WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US cable company Comcast, which in December dropped an attempt to acquire 21st Century Fox, is considering relaunching that bid even though Walt Disney Co. has reached a deal, the Wall Street Journal reported. The report, based on sources close to the matter, comes as Disney works to complete a $66.1 billion acquisition of part of Rupert Murdoch’s empire. If approved by antitrust authorities, Fox would add the 20th Century […]
Tag: television
Antonio Banderas bows to destiny to play Picasso
by Laurence Thomann Agence France-Presse BUDAPEST, Hungary (AFP) — It was written in the stars that one day, Spanish star Antonio Banderas, who used to walk to school every morning past Pablo Picasso’s childhood home, would have to play the great painter. For years Malaga’s second most famous son has been turning down offers to play its greatest, knowing that he “would be looked at with a magnifying glass.” But finally, Banderas has said yes […]
Tax benefit lifts profit for Murdoch’s Fox
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Media-entertainment giant 21st Century Fox said Wednesday that profits had doubled in the past quarter, boosted by a one-time tax benefit from recently enacted US legislation. The group led by mogul Rupert Murdoch and his family reported a net profit for shareholders of $1.83 billion in the final three months of 2017, up from $856 million a year earlier. Revenues rose nearly five percent in the period to $8.04 billion for […]
Netflix lifted by ‘beautiful’ quarterly report
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Netflix shares raced higher in after-hours trade Monday as the streaming television giant reported better-than-expected gains in its global subscriber base and a quarterly profit that nearly tripled from a year ago. In its fourth quarter report, Netflix said it added 8.3 million new subscribers to bring its total paid membership base to 110.6 million. Net profit in the quarter surged to $186 million from $67 million a year earlier as […]
Google ‘cloud’ grows with new undersea data cables
SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Google on Tuesday said it is adding three new undersea data cables as it continues to bulk up its ability to power cloud services around the world. The US internet behemoth has spent $30 billion improving its infrastructure during the past three years and “we’re not done yet,” according to cloud platform vice president Ben Treynor Sloss. Fast, reliable internet connections have become imperative as games, social networks, television, […]
List of Golden Globe winners
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Here is the list of winners for the 75th Golden Globe Awards, which were handed out on Sunday in Beverly Hills: FILM Best film, drama: “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” Best film, musical or comedy: “Lady Bird” Best director: Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water” Best actor, drama: Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour” Best actress, drama: Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” Best actor, musical or comedy: James […]
David Letterman returns to TV with Obama interview
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Late night talk show host David Letterman is returning to television next week with an interview of former US president Barack Obama, streaming giant Netflix announced Friday. Letterman, 70, who officially retired in 2015 after a 22-year run as the host of “Late Show with David Letterman” — a very American melange of celebrity interviews, monologues and sketches — had said in August that he would be back in […]
Golden Globes: 10 things you didn’t know you didn’t know
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Hollywood’s annual awards season revs up on Sunday as industry A-listers turn out for the 75th Golden Globes. Here are 10 fun-filled facts (plus a few bonus tidbits) you probably didn’t know about Tinseltown’s biggest pre-Oscars prize-giving, organized by the 90-member Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Beginnings Founded in 1944, the awards were given out for the first 14 years by journalists who were members of the Hollywood Foreign Correspondents […]
Beauty in 3D: Taiwan filmmaker’s vibrant vision
by Michelle Yun Agence France-Presse TAIPEI, Taiwan (AFP) — From the migration of purple butterflies to the crafting of bamboo steam baskets, Taiwan’s leading 3D film director has spent a decade painstakingly capturing the island’s beauty. After a life-threatening tumor left him partially deaf and blind in one eye in 2002, Charlie Chu moved away from making television series and music videos, instead seeking to focus on life’s precious details. His new 3D movie “Formosa […]
Netflix renews ‘Stranger Things’ for third season
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — “Stranger Things” fans, rejoice: more adventures in the Upside Down are on the way. Netflix said Friday it had renewed its hit 1980s-set nostalgic supernatural drama, which has won critical acclaim and instant fame for its cast of young stars. “Should we make another season of Stranger Things?” the subscription-only streaming giant teased with an interactive poll on Twitter before adding: “season 3 is officially happening!!!” No date was […]
‘Call Me by Your Name’ tops Spirit Awards nominations
by Frankie Taggart Agence France-Presse LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Coming-of-age tale “Call Me by Your Name” led the pack of independent films tipped for Oscars glory as the Film Independent Spirit Awards nominations were announced on Tuesday. Set in 1980s Italy and starring Timothee Chalamet and Armie Hammer, it tells the story of 17-year-old Elio as he begins a relationship with his father’s American research assistant, Oliver. The film was nominated in six […]
US charges Iranian over ‘Game of Thrones’ HBO hack
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — The United States on Tuesday charged an Iranian computer whiz with hacking into HBO, stealing scripts and plot summaries for “Game of Thrones,” and trying to extort $6 million in Bitcoin out of the network. US prosecutors in New York unveiled a seven-count indictment against Behzad Mesri, whom they identified as an Iran-based hacker who also goes by the name Skote Vahshat. Mesri is still at large, a spokesman […]





