UPDATED with WGAW statement, 10: 26: The $26 billion merger of Sprint and T-Mobile will get the blessing of the Federal Communications Commission in exchange for pledges by the company to build out a 5G network that will cover 99% of the U.S. by 2026, officials said Monday. The WGA West issued this statement Tuesday…

Dish Network’s stock dropped to a two-month low Monday before recovering to close down 6% after the company announced it would acquire broadcast satellite assets from EchoStar in an all-stock deal valued at $800 million. The transaction, framed as a follow-though of a 2017 deal for EchoStar assets seen as critical to…

A year ago, Les Moonves drew hearty applause from advertisers for fending off corporate turmoil. On Wednesday, the legacy of the former CEO reappeared in the venue he built into an annual display of his — and the network’s — power: the annual upfront presentation at Carnegie Hall. "Turns out Les Moonves was totally…

EXCLUSIVE 2ND UPDATE WITH MORE NAMES: Just under two months after the Walt Disney Company officially took control of the majority of Fox's film and TV assets in a seismic $71.3 billion deal, another round of lay-offs are slicing through Burbank and over on Pico Boulevard. A Disney spokesperson has confirmed to…

Following through on plans articulated at TCA winter press tour, WarnerMedia emphasized its new strategic direction during a brisk upfront pitch, highlighting a more blended approach to the formerly drama-centric TNT and comedy-focused TBS. The company’s network brands are "stronger if we’re less bound by a single…

UPDATED with Bob Iger statement. Disney and Comcast announced today that Disney will assume full operational control of Hulu, adding a crucial chess piece in one of the most serious efforts by a traditional media player to take on Netflix. The companies entered into a “put/call” agreement regarding NBCUniversal's 33%…

Proceeds from retransmission consent drove a 3% increase in revenue for Tribune Media in the first quarter, but the company also saw a 3% gain in expenses due to higher network affiliate fees. The quarterly report is likely one of its last as a stand-alone company. Nexstar Media’s pending $4.1 billion acquisition of…

Fox Sports is entering the legalized sports betting arena “ambitiously, aggressively, but also responsibly,” the division’s chief, Eric Shanks, declared during the Fox Corp. investor day Thursday. Fox Bet, a new offering catering to those newly permitted to lay wagers in multiple states after a Supreme Court ruling…

Disney booked a $353 million writedown on its investment in Vice Media, the formerly high-flying digital brand now run by former A+E Networks boss Nancy Dubuc. Dubuc last week presided over a NewFronts presentation by Vice to digital advertisers, her first since taking the helm of the company last year, succeeding…

Fox brought down the curtain on its previous chapter as the larger media entity 21st Century Fox, reporting third-quarter results that exceeded Wall Street expectations. Excluding items, earnings per share came in at 76 cents, almost a dime better than estimates, and revenue of $2.75 billion beat forecasts for $2.61…

UPDATE with closing stock price. Sinclair Broadcast Group stock hit the stratosphere on Monday — bucking the day’s downward trend on Wall Street to gain nearly 35% — as the company’s CEO touted the company’s deal to acquire the former Fox regional sports networks. Shares in Sinclair rocketed to an all-time high of…

There are NO spoilers for Avengers: Endgame in this post. The Twitter nation is taking a dim view of the NFL superstar known as Shady. Running back LeSean McCoy may well end up in the NFL Hall of Fame once his stellar career concludes but the Buffalo Bills ballcarrier has already cemented his spot in the Spoiler Hall…