. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2021-11-19 23:10:00 UTC ]
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What Fannie Lou Hamer can teach today’s activists

The civil rights leader offers a blueprint for tackling current issues, Keisha Blain writes. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-11-19 13:00:00 UTC ]
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Print Units Rose 11.7% in Mid-November

Gains in all categories led to an 11.7% increase in unit sales of print books in the week ended Nov. 13, 2021, over the comparable week in 2020, at outlets that report to NPD BookScan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-11-19 05:00:00 UTC ]
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AAP to Amp Up Sustainability, Diversity Efforts

Following a recent board meeting, the Association of American Publishers has committed itself to amplifying its activities fostering sustainable publishing and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-11-18 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Wilbur Smith, best-selling author of African adventure tales, dies at 88

His novels — filled with bloodshed and bodice ripping — sold more than 140 million copies. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2021-11-16 01:36:30 UTC ]
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A Deep Bow to Mombasa (and Sea Monsters): A Conversation with Khadija Abdalla Bajaber, by Anderson Tepper

Interviews Khadija Abdalla Bajaber’s astonishing debut novel, The House of Rust, winner of the inaugural Graywolf Press Africa Prize, arrived in October as if on a magical wave, imbued with an assortment of creatures—human and animal, real and... Continue reading at World Literature Today

[ World Literature Today | 2021-11-15 21:42:08 UTC ]
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In the United States: ‘The 1619 Project’ Books Arrive Amid Heated Debate

At a time when American book publishing is exploring its place in the nation's political fray, the controversial '1619 Project' is coming out as a book. The post In the United States: ‘The 1619 Project’ Books Arrive Amid Heated Debate appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2021-11-09 13:43:48 UTC ]
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Zondervan’s ‘The Story’ Sells 5 Million Copies

'The Story,' which condenses the Bible into 21 chapters, has surpassed five million copies sold across all formats, 16 years after it was initially released by Zondervan. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-11-09 05:00:00 UTC ]
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