Hearst achieved record revenue and profit in 2013, and recorded its fourth consecutive year of revenue and profit growth since the recession of 2008–2009.

Strong year-over-year performances came from our cable networks, A+E Networks and ESPN; Fitch Ratings; healthcare businesses First Databank and MCG, formerly Milliman Care Guidelines, acquired last December; and the newspaper group. Our U.S. magazines grew profit in 2013, and our television stations exceeded expectations and are poised for a strong 2014 with the return of the Olympics and congressional and gubernatorial elections. Our ventures team scored a very strong return on its investment in digital marketing company HootSuite.

Hearst’s outstanding performance reflects the quality of what our talented colleagues create every day for the screen and the page, and the strong and innovative partnerships we forge with our clients around the world. Our profit achievement also reflects the hard work of so many who constantly look for more efficient ways to do business without compromising the quality of what we offer customers.

Our business mix continues to evolve. Today, roughly 60 percent of our revenue comes from sources other than advertising revenue, including carriage fees for our cable networks and television stations, business-to-business and consumer subscription revenues, and marketing services fees. More than 20 percent of our revenue is derived from outside the U.S.
On June 1, our executive vice chairman, Frank Bennack, ended his second tour of duty as our chief executive. A few weeks later, he and I spoke with our chairman, Will Hearst, and the rest of our board members about the fundamental principles of Frank’s highly successful 30-year run and how they form the basis of the company’s future growth strategy.

We boiled them down to four, not necessarily in order of importance:
I. Continue Remaking Our Business Mix for Growth
II. Strengthen Our Core Portfolio
III. Become a More Digital Company
IV. Secure and Retain Top Talent
I’m going to discuss each of these in the context of what we accomplished in 2013 and what we will continue to do in the years ahead.

I. Continue Remaking Our Business Mix for Growth
A hallmark of Frank’s tenure has been the continued allocation of capital to the sectors of the media and information landscape that have offered the best prospects for growth. While this is of course harder than it sounds, we are confident that there are two areas where we have shown particular skill and where the underlying growth prospects are quite strong: business media and entertainment.

Hearst Business Media, led by Rich Malloch, was active in 2013. In December, we announced the acquisition of 85 percent of Homecare Homebase, a leader in the field of providing software, data and analytics to the fast-growing homecare and hospice industries. Homecare Homebase, founded and led by CEO April Anthony, becomes the fourth significant company in the Hearst healthcare portfolio, along with First Databank, Zynx Health and MCG. In its first full year under our ownership, MCG, led by President and CEO Jon Shreve, outperformed our optimistic expectations and finished the year with profits up more than 25 percent. First Databank acquired Design Clinicals, a company that helps hospitals reconcile the drugs a new patient is already taking with those the hospital seeks to prescribe. Under President and CEO Paul Taylor, our 50 percent–owned Fitch Ratings business acquired 7city Learning, a financial services industry training company based in London that we’ve renamed Fitch Learning. Meanwhile, our two principal automotive businesses kept their amazing profit-growth streaks alive: For National Auto Research/Black Book, headed by Tom Cross, it was its 22nd straight year of profit growth and for Motor Information Systems, under Kevin Carr, its 20th straight year.
At our cable networks, A+E
Networks announced that it will turn its BIO channel into a new lifestyle channel called FYI, bringing A+E’s singular reputation for creativity to such lifestyle subjects as food, home and travel. ESPN, led by President John Skipper, announced the creation of a new cable channel with the hugely successful SEC sports conference, featuring such powerhouse college sports teams as Alabama, Auburn and Missouri. And ESPN has secured exclusive coverage of the US Open starting in 2015, further enhancing its continuing coverage of the four major professional tennis tournaments.
Our partnership with prolific television producer Mark Burnett, ONE THREE MEDIA, also had a great 2013 on the strength of its productions The Voice on NBC and Shark Tank on ABC, as well as the success of VIMBY, a 50 percent–owned ONE THREE venture that makes commercial video for key partner companies such as Wal-Mart. Mark and his wife, Roma Downey, also partnered with us to produce HISTORY’s hugely successful series The Bible.

II. Strengthen Our Core Portfolio
We continue to invest in our longtime franchise businesses of local television, magazines and newspapers. We supported our highly successful Omaha television station KETV by acquiring the iconic downtown train station in Omaha and beginning the process of turning it into KETV’s new home. We also became the first TV station group to partner with its network to launch TV Everywhere streaming applications when we announced our partnership with Disney’s ABC network in May.
Our magazine group under David Carey launched an ambitious upgrade of all our Web and mobile products, beginning with leaders Cosmopolitan.com and ELLE.com, that will be fully unveiled in early 2014. Cosmopolitan continued to develop its branded products with the announcement of a conference business in partnership with the William Morris Endeavor agency. And Seventeen announced an exciting partnership in the fast growing world of streaming video by teaming with Dreamworks’ AwesomenessTV venture on a new streaming network for the teen market.
And Hearst Newspapers President Mark Aldam’s investment in the group’s LocalEdge suite of digital marketing services products for small business customers around the country continues to bear fruit as the initiative turned solidly profitable in 2013 with revenue more than doubling. More than 40 other media entities have also signed on to sell the LocalEdge product suite in their markets, including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News, New York Daily News and Newsday. And LocalEdge just signed its first international customer, Australia’s Fairfax newspaper group.

III. Become a More Digital Company
To truly succeed we can’t just offer our customers digital products; we have to become a more digital company in the way we operate our businesses every day. Under the leadership of Chief Technology Officer Phil Wiser, we launched an audience exchange to connect, for the first time, our clients to the more than 100 million unique users who visit Hearst digital products every month. We created Digital Studios to allow for fast prototyping, building and testing of new digital products. We introduced a new video platform that allows any of our journalists around the world to shoot and edit on their mobile phones. And we convened hackathons in our New York headquarters for our fashion magazine brands and on the campus of the University of Michigan for our automotive brands.

IV. Secure and Retain Top Talent
We are dedicated to developing and promoting our key talent from within the organization wherever possible. But as the world changes at such a rapid pace, it is also incumbent upon us to reach out to new sources of talent to gain new perspectives and new skills. We executed on both of those efforts in 2013.
Beginning with internal promotions, David Barrett completed at year-end an outstanding 15-year run as CEO of Hearst Television and handed over leadership to his deputy, Jordan Wertlieb, president, and himself a 20-year veteran of the group. David will remain very active as a Hearst trustee and board member. Mike Hayes, general manager at our Pittsburgh station, WTAE-TV, came to New York as an SVP and group head.

At our A+E Networks, CEO Abbe Raven became chairman after eight incredibly strong years as CEO and having run the A&E, HISTORY and BIO channels prior to becoming CEO in 2005. Nancy Dubuc, a 15-year veteran of A+E, became CEO. Nancy also named four people as general managers of our principal networks: David McKillop at A&E, Dirk Hoogstra at HISTORY, Rob Sharenow at Lifetime and Jana Bennett at the forthcoming FYI and Lifetime Movie Network.

New leadership at our Entertainment & Syndication group also came from within, as the deputy in that group, George Kliavkoff, partnered with the company’s chief creative officer, Neeraj Khemlani, himself a former deputy head of E&S, to become new co-presidents.

Dr. Greg Dorn, a 14-year veteran of our medical businesses, became executive vice president and deputy group head of Hearst Business Media, with primary responsibility for our healthcare businesses under Rich Malloch. Two top executives at our First Databank became executive vice presidents there, Bob Katter and Chuck Tuchinda.
We also successfully went outside of the company for top talent. Hearst Magazines remade its digital leadership team with three major new hires: Troy Young, former president of Say Media, as president of digital; Todd Haskell, former head of digital advertising at The New York Times, as head of digital advertising; and Mike Smith, former president of Forbes.com, to lead our innovation efforts marrying technology and advertising sales.

Private equity executive Jeff Johnson, a former publisher of the Los Angeles Times, became publisher of the San Francisco Chronicle, and Nancy Barnes, who led the Minneapolis Star Tribune to a Pulitzer Prize last year, became editor of the Houston Chronicle. Mike DeLuca, a Groupon sales leader, became president of LocalEdge.

Dr. Justin Graham, formerly chief medical information officer at NorthBay Healthcare in California, became head of innovation for our healthcare operations, and David Vogler left digital ad agency The Wonderfactory to become executive creative director of Hearst Digital Studios.

All our operating groups benefit from the great support provided by our corporate teams: finance, led by Chief Financial Officer Mitch Scherzer; legal, led by Chief Legal and Development Officer Jim Asher and General Counsel Eve Burton; and communications, headed by Chief Communications Officer Debra Shriver.

We head into 2014 with a great deal of optimism due in no small measure to the innovation and dedication each of you show to Hearst each day. On behalf of our chairman, Will Hearst, and executive vice chairman, Frank Bennack, I want to thank you for all you do to make this the great company that we are all so fortunate to serve.

This Press Release is courtesy of Hearst.com

NEW YORK, May 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — AfroSoundz Radio (www.afrosoundz.com) is a new streaming music platform now heard on iHeartRadio. Its mission is to present modern, culturally engaging African music to people all over the world.

AfroSoundz Radio(www.afrosoundz.com) is a new free streaming music platform whose mission is to present modern, culturally engaging African music to people all over the world. The platform can now officially be heard on Live365.com and iHeartRadio.

“AfroSoundz Radio is a station comprised of DJs and programmers originally from the African Continent. Our roots are in our culture, and our culture is rich with the many styles of music that have become our heritage.” said DJ Bjay, AfroSoundz Radio’s main DJ & music director. “AfroSoundz Radio makes the mind more curious, the heart more open, and the soul more joyful through our excellent songs to keep you on your feet. With genres ranging from Highlife and Afrobeats, there are many homegrown sounds to experience on our network.”

Some of the featured artists on AfroSoundz Radio include: Davido, Nasty C, Vanessa Mdee, Jidenna, Wizkid, Patoranking, Gnako, Ebony, StoneBwoy, Ice Prince, Afro B, Larry Gaaga, DJ Maphorisa and many, many more.

“I am very happy to see AfroSoundz Radio listed on iHeartRadio. This is one of the major achievements for AfroSoundz Radio to showcase Afrobeat genre, music and culture to the world. A platform for listeners all over the world not just to listen to African music but also experience African culture through different sections AfroSoundz Radio have in place” said Dj Bjay

“Having AfroSoundz Radio featured on iHeartRadio is immense, especially for listeners of Afrobeats music. This is a major win for representation, for Afrobeats music, and for the musicians creating the music we enjoy” said Sean Ibanibo, Podcast Director at AfroSoundz Radio.

For more information about AfroSoundz Radio (The beats that keep you on your feet), please visit www.afrosoundz.com

Media Contact:
Mark Goldman
516-639-0988
336843@email4pr.com

SOURCE AfroSoundz Radio

New York, NY – iHeartMedia, the media and entertainment company with the largest reach of any radio or TV outlet in America, announced today the launch of “iHeartMedia SoundBoard,” a one-of-a-kind audio-centric branded entertainment studio. iHeartMedia SoundBoard will invite brands to collaborate with iHeartMedia’s portfolio of talent and personalities to produce original long and short-form audio, video and experiential content that moves seamlessly across radio, apps, and events, creating the next generation of brand storytelling.

iHeartMedia SoundBoard productions will each be designed from the ground up, uniquely pairing the right brands, creators and talent to tell stories in new ways designed to take particular advantage of the power of audio to engage, entertain and capture the imagination.

“As the number one creators of live, daily content, brands have been asking us for more ability to craft original stories that leverage the power of sound to reach consumers when they’re ready to be entertained,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. “We’re launching the first branded audio studio for the digital era to prove the power of radio, the power of live content, and the power of cross-platform programming designed for a media world without walls.”

Pittman continued, “No one but iHeartMedia has the arsenal of talent, experience and cross-platform audiences that we can deliver to brands. The key to iHeartMedia SoundBoard’s success will be our ability to collaborate and scale successful programming immediately from online to radio to mobile, social and our 20,000 live events.”

iHeartMedia will tap its amazing network of on-air personalities, from national names like Ryan Seacrest and Elvis Duran, to the many local personalities who resonate in their communities — and its unique access to the most innovative thinkers in music and entertainment — to develop new original productions that combine the power of live radio with richer storytelling across platforms.

“Brands are recognizing the power of radio to tell stories in uniquely powerful and immediate ways,” said Ryan Seacrest, host and producer of iHeartMedia’s local and nationally syndicated radio show On Air with Ryan Seacrest. “With the new iHeartMedia SoundBoard team, I know we can develop original audio programming that captures the attention of consumers in new ways, because it’s made for the medium and the moment.”

iHeartMedia SoundBoard, available to iHeartMedia’s largest advertising and marketing partners, will also bring brands together with some of the most innovative thinkers in music and entertainment, like Oscar-winning actor, singer, songwriter and director Jared Leto, who will be an iHeartMedia SoundBoard collaborator.

“This is about making something entirely new, so let’s be bold, break some rules and make something that challenges us, in all the right ways,” said Jared Leto.

The new iHeartMedia SoundBoard Studio will be led by John Sykes, President of iHeartMedia’s Entertainment Enterprises Group, a media pioneer who helped to create record-setting events like the iHeartRadio Music Festival and the iHeartRadio Music Awards, served as a member of MTV’s original start-up team and President of VH1, and is a former record label President, music publishing executive and artist manager; Gayle Troberman, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer of iHeartMedia, a former advertising agency executive who founded the web’s first branded entertainment capability at MSN; and Vanessa Adamo, Senior Vice President of Entertainment Enterprises and former branded entertainment executive at Starcom MediaVest Group’s Liquid Thread. Together, they bring decades of experience producing original content for TV, radio and the web as well as launching some of the fastest-growing live event franchises in history.

“With a monthly reach of 245 million consumers and our unmatched connection with talent, we have an exciting opportunity to engage consumers on all platforms, capturing the personal intimacy of one on one storytelling,” said Sykes.

Added Troberman, “We cannot wait to hear what kind of sounds and stories will emerge when we get the most creative minds in advertising and entertainment riffing together. In media terms, we believe eardrums are the new eyeballs and brands that win with sound, will win.”
About iHeartMedia
With 245 million monthly listeners in the U.S., 97 million monthly digital uniques and 196 million monthly consumers of its Total Traffic and Weather Network, iHeartMedia has the largest reach of any radio or television outlet in America. It serves over 150 markets through 858 owned radio stations, and the company’s radio stations and content can be heard on AM/FM, HD digital radio, satellite radio, on the Internet at iHeartRadio.com and on the company’s radio station websites, on the iHeartRadio mobile app, in enhanced auto dashes, on tablets and smartphones, and on gaming consoles.

iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia’s digital radio platform, is the No. 1 all-in-one digital audio service with over 500 million downloads; it reached its first 20 million registered users faster than any digital service in Internet history and reached 50 million users faster than any digital music service and even faster than Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. The company’s operations include radio broadcasting, online, mobile, digital and social media, live concerts and events, syndication, music research services and independent media representation.

EW YORK, Nov. 14, 2018 — MTV today announced it will bring back its legendary “MTV Spring Break” in 2019, expanding its fast-growing live events business on the heels of its acquisition of SnowGlobe Music Festival. The all-new “MTV Spring Break” will be held March 19th-21st at the Grand Oasis Hotel in Cancún, Mexico featuring its signature mix of high-energy performances, surprise celebrity guests, and thousands of young people. For the first time, MTV will also concurrently host alternative Spring Break events for the rising tide of young activists who use their free time to give back.

“MTV Spring Break” is among the most storied franchises in MTV history, having hosted artists from Lil Wayne to P!nk along with thousands of young people in locations throughout the Caribbean and American South. It joins MTV’s fast-growing portfolio of events across the globe, which attract more than half a million attendees each year. From the “MTV EMAs” which travel to a new city each year to the “MIAWs” in Mexico and Brazil or “Isle of MTV” in Malta, MTV produces more on-the-ground, live music events around the world than any other global youth media brand.

MTV’s rapid expansion of its live events business marks its latest step to build on its resurgence and diversify and grow beyond cable. MTV currently leads all cable networks in ratings growth, driving its longest streak of growth in seven years. In June, MTV launched MTV Studios, which develops original series for SVOD and premium partners and recently announced a global reimagination of MTV’sReal World for Facebook Watch. The new MTV Digital Studios is generating strong growth across platforms, doubling video streams in 2018 to date and growing to more than 250 million social media followers.

ABOUT MTV
MTV is the leading global youth media brand in 180 countries, reaching 450 million households in nearly 30 different languages across every platform. A unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), MTV operations span cable and mobile networks, live events, theatrical films and MTV Studios.

ABOUT THE GRAND OASIS
Grand Oasis Cancún is the leading Entertainment Resort in Cancún. With over 20 restaurants and 30 bars, a casino, the top beach club in Cancún, acrobatic shows, endless entertainment, it has been the headquarters of the Cancún Spring Break for over 25 years, with performances of the top DJs each year.

Shanghai Disney Resort and Disney Theatrical Productions announced today that Disney’s landmark musical event, The Lion King, is coming to the Walt Disney Grand Theatre—a new, world-class, 1,200-seat Broadway-style theater, to be located at Shanghai Disney Resort’s retail, dining and entertainment area—currently under construction adjacent to Shanghai Disneyland park. This will be the world’s first production of The Lion King—Julie Taymor’s production, exactly as seen on Broadway and in productions around the world—performed in Mandarin.

“We are thrilled to bring Disney’s THE LION KING to Shanghai Disney Resort,” said Mike Crawford, General Manager of Shanghai Disney Resort. “Working with our partners at Disney Theatrical Productions to have the world’s most successful and popular stage musical in Mandarin for the first time, here at our ‘must-visit’ entertainment district, will provide a great centerpiece for the area and an amazing opportunity for the people living in and traveling to Shanghai.”

“It is especially exciting for us to premiere THE LION KING at this brand new theatre at Shanghai Disney Resort, marking our first collaboration with our partners at Disney Parks and Resorts,” said Thomas Schumacher, President and Producer, Disney Theatrical Productions. “This uniquely Chinese production will be our most ambitious yet, featuring the very best of local talent, who will perform the show for the first time in Mandarin as they bring Julie Taymor’s singular theatrical vision to life.”

At the time of its opening, the Mandarin production will mark the 10th concurrent worldwide production of Disney’s THE LION KING – the highest number of productions running at any one time in the show’s history. To date, Disney’s THE LION KING has played 18 countries on every continent except Antarctica.

ESPN announced that in-progress and post-match highlights from ESPN FC and live matches on WatchESPN for the 2014 FIFA World Cup will be featured on Google for relevant game, team and tournament searches. Searchers that use Google for information on the World Cup are often looking for video replays of exciting moments from the tournament and where to watch matches live. With this new integration, searchers can access links to ESPN FC for highlights right after they happen during the game across computers, smartphones and tablets. Additionally, links to live matches on WatchESPN will be featured in search queries with the intent to watch a live World Cup match. The agreement with ESPN marks the first fresh in-game video highlights integration for sports on Google Search.

In addition to the episodes of a new Star Wars trilogy, Lucasfilm and Disney continue development of multiple stand-alone movies that will offer new stories beyond the core Saga. The newest director to come on board is Josh Trank.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Josh into the family,” says Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy. “He is such an incredible talent and has a great imagination and sense of innovation. That makes him perfectly suited to Star Wars, and for this new slate of movies that reach beyond the core characters and storylines of Episodes I through IX.”

Trank states, “The magic of the Star Wars Universe defined my entire childhood. The opportunity to expand on that experience for future generations is the most incredible dream of all time.”

Trank captured imaginations worldwide with his critically lauded directorial debut Chronicle, a fresh and engaging take on the superhero genre. Trank is currently at work on The Fantastic Four for 20th Century Fox.
This news is courtesy www.thewaltdisney.com

Turner Sports and CBS Sports’ exclusive coverage of the 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship – across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV – is delivering its highest viewership in 23 years (since 1991, when the tournament expanded to four telecast windows for the entire day). Through the first five days, the NCAA Tournament is averaging 8.8 million total viewers, up 7% through the same period last year (8.2 million total viewers), based on Nielsen Fast Nationals. The tournament is averaging a 5.7 U.S. HH rating, up 6% over a 5.4 U.S. HH rating to date in 2013.

Saturday’s live game coverage averaged 10 million total viewers to register the most-viewed first Saturday of the NCAA Tournament in 21 years (since 1993). Viewership is up 10% over the comparable day last year (9.1 million total viewers). The corresponding 6.1 U.S. HH rating is up 5% over a 5.8 U.S. HH rating in 2013.

Saturday’s coverage showed viewership growth among the telecast windows.

The first daytime telecast window averaged 5.6 million total viewers, up 10% over an average of 5.1 million total viewers last year. It is the highest viewership for the game window since 2011.

The second daytime telecast window averaged 7.4 million total viewers, up 1% compared with an average of 7.3 million total viewers last year.
The first primetime telecast window averaged 13.8 million total viewers to garner the highest viewership for this game window in 23 years (since 1991). The window is up 27% over an average of 10.9 million total viewers last year.
The second primetime telecast window averaged 13.2 million total viewers to register the highest viewership for the game window in 21 years (since 1993). The window is up 5% over an average of 12.6 million total viewers in 2013.

This news is courtesy of www.timewarner.com

NEW YORK–The 2017 MTV EMAs on Sunday, 12 November, 2017 proved to be the world’s biggest night in music. Across all markets where audience information is currently available, the show’s ratings grew +7% and for all individuals and +9% for 15-34 versus the previous year. There were significant ratings spikes in Spain, Africa, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, and South Africa. In this year’s host market, the UK ratings were up double digits for all individuals (+11%) and 15-34 (+36%).

“We’re thrilled fans were drawn to the star power of this year’s EMAs and grateful to London, a world-class city that saw artists from every corner of the world join together for the biggest celebration of music,” said Bruce Gillmer, Head of Music and Music Talent, Global Entertainment Group, Viacom. “No doubt the star-studded lineup and unprecedented number of performances from some of the biggest names in music proved this year’s show to be an unmissable event.”

On the social front, video streams were up significantly +35% across all platforms. Additionally, the 2017 EMA It Girls and Social Squad, made up of a diverse group of music tastemakers, content creators and influencers from all over the world including US, Germany, UK, Brazil, Africa, Latin America, Spain, and the Netherlands—together reached over 36M followers on Instagram alone.

Viewers who tuned in were treated to a stand-out performance by 2017 MTV EMAs host Rita Ora, and electrifying performances from Eminem, Demi Lovato, Shawn Mendes, Stormzy, The Killers, Kesha, Liam Payne, Travis Scott, French Montana, and Camila Cabello. All of the action took place on a state-of-the-art set, a first for any awards show, comprised of a raised stage and 20 hydraulic lifts. Meanwhile, U2 performed “Get Out Of Your Own Way” from London’s historic Trafalgar Square and was honored with the night’s prestigious milestone award, Global Icon.

The 2017 MTV EMAs was broadcast LIVE across the globe on Sunday, 12 November at 8:00PM GMT from the SSE Arena, Wembley in London, England in partnership with #LondonIsOpen. One of the biggest global music events of the year that celebrated the hottest artists from around the world, the MTV EMAs bring music fans a unique, multiplatform experience across MTV’s global networks of more than 60 channels and 300 digital media properties and platforms. The 2017 MTV EMAs marked a return to London for the first time in 21 years. The 2018 MTV EMAs will take place in Bilbao, Spain.

About Viacom International Media Networks
Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), is comprised of many of the world’s most popular multimedia entertainment brands, including MTV, MTV LIVE HD, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Comedy Central, Paramount Channel, and more. Viacom brands reach approximately 4.3 billion cumulative subscribers in 180+ countries and territories via more than 300 locally programmed and operated TV channels and more than 550 digital media and mobile TV properties, in 43 languages. Keep up with VIMN news by visiting the VIMN PR Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/VIMN_PR. For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com, blog.viacom.com and the Viacom Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/Viacom.

NEW YORK, — Today BET Networks announces Tyler Perry will be honored with the Ultimate Icon Award at the 19th annual “BET Awards.” The entertainment powerhouse and business mogul will be presented with the Ultimate Icon Award for his continued cultural impact in entertainment. The 2019 “BET Awards” will air LIVE on Sunday, June 23 at 8pm ET from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, CA on BET.

Tyler Perry, the now world-renowned producer, director, actor, screenwriter, playwright, and author, built his entertainment empire up from meager beginnings. Inspired by a simple piece of advice from Oprah Winfrey, Perry began his career by simply putting his thoughts and life experiences to paper, creating the foundation of his acclaimed catalog of plays, films, television series, and award-winning novels. Taking his iconic character Madea from stage to screen, Perry introduced the world to a “God-fearing, gun-toting, loud-mouthed grandmother,” in 2005’s “Diary of a Mad Black Woman.” He’s since gone on to create numerous successful feature films and scripted series like “House of Payne” and “The Haves and The Have Nots” that bring messages of spiritual hope and down-home humor into homes across the country.

In the Fall of 2006, Perry opened a 200,000 square foot studio in Atlanta which during its operation, was home to over 15 films and 800 episodes of Perry’s five television series. In 2015, Tyler Perry expanded and opened a state-of-the-art film and television studio on the historic grounds of the former Fort McPherson army base. The new 330-acre campus is one of the largest production studios in the country boasting 40 buildings on the national register of historic places, 11 purpose-build sound stages, 200 acres of green space and an expansive backlot. His unique brand of inspirational entertainment has authentically spoken to and impacted black culture and helped shape the future of black entertainment.

As previously announced, the first group of performers for the 19th annual “BET Awards” include Cardi B, DJ Khaled, Migos, H.E.R., Lil Nas X, Billy Ray Cyrus, Lizzo, Mustard, Lil Baby, Yung Miami of City Girls, Lucky Daye and Kiana Ledé. Additionally, Taraji P. Henson, Lena Waithe, Morris Chestnut, Yara Shahidi, and Marsai Martin were also announced as presenters.

The “BET AWARDS” 2019 will simulcast LIVE at 8pm ET across seven Viacom networks in the U.S. including BET, BET HER, MTV, MTV 2, MTV Classic, VH1, and Logo. Internationally, the show will simulcast for the first time on BET Africa at 2 am CAT on June 24th, followed by international broadcasts in the UK on June 24th at 9pm BST, South Korea on June 25th at 9 pm KST and in France on June 25th at 9pm CEST. Internationally, BET will honor Best International Act in-show, along with the fan-voted category Best New International Act and BET International Global Good Award during the live red carpet pre-show.

Connie Orlando, Executive Vice-President, Head of Programming at BET will serve as Executive Producer for the “BET Awards” 2019 along with Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment.
BET.com/betawards is the official site for the “BET Awards” and will have all the latest news and updates about this year’s show.
Follow us @BET_PR AND @BETAWARDS

ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT “BET AWARDS”
The “BET Awards” is one of the most watched awards shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET’s #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full-service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, Collins has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. Collins has produced groundbreaking and award-winning television programming, including “BET Awards,” “Grammy Awards,” “Soul Train Music Awards,” “BET Honors,” “UNCF An Evening of Stars,” “ABFF Awards” and “BET Hip Hop Awards.” Collins was an executive producer of the hit TV series “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” starring Kevin Hart, and the critically acclaimed “The New Edition Story,” a biopic on the boy band that aired as a three-part miniseries on BET in January 2017. He is also the executive producer of VH1 shows “Dear Mama” and “Hip Hop Squares” with Ice Cube. Most recently, JCE executive-produced “The Bobby Brown Story.” The miniseries picked up where “The New Edition Story” miniseries left off and chronicled the talented but troubled singer’s exit from the popular 80s boy band through his solo success. It debuted on BET in September 2018 and was the highest-rated non-tentpole program on the network since “The New Edition Story.” Next for JCE is the second season of “American Soul” on BET and Netflix’s upcoming series “Rhythm and Flow.”

ABOUT TYLER PERRY STUDIOS
Tyler Perry Studios is a state-of-the art film and television production facility founded in 2006 by actor, producer, filmmaker, playwright and philanthropist Tyler Perry. Located in Atlanta, Georgia on the historic grounds of the former Fort McPherson army base, the new 330-acre campus is one of the largest production studios in the country. It boasts a variety of shooting locations including 40 buildings on the national register of historic places, 11 purpose-built sound stages, 200 acres of green space and an expansive backlot.

NEW YORK–
Today BET Networks announces new additions to the line-up of the 20th Annual BET Awards, honoring prolific activists in the Black community and recognizing those who unfortunately left us in 2020. The world endured incredible losses this year including NBA Legend Kobe Bryant and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Little Richard. In memoriam of those great losses, Grammy Award-Winning Global icon and superstar Lil’ Wayne will give tribute to Kobe Bryant and the multitalented Wayne Brady will honor Little Richard.

BET Network also announces Beyoncé Knowles-Carter will be honored with the prestigious Humanitarian Award at the 20th annual “BET Awards.”

A global phenomenon, Beyoncé is one of the most successful artists to date, with over 100 million records sold worldwide, numerous awards, including 24 Grammys, and a catalog of timeless music. Along with her illustrious music career, she has acted in several films including Dreamgirls, Cadillac Records, and most recently Disney The Lion King, which became the highest-grossing animated film of all time. On top of her numerous successes, Beyoncé is also a philanthropist who has created several initiatives to give back to the world at large.

In 2017, as a part of her BeyGOOD initiative, Beyoncé established “Formation Scholars,” to encourage and support young women who are unafraid to think outside the box and are bold, creative, conscious and confident. The scholarship awarded students from four colleges. That year, she partnered with UNICEF to create ‘BeyGood4Burundi.’ This multi-year partnership was established to bring safe water and sanitation to the small, landlocked East African country of Burundi. In 2018 she created the Homecoming Scholars Award Program, following her historic performance at Coachella, which benefited students at eight HBCU colleges and universities.

And recently, in response to the pandemic, Beyoncé teamed up with her mother, Ms. Tina Knowles Lawson, for the #IDIDMYPART mobile testing initiative to encourage residents in Houston in Black and brown communities, disproportionately affected by COVID-19, to know their status. She has also donated to support organizations on the ground helping to meet basic health and mental needs in vulnerable communities, affected by the crisis. For Juneteenth, following the release of her latest song, “Black Parade,” Beyoncé announced the creation of BeyGOOD’s Black Business Fund, administered by the National Urban League, to support Black-owned small businesses.

Additionally, the 20th Annual BET Awards is proud to honor Nicolas Johnson, Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, and D-Nice as the 2020 Shine A Light Honorees, which recognizes exceptional resilience, ingenuity and creativity in the face of adversity. This year’s honorees demonstrate how art and education can unite and inspire even during the most challenging of times. Assa Traoré a French anti-racist activist has been selected as the 2020 BET International Global Good recipient, which recognizes global celebrities and public figures who use their platform for social responsibility and goodness while demonstrating a commitment to the welfare of the global black community.

Previously announced celebrities including Congresswoman Maxine Waters, along with leading entertainers Billy Porter, Courtney B. Vance, Debbie Allen, Deon Cole, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, La La Anthony, Lena Waithe, Lizzo, Michael B. Jordan, Misty Copeland, Naomi Campbell, Omari Hardwick, Quavo, Quincy Jones, Rapsody, Regina Hall, Samuel L. Jackson, Saweetie, Sterling K. Brown, Viola Davis, and Whoopi Goldberg will reflect on the current state of the community with a spotlight on Social Justice as well as the Network’s 40th anniversary with a special appearance by BET founder Robert L. Johnson.

As previously announced, “BET Awards” 2020 will feature performances by Alicia Keys, Black Thought, Chloe X Halle, DaBaby, D Smoke, Jay Rock, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Jonathan McReynolds, Kane Brown, Karen Clark Sheard, Kierra Sheard, Lil’ Wayne, Megan Thee Stallion, Jahi, Nas, Public Enemy, Questlove, Rapsody, Roddy Ricch, SiR, Summer Walker, Usher and YG, with performances by BET Amplified Artists, Masego and Lonr. who are set to take the BET Amplified Music Stage, a platform for emerging artists.

Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET will oversee The “BET Awards” 2020 and serve as Executive Producer along with Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment.

BET.com/betawards is the official site for the “BET Awards” and will have all the latest news and updates about this year’s show.

Follow us @BET_PR AND @BETAWARDS

ABOUT BET                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        BET, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for black entertainment, music, culture and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT “BET AWARDS”
The “BET Awards” is one of the most watched award shows on cable television according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains as the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET’s #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers, and athletes in a variety of categories.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran, NAACP Image® Award winner and Emmy® Award nominee Jesse Collins. For over a decade, the company has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. JCE has a multi-year overall agreement with VIACOMCBS cable networks for its television and film projects across all platforms — including BET, CMT, Comedy Central, MTV, Paramount Network, TV Land and VH1 on the television side. On the theatrical film side, the company also has a first look on JCE’s film development projects which could include Viacom’s film entities such as Paramount Players. The company produced the critically acclaimed biopic The New Edition Story, the story on the boy band that aired as a 3-part mini-series and posted record ratings for BET and attracted nearly 30 million viewers. It was followed by The Bobby Brown Story, which chronicled the talented but troubled singer’s exit from the popular ’80s boy band through his solo success, and was the highest rated non-tentpole program on the network since The New Edition Story. The next mini-series for JCE is Uptown, a 3-part original scripted miniseries for BET that will chronicle the story of producer Andre Harrell’s iconic record label, Uptown Records. The company’s current scripted TV series is American Soul, the story about the struggle to make the dream of Soul Train, the first nationally-syndicated Black music show, come true. It ended its first season as the #1 new cable scripted drama for African Americans 18-49 and its second season debuted in May 2020. Previously, JCE produced BET’s hit TV series Real Husbands of Hollywood starring Kevin Hart that ran for 5 seasons. On the unscripted side, JCE produces annual live specials — the BET Awards, Soul Train Awards and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Past credits include Black Girls Rock!, UNCF’s An Evening of Stars, ABFF Honors, BET Honors, Love & Happiness: An Obama Farewell, VH1’s Dear Mama, HBO’s Amanda Seales I Be Knowin;’ Netflix’s Def Comedy Jam 25 and Leslie Jones: Time Machine. JCE’s game shows include VH1’s Hip Hop Squares with Ice Cube and CMT’s Nashville Squares. Its music competition series on BET, Sunday Best is now in its 10th season and Netflix’s Rhythm & Flow featuring judges Tip “T.I.” Harris, Cardi B and Chance the Rapper will soon begin production on its second season that will air in 2021. Collins is also a producer for The Grammy Awards. He was on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop 100 Power Players list, has been featured on the cover of Vibe magazine and in numerous publications including Ebony magazine’s Power 100 issue. Go to http://www.jessecollinsent.com/ for more information on the company.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.- An additional 12 locations have joined the growing movement led by African-American business leaders to raise funds for students across the country to see the Academy Award®-nominated film “SELMA,” expanding the first-of-its-kind campaign to 25 locations nationwide.

Due to the generous contributions by so many of the country’s most prominent African-American business leaders, more than 275,000 middle and high school students across the U.S. will experience the critically acclaimed film for free at participating theaters while supplies last.

The new locations joining the movement are Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Central Florida/Orlando, Connecticut, Detroit, Los Angeles, Memphis, Miami, Montgomery, Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, and St. Louis.

“Paramount Pictures is extremely proud of this film, which is so clearly resonating with audiences young and old,” said Megan Colligan, President, Worldwide Distribution and Marketing, Paramount Pictures. “It’s a testament to the extraordinary talents of Ava DuVernay, David Oyelowo and the entire cast and crew that ‘SELMA’ is being celebrated by communities all over the country.”

The business leaders who are leading the efforts in the new locations are:

Dr. Meria Carstarphen, Superintendent, Atlanta Public Schools; Dr. Michael Lomax, President & CEO, United Negro College Fund; Hala Moddelmog, President & CEO, Metro Atlanta Chamber; and Dr. John Silvanus Wilson, President, Morehouse College, in Atlanta

“This movie is an educational moment for more than 10,000 Atlanta Public Schools students who we are inviting to see this film. I am proud and humbled by the immediate outpouring of support from our Atlanta community who has joined this growing national movement,” said Meria J. Carstarphen, superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools and Selma, Alabama native. “Our Atlanta education partners believe in our students, and I am grateful for the opportunity they are providing our students to see one of the most pivotal moments in American history.”

“‘SELMA’ is such an important film for young people to see now in the wake of Ferguson, Cleveland and New York. The struggle for justice is a long one, and Selma is history that a new generation needs to know more fully,” said Lomax. “So, I felt it was imperative to join with others around the country who were raising funds so middle and high school students can see the film, learn their history and be inspired to make civil rights and justice lifelong pursuits.”
Robert F. Smith, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, in Austin

“It is of the utmost importance to expose our young people to the courage, compassion and integrity that is brought to life in the film ‘SELMA.’ It illuminates a period of American history that is very relevant today,” said Smith. “Dr. King has been a source of inspiration for me and for many people of all races and ethnicities. I consider this not just an opportunity, but a responsibility, to bring his message and his dream to the students of Austin.”
Sylvia Brown, Board Member, Johns Hopkins Healthcare Advisory Board, in Baltimore

“Baltimore is proud to be a part of this wonderful effort. We hope that young audiences find inspiration and encouragement in the film and in Martin Luther King, Jr.’s story,” said Brown.
Grant Hill, former NBA player; Harold Mills, Chief Executive Officer, ZeroChaos; Clarence Otis, retired Chairman & CEO, Darden Restaurants; and Ron Williams, former Chairman & CEO of Aetna in Central Florida/Orlando

“The story of Dr. King’s historic journey in Alabama is one that students all over the country should know intimately,” said Otis. “It’s an honor to provide the opportunity for students in Central Florida to see Ava DuVernay’s beautiful film.”
Dr. Laurence C. Morse, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Fairview Capital Partners, Inc., in Connecticut

“I am privileged to have been able to join with an extraordinary group of concerned, civic-minded individuals in the State of Connecticut to provide an opportunity for a number of young people who might not otherwise have been able to do so, to see and experience this deeply moving, engaging film about a critically important period in our nation’s recent history, and in the continuing evolution of our democracy,” said Morse.
Faye Alexander Nelson, President, DTE Energy Foundation; Tonya Allen, President & CEO, The Skillman Foundation; Lisa Dancsok, Vice President, Quicken Loans; Mariam C. Noland, President, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan; Vivian R. Pickard, President, General Motors Foundation; Laura Trudeau, Managing Director, Detroit, Kresge Foundation; and Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation in Detroit

“Detroit students will have the opportunity to join with students across the country to view ‘SELMA’ thanks to the generosity of a group of national and local foundations and corporations. We are pleased to help coordinate the generous commitments of the DTE Energy Foundation, Ford Foundation, General Motors Foundation, Kresge Foundation, The Skillman Foundation, and Quicken Loans,” said Noland.
T. Warren Jackson, Senior Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Chief Ethics Officer, DIRECTV, and Debra Martin Chase, CEO, Martin Chase Productions, in Los Angeles

“It’s important that the civil rights struggle depicted in ‘SELMA’ reach as many young people as possible so that the enduring lessons of the civil rights movement can be harnessed to inspire them to transform their lives and communities. We appreciate the support of the California Endowment, and have enlisted the Constitutional Rights Foundation to work with the schools in creating a broader educational program to insure just that,” said Jackson.

“As a filmmaker, I recognize the transformative power of film; that’s why the overwhelming response to the ‘SELMA’ initiative here in Los Angeles and across the nation is so heartening. It’s a reminder of the importance of voting and civic engagement and demonstrates how anything can be accomplished through creativity and collective effort,” said Martin Chase.
Gayle S. Rose, Chief Executive Officer, Electronic Vaulting Services, in Memphis

“On behalf of former Congressman Harold Ford, Jr., and Memphis Mayor A C Wharton, Jr., we are thrilled to provide 10,000 7th, 8th and 9th grade Memphis students the gift of this film and what history has to teach us,” said Rose. “We thank Paramount Pictures, Malco Theaters, and many generous donors who made this happen in a matter of days. This is a testament to the charitable nature of our people.”
Ira D. Hall, resident of Miami Beach, FL, and Dr. Sherrlyn Scott, Supervisor, Department of Social Sciences Miami-Dade County Public Schools, in Miami

“Over 5,500 Miami Dade and Ft. Lauderdale students can now see for free ‘SELMA,’ the movie that so powerfully portrays the courage, tenacity, humanity and moral strength of Alabama citizens, combined with the extraordinary brilliance and moral conviction of key civil rights and national leaders. That unstoppable coalition jointly fought for and won the rights of African Americans to vote! It is wonderful that students today can feel and sense this history so strikingly brought to life in ‘SELMA,’” said Hall.

“We are thankful to our contributors in Miami who quickly organized to support such a worthy endeavor,” said Scott. “Their generosity will make a lasting impact on the students in our community.”
Alden McDonald, President, Liberty Bank, and Neill Wright, First Tuskegee Bank President, in Montgomery

“This effort is an integral part of our corporate philosophy of linking our heritage to our vision of true equality for all the people we serve,” said McDonald.

“In as much as Montgomery is part of the journey we took as a people to gain voting rights in the 1960s, we have joined with other business leaders and concerned citizens to provide free access to the ‘SELMA’ film for local students. We believe that we continue to make the historical connections for this generation to ‘keep the dream’ of true equality alive and well,” said Wright.
Dr. Eugene Flood, Jr., EVP and President of Diversified Financial Services, TIAA-CREF, in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill

“We are pleased to support this unprecedented program for North Carolina students to be able to see this remarkable film,” said Flood.
Rev. Starsky Wilson, President & CEO of the Deaconess Foundation, in St. Louis

“It is important that students are aware of this moment in history and make connections between the struggles of earlier generations and the challenges facing today’s youth,” said Rev. Starsky. “We are grateful to the Ford Foundation and other funders for joining us in this effort. We hope that this film will encourage civic engagement among young people and demonstrate to them that systemic change is possible through cooperative, intentional, and well-planned efforts.”
These African-American business leaders are following the lead of those in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Sarasota, FL, Washington D.C. and Westchester.

“This was an important opportunity to educate our children about the heroes of the civil rights movement and keep an important legacy intact. I am proud that our community seized the moment,” said Fletcher “Flash” Wiley, Counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, who helped to organize the efforts in Boston.

The nationwide efforts are inspired by the success of the program in New York City, in which 27 African-American business leaders created a fund for 27,000 of the city’s 7th, 8th and 9th grade students to see the film for free. Due to the overwhelming demand, the New York City effort sold out in the very first weekend and was expanded to 75,000 tickets.

Viacom’s Paramount Pictures, which is distributing “SELMA,” is coordinating the programs with participating theaters in the U.S. For a list of participating theaters in select cities offering free admission to students during this program and for information on group sales, visit www.SelmaMovie.com/studenttickets.

The students who present a current student ID or report card at the box office of any participating theater will receive free admission while tickets last.

To help get the word out about the program, tweet using the hashtag #SelmaForStudents.

Directed by DuVernay and starring David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr., “SELMA” is nominated for Academy Awards® for Best Picture and Best Original Song for “Glory” by Common & John Legend. The film earned a Golden Globe Award for Best Song for “Glory” and was nominated for Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Director.

Paramount Pictures, Pathé, and Harpo Films present “SELMA.” Produced by Christian Colson, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Oprah Winfrey, the film is executive produced by Brad Pitt, Cameron McCracken, Diarmuid McKeown, Nik Bower, Ava DuVernay, Paul Garnes and Nan Morales. The film is written by Paul Webb. “SELMA” is directed by Ava DuVernay.

“SELMA” is the story of a movement. The film chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition. The epic march from Selma to Montgomery culminated in President Johnson (Tom Wilkinson) signing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, one of the most significant victories for the civil rights movement. Director Ava DuVernay’s “SELMA” tells the story of how the revered leader and visionary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (David Oyelowo) and his brothers and sisters in the movement prompted change that forever altered history. The film also stars Tom Wilkinson, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alessandro Nivola, Giovanni Ribisi, Common, Carmen Ejogo, Lorraine Toussaint, with Tim Roth and Oprah Winfrey as “Annie Lee Cooper.”

“SELMA” is playing in theaters nationwide. To learn more about the film, go to http://www.selmamovie.com.

About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Television, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

New York, NY – Independent trade associations, A2IM (USA) and IMPALA (Europe) in partnership with Julie’s Bicycle are launching a free one-year pilot project of IMPALA’s Carbon Calculator in the U.S. with the support of Merlin. This is the first step towards rolling out the tool in the world’s biggest music market, so the sector can measure and reduce carbon footprints in as coordinated a way as possible.

The project includes key North American labels, who will provide input on any developments needed to the tool for a full roll-out, as well as providing a pathway for future calculator adaptations in other key territories.

Already used by labels with U.S. businesses, the calculator helps companies report in a standardized way by scopes, in line with GHG protocol and Race to Zero/SBTi commitments. The calculator now displays the footprint in scopes 1,2 and 3 and it also allows labels to report on other impacts and actions beyond carbon.

Thanks to Merlin’s support, the project launched during this year’s Indie Week with participation from a group of A2IM members of different sizes. The session was delivered by a representative of IMPALA and Julie’s Bicycle. This event was an opportunity to gather interested companies, build capacity within the community and provide tailored support to the companies selected for the pilot project.

The project will also include workshops for A2IM members, serving as a platform to gather feedback, address potential questions, and ensure a smooth transition for users. 1-on-1 meetings between the developer team and company representatives will be available to guide companies in need of extra support.

IMPALA launched its Carbon Calculator in April 2022, in partnership with Julie’s Bicycle. The calculator is based on Julie’s Bicycle Creative Climate Tools, tailored specifically to meet the needs of independent record companies with IMPALA. The first membership Carbon Calculator report was released in 2023, with the second one in the pipeline.

Dr. Richard Burgess, President & CEO of A2IM commented: “We are very excited that the U.S. is the first territory in the internationalization of IMPALA’s Carbon Calculator. Thanks to Merlin‘s support, our members will be able to shape the tool for the U.S. market and play a key role in the expansion of its use.”

Karla Rogozar, Sustainability Lead, IMPALA added: “To help standardise the sector’s approach across regions, it’s important to have these projects in key markets. Merlin’s support is vital to facilitate internationalization of the IMPALA calculator.”

Jeremy Sirota, CEO of Merlin continued: “Our path towards a more sustainable future involves all of us working together. That’s why we are pleased to support internationalising the IMPALA Carbon Calculator. We are excited to see its roll-out in the U.S. to help more independents build that future together.”

Chiara Badiali, Music Lead, Julie’s Bicycle concluded: “This pilot is an invaluable opportunity to build new shared understanding and pathways between the European and US independent music companies, because meeting the climate crisis head-on means coming together, learning from and with each other, and taking action collectively.”

This project represents the first step towards internationalization and broader collaboration in the sector. IMPALA invites other interested parties to reach out and work together on this item.

About IMPALA
IMPALA was established in 2000 and now represents over 6000 independent music companies. 99% of Europe’s music companies are small, micro and medium businesses and self-releasing artists. Known as the independents, they are world leaders in terms of innovation and discovering new music and artists – they produce more than 80% of all new releases and account for 80% of the sector’s jobs. IMPALA’s mission is to grow the independent music sector sustainably, return more value to artists, promote diversity and entrepreneurship, improve political access, inspire change, and increase access to finance. IMPALA works on a range of key issues for its members, runs various award schemes and has a programme aimed at businesses who want to develop a strategic relationship with the independent sector – Friends of IMPALA.

About A2IM:
A2IM is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City that exists to support and strengthen the independent recorded music sector. Membership currently includes a broad coalition of more than 700 Independently-owned American music labels. A2IM represents these independently owned small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) interests in the marketplace, in the media, on Capitol Hill, and as part of the global music community. In doing so, it supports a key segment of America’s creative class that represents America’s diverse musical cultural heritage. Billboard Magazine identified the Independent music label sector as 37.32 percent of the music industry’s U.S. recorded music sales market in 2016 based on copyright ownership, making Independent labels collectively the largest music industry sector.

Green Bay Packers quarterback AARON RODGERS’ inspiring Week 6 performance is the 2014 GMC NEVER SAY NEVER MOMENT OF THE YEAR, the NFL announced today. This marks the second consecutive year Rodgers and the Packers take home the GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Year honor.

Rodgers’ Week 6 performance was selected from a group of five moments by voters on NFL.com/gmc. The five finalists were selected among 17 of the most memorable GMC Never Say Never Moments during the 2014 NFL season.

Rodgers’ 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end ANDREW QUARLESS with three seconds remaining gave the Green Bay Packers a 27-24 win over the Miami Dolphins. Rodgers overcame a fumble and a fourth-and-10 situation on the winning drive, which also included a fake intentional spike for a 12-yard gain to rookie receiver DAVANTE ADAMS that set up the winning score. The Packers twice gave up their lead on the Dolphins, and trailed 24-17 before Rodgers directed a 68-yard drive that resulted in a field goal. The Packers forced a punt and started at their own 40-yard line with 2:04 remaining en route to their third consecutive win.

“GMC would like to congratulate Aaron Rodgers on winning this year’s GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Year Award. His incredible play and leadership is the epitome of determination, perseverance and teamwork,” said Rich Latek, GMC marketing director. “These characteristics are demonstrated everyday by GMC’s engineers creating professional grade trucks, crossovers and SUVs for our customers.”

Each week during the regular season, the NFL selected three nominees for the GMC NEVER SAY NEVER Moments of the Week from which the fans voted for a winner on NFL.com/GMC. From those weekly winners, the five GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Year finalists were selected (listed in the chart below).

2014 GMC NEVER SAY NEVER MOMENT OF THE YEAR FINALISTS

Wk 3 Romo Leads Cowboys to Match Franchise’s Best Comeback
Wk 5 Browns Have Largest Comeback on Road in NFL History
Wk 6 Rodgers Rallies Packers Past Dolphins With Late Touchdown
Wk 7 Bills Win on Last-Second Orton-to-Watkins Score
Wk 16 Philip Rivers Keeps Chargers Playoff Hopes Alive

In addition to voting for the GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Year, fans may also visit gmc.com/nfl to enter for a chance to win the GMC Never Say Never NFL Fan Experience, which includes: trips to the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine and more. While there, they can also enter for a chance to win a GMC vehicle of their choice.
For more information on the 2014 GMC NEVER SAY NEVER MOMENT OF THE YEAR, visit nfl.com/gmc.

About GMC
GMC has manufactured trucks since 1902, with innovation and engineering excellence built into all GMC trucks, SUVs and crossovers. GMC covers the broad spectrum of customer needs in the pickup market with a premium truck in the midsize, light duty and heavy duty segments. The all-new midsize 2015 GMC Canyon is pure GMC with premium materials, refinement and offers class-leading truck capabilities. GMC’s highest-volume vehicle, the Sierra pickup, is the most powerful light-duty pickup on the market, and the first full-size pickup to receive the highest-possible five-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration changed its New Car Assessment Program for the 2011 model year. Details on all GMC models are available at http://www.gmc.com/, on Twitter at @thisisgmc or at http://www.facebook.com/gmc.

ABU DHABI, UAE, July 31, 2022 /CNW/ — Abu Dhabi Media (ADM), UAE’s leading public service broadcaster and media company, and STARZPLAY, MENA region’s fastest growing SVOD service, have secured exclusive rights to stream premium Italian League (“Serie A”), “Coppa Italia” (Italy Cup), and “Supercoppa Italiana” (Italian Super Cup), for next three seasons beginning this year.

The Italian Football Federation granted rights after a competitive bid by ADM and STARZPLAY to win rights to broadcast the European league to offer football fans best quality viewing at highest broadcasting standards.

STARZPLAY’s reach of over 2.1 million regional subscribers will offer “Serie A” clubs’ maximum visibility to grow the brand across a population of 400 million people. The deal is an example of a successful partnership between ADM and STARZPLAY.

Haitham Al Kathiri, Acting Executive Director, Abu Dhabi TV Network, said: “AD Sports’ acquisition of the exclusive broadcast rights to Italian League (Serie A), Italy Cup (Coppa Italia) and Italian Super Cup (Supercoppa Italiana) confirms our leading position, and highlights our technical expertise and media portfolio. We look forward to broadcasting the competitions in partnership with STARZPLAY, which is enjoyed by millions of football fans around the world.”

Danny Bates, Chief Commercial Officer, STARZPLAY, said: “Sports in the OTT space is a huge focus for us, and we have been investing in the live sports category over the last year with our platform witnessing an impressive subscription growth. As part of our long-term strategy, we are building this content category into one of our core products, offering the best in sports entertainment to subscribers across the region. With our stellar technical and customer support, STARZPLAY today is undoubtedly the best positioned platform to seize this incredible opportunity.”

“Serie A” will be core to STARZPLAY’s sport offering which will encompass other premium international and regional assets-AFC, UFC, Abu Dhabi Sport channels and FIFA events like the recent FIFA Club World Cup hosted in Abu Dhabi.

To watch Italian League, sports fans can subscribe to the Sports Pack on STARZPLAY.com. Subscription to the Sports Pack will also entitle subscribers to access various other exciting sports and competitions.

Contact

Srishti Soni
srishti.soni@bcw-global.com

SOURCE STARZPLAY

This year the Academy Awards will feature all areas of show business. Directors, producers, actors, supporting actors and all other industry professionals will be featured in the awards

Nike Flyknit has redefined basketball, running, soccer, and training footwear and now defines the next generation of footwear on the gridiron with the new Nike Vapor Ultimate football cleat. Designed for dynamic athletic strength and force, this new cleat combines Nike’s most innovative plate and traction technology with advanced upper technology – Nike Flyknit. As football gets faster and more physical, so do the athletes. Stronger and more agile, football athletes at every position are continuing to push the game to new limits just as Nike continues to push the limits of innovation.

Nike Flyknit creates a “second skin” feel around the foot, providing a more responsive fit while dialing up the sensation of movement and interaction with the ground. Combined with Nike’s latest game-changing cleat plate, the Nike Vapor Ultimate becomes a true extension of the foot, designed to allow the athlete to make faster split-second movements on the field without compromise.

This new cleat delivers lightweight durability, lock-down fit, and increased awareness of the body’s movements to meet the pressures of the game and create Nike’s fastest game cleat yet.

LIGHTWEIGHT STRENGTH ENGINEERED FOR THE FORCES OF FOOTBALL
Nike Flyknit debuted with the Nike Flyknit Racer in 2012 and more recently in the KOBE 9 Elite basketball shoe, Nike Magista soccer boot and Nike Mercurial Superfly.

This revolutionary technology defies conventional shoe manufacturing processes by creating an engineered one-piece upper that knits lightweight strength and durability directly into the cleat. For football, a new Nike Skin overlay material works in concert with the Flyknit, providing additional durability, strength, and protection in high-impact areas. Flywire cables, wrapping the arch of the foot, are also woven directly into the knit fabric to create a full one-piece upper engineered for strength and durability. The dynamic fit augments the natural motion of the Carbon V-plate.

“We’ve created a cleat that can withstand the forces generated by today’s athletes on the football field,” said Ken Link, Nike Football Cleated Design Director. “Flywire and Nike Flyknit combine to create a second-skin, sock-like fit that adapts to each individual player’s foot as well as to his style of play. Our most innovative upper combines with our most revolutionary, proven football plate technology to help athletes perform at the highest level.”

DESIGNED FOR MULTIDIRECTIONAL SPEED
While the 40-yard dash is championed as football’s defining speed metric, the game itself is all about multidirectional acceleration. The Nike Vapor Ultimate incorporates the Carbon V-Plate that debuted on the Nike Vapor Carbon 2014 Elite. The Carbon V-plate is the culmination of intense athlete-driven research into football-specific speed, and the first plate inspired by, and developed from, Nike’s 3-D printing and testing facilities—accelerating development and testing timelines, pushing faster innovation and supporting faster athletes.

“3-D printing (SLS) revolutionized the way we design cleat plates – even beyond football,” said Link. “The process gives Nike the ability to accelerate innovation and create solutions that were not possible within the constraints of traditional manufacturing processes.”

The groundbreaking studs on the Nike Vapor Ultimate are designed for zero-slip traction in both acceleration and breaking. The pattern allows for optimal ignition off the back foot, hitting the precision cuts to avoid a tackle, and the explosive propulsion required to make a critical catch. At the forefoot of the plate, an aggressive tri-star traction system allows for more confident movement overall.

The Nike Vapor Ultimate achieves the perfect balance of durability, power and speed. It is a cleat born from precision engineering, incorporating innovative technologies designed to match the forces generated by football’s new breed of athletes.

The Nike Vapor Ultimate is available for pre-sale on July 8 at Nike.com.

NEW YORK, BET Networks, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B and NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), today announced actress and comedian Regina Hall as the 2019 “BET Awards” host. Nominated in this year’s “Best Actress” category, Regina takes the stage to host for the first time, joining the ranks of A-list entertainers who’ve hosted in years past, including Jamie Foxx, Leslie Jones, Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross, Chris Rock and Mo’Nique. This year’s broadcast celebrates 19 years of creating unforgettable moments, showcasing the present and future of black entertainment while honoring the unsung heroes and icons of the past. The “BET Awards” continues to reign as the ultimate platform showcasing the best and most beautiful aspects of the black experience, highlighting culture and serving as a driving force for social change. The 2019 “BET Awards” will air LIVE on Sunday, June 23 at 8 pm ET from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, CA on BET.

Regina Hall is one of entertainment’s top leading actresses and a renowned comedian. She is best known for her leading roles in “Girls Trip” and the internationally recognized “Scary Movie” film series. Hall recently broke records when she was named the first African-American woman to win “Best Actress” by the New York Film Critics Circle for her role in “Support the Girls.” Most recently Hall executive produced “Little” for Universal and can currently be seen in Showtime’s “Black Monday”. Up next, Hall will be seen in the Warner Bros. film SHAFT opposite Samuel L. Jackson, Jessie T. Usher and Alexandra Shipp. The film is set to release June 14th, 2019.

As previously announced, Cardi B dominates this year’s nominations with a total of seven, including Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, two separate nods in both the Best Collaboration and Video of the Year categories, Album of the Year and the Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award. Drake follows with five nods for Best Male Hip-Hop Artist, Video of the Year, Best Collaboration and the Coca-Cola Viewers’ Choice Award. Other leading nominees include Beyoncé, Travis Scott and J. Cole who received four nominations each, with Bruno Mars, 21 Savage, Childish Gambino, H.E.R. and Ella Mai each scoring three nominations.

BET Networks recognizes artists, entertainers, and athletes across 20 categories with the 2019 “BET Awards” nominations. The nominations are selected by BET’sVoting Academy, which is comprised of fans and an esteemed group of entertainment professionals in the fields of television, film, music, social media, digital marketing, sports journalism, public relations, and the creative arts.

The 2019 “BET AWARDS” will simulcast LIVE at 8pm ET across seven Viacom networks in the U.S. including BET, BET HER, MTV, MTV 2, MTV Classic, VH1, and Logo. Internationally, the show will simulcast for the first-time on BET Africa at 2am CAT on June 24th, followed by international broadcasts in the UK on June 24th at 9:00pm BST, South Korea on June 25th at 9pm KST and in France on June 25th at 9pm CEST.

Internationally, BET will honor Best International Act in-show, along with the fan-voted category Best New International Act during the live red carpet pre-show.

Connie Orlando, Executive Vice-President, Head of Programming at BET will serve as Executive Producer for the 2019 “BET Awards” along with Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment.
BET Networks, an entertainment powerhouse, once again brings the BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE (BETX), June 20 – 23, 2019 presented by Coca-Cola®. This four-day event will be filled with music concerts taking place at The Novo by Microsoft and STAPLES Center; the BET Fan Fest at the Los Angeles Convention Center including seminars, celebrity basketball games, celebrity meet & greets; and other special interactive events. The weekend will be capped off with the “BET Awards” on Sunday, June 23, 2019 at Microsoft Theater. VIP Packages are the ONLY way to get BET Awards tickets, great seats to STAPLES Center shows, and exclusive access throughout the biggest summer weekend in entertainment. More information and tickets and VIP packages available at Bet.com/bet-experience.html.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for black entertainment, music, culture and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT
Jesse Collins Entertainment (JCE) is a full-service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, Collins has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. Collins has produced groundbreaking and award-winning television programming, including “BET Awards,” “Grammy Awards,” “Soul Train Music Awards,” “BET Honors,” “UNCF An Evening of Stars,” “ABFF Awards” and “BET Hip Hop Awards.” Collins was an executive producer of the hit TV series “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” starring Kevin Hart, and the critically acclaimed “The New Edition Story,” a biopic on the boy band that aired as a three-part mini-series on BET in January 2017. He is also the executive producer of VH1 shows “Dear Mama” and “Hip Hop Squares” with Ice Cube. Most recently, JCE executive produced “The Bobby Brown Story.” The mini-series picked up where “The New Edition Story” mini-series left off and chronicled the talented but troubled singer’s exit from the popular 80s boy band through his solo success. It debuted on BET in September 2018 and was the highest rated non-tentpole program on the network since “The New Edition Story.” Next for JCE is the second season of “American Soul” on BET and Netflix’s upcoming series “Rhythm and Flow.”

ABOUT “BET AWARDS”
The “BET Awards” is one of the most-watched award shows on cable television, according to the Nielsen Company. The “BET Awards” franchise remains the #1 program in cable TV history among African-Americans, and it is BET’s #1 telecast every year. It recognizes the triumphs and successes of artists, entertainers and athletes in a variety of categories.

The sweet and tart flavor fusion of the treat known as SweeTARTS will debut the all-new SweeTARTS® Ropes in a celebrity dating show hosted by actress Shay Mitchell. The ‘Get Roped In’ Dating Show is a one-of-a-kind, live dating experience, with fun and flirty challenges made especially for millennials used to finding connections online with just the swipe of a finger. Now, with SweeTARTS they will have the opportunity to enter the dating world offline where they will balance, dance, roll, and flirt their way to sparking a connection.

The ‘Get Roped In’ Dating Show involves three digital celebrities as contestants including Ryan Tellez of The Warp Zone, Meghan Rienks and Catherine Valdes of Catrific. Some of their biggest fans will try to spark a connection with these online personalities through a series of challenges involving SweeTARTS Ropes. Unique tests will require creative skill, ample coordination, and lip service. Winners will join their YouTube stars on a group date following the show.

“New SweeTARTS Ropes features an electrifying flavor that tastes absolutely amazing,” said actress and longtime brand fan Shay Mitchell. “I love the unexpected flavor burst of SweeTARTS Ropes, and with the ‘Get Roped In’ Dating Show, we’re showing everyone new ways to flirt and make bold connections around Valentine’s Day.”

“SweeTARTS is redefining flavor with the electrifying sweet and tart taste of SweeTARTS Ropes,” said Daniela Simpson, SweeTARTS brand manager. “Inspired by this spark of bold flavor we created a one-of-a-kind dating experience timed to Valentine’s Day to spark fun and flirty connections between fans and their favorite YouTube stars. Our goal is to turn every moment into a spark of possibility that connects people together.”

SweeTARTS Ropes is the first of its kind, licorice-style candy with an electrifying flavor and a soft texture. Sold in single and shareable packages, SweeTARTS Ropes will be available in an explosive cherry flavor with punch-flavored filling for a soft, chewy treat.

SweeTARTS Ropes is now available in candy aisles of major retail stores nationwide. For more information about SweeTARTS Ropes and the SweeTARTS collection of products follow us on Twitter @SweeTARTSCandy and Tumblr #GetRopedIn #SweeTARTS.

About Nestlé USA
Named one of “The World’s Most Admired Food Companies” in Fortune magazine for seventeen consecutive years, Nestlé provides quality brands that bring flavor to life every day. From nutritious meals with Lean Cuisine® to baking traditions with Nestlé® Toll House®, Nestlé USA makes delicious, convenient, and nutritious food and beverage products that make good living possible. That’s what “Nestlé. Good Food, Good Life” is all about. Well-known Nestlé USA brands include: Nestlé® Toll House®, Nestlé® Nesquik®, Nestlé ® Coffee-mate®, Stouffer’s®, Lean Cuisine®, HOT POCKETS® and LEAN POCKETS® brand sandwiches, Nescafé® and NESCAFé CLASICO ™, Buitoni®, SKINNY COW®, DREYER’S/EDY’S®, Nestlé ® Crunch®, Nestlé® Butterfinger®, Wonka® and DIGIORNO®. Nestlé USA, with 2013 sales of $10 billion, is part of Nestlé S.A. in Vevey, Switzerland — the world’s largest food company with a commitment to Nutrition, Health & Wellness — with 2013 sales of $99 billion. For product news and information, visit Nestleusa.com or Facebook.com/NestleUSA.

Oct 02, 2014 – Beverly Hills, Calif. October 2, 2014–Netflix, the world’s leading Internet TV network, will be the exclusive home of four feature films starring and produced by comic icon Adam Sandler, whose movies have delighted hundreds of millions of fans all over the world.

Sandler is a unique and prolific comic voice, whose films have grossed more than $3 billion globally at the box office and made him one of the world’s top movie stars. He is among the few actors in the world whose films consistently rank among the most viewed by Netflix members in the U.S. and across its global territories from Brazil to the U.K.

“People love Adam’s films on Netflix and often watch them again and again. His appeal spans across viewers of all ages — everybody has a favorite movie, everyone has a favorite line — not just in the US but all over the world,” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos.

“When these fine people came to me with an offer to make four movies for them, I immediately said yes for one reason and one reason only….Netflix rhymes with Wet Chicks,” said Sandler. “Let the streaming begin!!!!”

Under the deal announced today, Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions will work alongside Netflix to develop the four films and to premiere them exclusively to members in the nearly 50 countries where Netflix operates. Current studio film commitments are not included in this deal.

Sandler began his career as a stand-up comedian and joined Saturday Night Live as a writer and featured player before starring in, producing and writing numerous films, including the box office smashes The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy, The Longest Yard, Big Daddy, Anger Management, 50 First Dates, Click, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, Grown Ups and Grown Ups 2.

Sandler has received critical accolades for his work in Punch-Drunk Love, Reign Over Me, Funny People, and two upcoming films, Men, Women & Children and The Cobbler, which premiered at the 2014 Toronto Film Festival.

About Netflix
Netflix is the world’s leading Internet television network with over 50 million members in nearly 50 countries enjoying more than one billion hours of TV shows and movies per month, including original series. For a low monthly price, Netflix members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.

Adult Swim, basic cable’s #1 network with young adults for over a decade, is reaching beyond the television screen to invite fans to immerse themselves in a bodiless journey of the mind with a virtual reality experience unlike anything else in the marketplace. Developed in partnership with WEVR, The Virtual Brainload takes viewers on a visual and sonic trip through outer space.

The Virtual Brainload is available now as a free app on Google Play and ready for launch with the Google Cardboard headset, which must be purchased separately. Previously only available as an in-person experiential activation with the Meatwad Fulldome Experience, The Virtual Brainload meets fans where they are with a dazzling animated presentation that gives a special glimpse of the backside of reality.

This initiative is Turner Broadcasting’s first release in the virtual reality sector and provides new and unique opportunities for creative development, programming and advertising. It kicks off an ambitious network expansion into this exciting new space, with plans for deeper, custom-created content to roll out later in 2015 and beyond.

“We know our audiences are early adopters and we aim to surprise them with new experiences like this,” said Jill King, senior vice president, consumer and partnership marketing, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang. “As we develop immersive content for our fans, we will keep our advertising partners front of mind and seek out opportunities to extend their brand into these experiences.”

The Virtual Brainload joins Adult Swim’s successful slate of mobile offerings, currently charting nearly 77 million total downloads and including the Webby-nominated Robot Unicorn Attack 2.

About WEVR
WEVR is a virtual reality community and VR media player for aspiring and professional creatives. WEVR collaborates with leaders in the immersive, creative, and technology communities- providing high performance VR playback software for VR producers. We are committed to developing a superior VR player and supporting collaborations, showcasing exceptional virtual reality projects created by emerging VR storytellers. As an open VR technology platform, WEVR enables immersive storytellers to create, present, and publish projects on all VR headsets.

About Adult Swim
Adult Swim (AdultSwim.com), launched in 2001, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s network offering of original and acquired animated and live-action series for young adults. Airing nightly from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. (ET/PT), Adult Swim is basic cable’s #1 network and is seen in 96 million U.S. homes.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

Shanghai, China, – Alibaba Group’s digital entertainment business group today announced the launch of the Yu Le Bao (娛樂寶) platform. By investing as little as RMB100, users of the platform can potentially earn investment returns from top-notch and popular television and movie projects. They may also enjoy the privilege of paying visits to TV and movie sets and meeting their favorite superstars. The first batch of investment projects will accept preorders via the Yu Le Bao platform from today. The official launch of sales will be coming soon.

Users can access the Yu Le Bao preorder page via the Mobile Taobao application and invest in entertainment projects of their choice. The total investment amount of the four projects in the
first phase is RMB73 million. Board lots of TV and movie projects have been priced at RMB100, while board lots of online game projects have been priced at RMB50. Individuals can purchase up to two board lots of each project.

The first batch of investment projects available on the Yu Le Bao platform include “Tiny Times 3” and “Tiny Times 4,” directed by Guo Jingming and starring Yang Mi; “Wolf Totem,” a movie based on a best-selling fiction starring William Feng and Shawn Dou; “Impossible,” a 3D fantasy-comedy directed by Sun Zhou and starring Wang Baoqiang and Xiaoshenyang; and “Mofan Xueyuan,” the world’s first celebrity-themed, large-scale social networking game in which fans can interact with Fan Bingbing.

“The influence of Internet innovation on the cultural industry is no longer restricted to movie ticket sales but has expanded to investment and content production,” said Liu Chunning,
president of the Alibaba Group digital entertainment business group. “Yu Le Bao aims to provide a grassroots investment platform to bring the public closer to the cultural industry. In the future, public investors will even be able to select the directors, heroes and heroines of a movie or TV show.”

The investment projects available on the Yu Le Bao platform not only deliver an expected annualized return of 7%, but also bring fans of the directors and stars additional perks such as
opportunities to attend producer meetings, movie screenings, props auctions, filming locations visits, as well as access to exclusive authorized e-magazines, celebrity autographs and so on.

Movie producers can also collect first-hand user feedback via investors of Yu Le Bao, such as preferences for movies and TV drama directors, actors and screenplays. More importantly, with the investment made by Yu Le Bao users, a huge, loyal audience base can be tapped for new movie projects at early stages of production. Upon commencement of filming, fans can also potentially interact with producers via online platforms such as Laiwang.

In the initial phase, investments made via the Yu Le Bao platform will be used to purchaseinsurance and wealth management products offered by Guohua Life. The funds will be then invested in the cultural industry.

About Alibaba Group
Alibaba Group’s mission is to make it easy to do business anywhere. Founded in 1999, the company is committed to developing a technology-driven commerce ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, merchants and service providers. Alibaba Group’s major businesses include Taobao Marketplace (www.taobao.com), China’s most visited online shopping destination according to Alexa.com; Tmall.com (www.tmall.com), China’s leading online mall for quality, brand-name goods; Alibaba.com (www.alibaba.com), the leading global wholesale platform for small businesses; AliExpress (www.aliexpress.com), a popular international e-marketplace for consumers; and Alibaba Cloud Computing (www.aliyun.com), a developer of platforms for cloud computing and data management. Alipay (www.alipay.com), China’s leading online and mobile payment solution, is an affiliate of Alibaba Group.

This news is courtesy of www.alibaba.com

SEATTLE- Sep. 23, 2015– (NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon today announced the lineup for its fall pilot season which is scheduled to debut later this year exclusively on Amazon Video in the US, UK, Germany and Austria. Amazon customers will find a wide-range of genres in this latest slate of pilots ranging from Good Girls Revolt, a powerful story set in 1969 about a group of young women seeking to be treated fairly and ultimately sparking changes that upend marriages, careers, love and friendship; Z, a half-hour bio-series pilot of Lost Generation legend Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald and her passionate love affair with iconic author F. Scott Fitzgerald; Highston, a family comedy about invisible celebrity friendships to Edge, a western set in the post-Civil War era where one cowboy doles out his own savage brand of justice; and more.

Amazon customers will once again be invited to watch and provide feedback on the shows they want to see turned into full series for Prime members. All pilots will be available via the Amazon Video app for TVs, connected devices and mobile devices, or online at Amazon.com/amazonvideo.

The new half-hour pilots premiering later this year include Highston from Bob Nelson (Nebraska), Directors Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris (Little Miss Sunshine) and Executive Producer Sacha Baron Cohen (The Dictator); One Mississippi from Executive Producers Louis CK (Louie), Tig Notaro (Boyish Girl Interrupted), Diablo Cody (Juno) and Executive Producer/Director Nicole Holofcener (Enough Said); and Z from Dawn Prestwich (The Killing) and Nicole Yorkin (The Killing), produced by Pam Koffler and Christine Vachon (Still Alice) and directed by Tim Blake Nelson (Anesthesia). The hour-long pilots will include Edge from Shane Black (Lethal Weapon, Iron Man 3) and Fred Dekker (Tales from the Crypt, Star Trek: Enterprise); Good Girls Revolt written by Dana Calvo (Made in Jersey); and Patriot (working title) from Steven Conrad (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Weather Man).

As well, these pilots feature notable actors including Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect), Flea (The Big Lebowski), Ryan Kwanten (True Blood), Shaquille O’Neal (Blended), Terry O’Quinn (Lost), Chris Parnell (Saturday Night Live), Mary Lynn Rajskub (24), Christina Ricci (Monster), and David Strathairn (The Bourne Ultimatum).

“Our latest pilot season brings together a diverse group of shows that we think customers will really enjoy,” said Roy Price, Vice President, Amazon Studios. “We have something for everyone in this season and I am excited to see which shows spark conversation amongst our customers and what they want to be made into series.”

Amazon’s fall pilot season includes the following shows:

Edge
Based on George G. Gilman’s best-selling book series of the same name, which has been described as “the most violent western in print,” Edge showcases the sly, raw power of the western genre. Set in 1868, Max Martini (Pacific Rim, Captain Phillips) stars as Josiah ‘Edge’ Hedges—a Union officer turned cowboy, who prowls the post-Civil War American West doling out his own peculiar (and savage) brand of justice. When we meet Edge in the pilot, his mission is personal and his vengeance hath no fury. Edge also stars Ryan Kwanten (True Blood) as Merritt Harknett, and Yvonne Strahovski (The Astronaut Wives Club, Chuck) as Beth. Edge was developed by Shane Black (Lethal Weapon, Iron Man 3) and Fred Dekker (Tales from the Crypt, Star Trek: Enterprise), teleplay by Dekker and Black, is directed by Black, and executive produced by Black, Dekker, Barry Josephson (Bones, Turn: Washington Spies), and David Greenblatt (Battle Los Angeles).

Good Girls Revolt
In 1969, while a cultural revolution with a soundtrack to match swept through the free world, there was still one place that refused to change with the times: newsrooms. Good Girls Revolt follows a group of young female researchers at “News of the Week,” who simply ask to be treated fairly. Their revolutionary request will spark convulsive changes and upend marriages, careers, sex lives, love lives, and friendships. Good Girls Revolt stars Genevieve Angelson (Backstrom) as Patti, Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect) as Jane, Erin Darke (We Need to Talk About Kevin) as Cindy, Chris Diamantopoulos (Silicon Valley) as Finn, Hunter Parrish (Weeds) as Doug, Jim Belushi (Show Me a Hero) as Wick McFadden, Joy Bryant (Parenthood) as Eleanor Holmes Norton, and Grace Gummer as Nora Ephron. A co-production with TriStar Television, Good Girls Revolt is written and created by Dana Calvo (Made in Jersey), directed by Liza Johnson (Return), and executive produced by Calvo, Lynda Obst (Interstellar), Darlene Hunt (The Big C), Don Kurt (Justified) and Jeff Okin (Dark Skies, Stanley Park). The pilot is inspired by the landmark sexual discrimination cases chronicled in Lynn Povich’s book, The Good Girls Revolt.

Highston
Highston Liggetts (newcomer Lewis Pullman) is a 19-year-old with a wide circle of celebrity friends—that only he can see. His parents, Jean (Mary Lynn Rajskub, 24), and Wilbur (Chris Parnell, Saturday Night Live) force him to get psychiatric help, but his Uncle Billy (Curtis Armstrong, American Dad!) thinks he’s just fine. Highston is a comedy about what it means to be normal in a world that’s anything but. The pilot guest stars Shaquille O’Neal (Thunderstruck) and Flea (The Big Lewbowski), and is written by Oscar-nominee Bob Nelson (Nebraska), directed by Independent Spirit Award winners Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (Little Miss Sunshine), and executive produced by Sacha Baron Cohen (The Dictator), Todd Hoffman (Love Stinks), Nelson, and Todd Schulman (Bruno).

One Mississippi
A dark comedy, loosely inspired by Tig Notaro’s (Boyish Girl Interrupted) life, One Mississippi follows Tig as she deals with the complex reentry into her childhood hometown of Bay Saint Lucille, Mississippi, to deal with the unexpected death of her mother, the interminable life of the party, Caroline. Reeling from her own recently declining health, Tig struggles to find her footing with the loss of the one person who actually understood her, with help from her older but not always wiser brother, Remy, played by Noah Harpster (Transparent), and her emotionally distant stepfather, Bill, played by John Rothman (The Devil Wears Prada). A surprise visit from Tig’s girlfriend, Brooke, played by Casey Wilson (Gone Girl) only compounds the reality of how out of place Tig is in a world without her mother. A co-production with FX Productions, One Mississippi is written and executive produced by Notaro and Diablo Cody (Juno), executive produced by Louis CK (Louie), Blair Breard (Louie), and Dave Becky (Everybody Hates Chris), with pilot directed and executive produced by Nicole Holofcener (Enough Said).

Patriot
The political thriller Patriot follows the complicated life of intelligence officer John Tavner (Australian newcomer Michael Dorman, Wonderland). His latest assignment is to prevent Iran from going nuclear, requiring him to forgo all safety nets and assume a perilous “non-official cover” — that of a mid-level employee at a Midwestern industrial piping firm. A bout with PTSD, the Federal government’s incompetence, and the intricacies of keeping a day job in the “front” industrial piping company, cause a barrage of ever-escalating fiascos that jeopardize Tavner’s mission. The pilot also stars Terry O’Quinn (Lost) as Tom Tavner, John’s State Department Director of Intelligence father, Michael Chernus (Manhattan Project), as John’s older brother Edward Tavner, a young Texas congressman, Kathleen Munroe (Call Me Fitz), as John’s wife Alice, Aliette Opheim (Sandor slash Ida) as Agathe, a brilliant young homicide detective from Luxembourg hot on John’s trail, and Kurtwood Smith (That 70s Show) as Mr. Claret, John’s stickler of a new “boss” at the piping firm. Patriot is written and directed by Steven Conrad (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Weather Man), and executive produced by Conrad, Gil Bellows (Temple Grandin), Glen Ficarra (Crazy Stupid Love, Focus), Charlie Gogolak (Focus), and John Requa (Crazy Stupid Love, Focus).

Z
Z is a bio-series pilot based on the life of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald, the brilliant, beautiful and talented Southern Belle who becomes the original flapper and icon of the wild, flamboyant Jazz Age in the 20s. Starring Christina Ricci (Monster) as Zelda Sayre, Z starts before she meets the unpublished writer F. Scott Fitzgerald (Gavin Stenhouse, Allegiance), and moves through their passionate, turbulent love affair and their marriage—made in heaven, lived out in hell as the celebrity couple of their time. The series travels through the wild parties, the wicked jazz, the dissolute artists of the era, as well as the alcoholism, adultery and struggle with dashed dreams and mental illness that characterizes their later years. Z dives into the fascinating life of a woman ahead of her time, an artist determined to establish her own identity in the tempestuous wake of a world-famous husband. The show pulls back the curtain on her triumphs and dark secrets. It’s a modern take on one of the most notorious love stories of all time, played out in salons and speak-easies from Montgomery, Alabama to the Cote D’Azur. Z is written by Dawn Prestwich (The Killing) and Nicole Yorkin (The Killing), directed by Tim Blake Nelson (Anesthesia), and executive produced by Pamela Koffler (Still Alice) and Christine Vachon (One Hour Photo) of Killer Films, as well as Ricci. The show also guest stars David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck) as Judge Anthony Dickerson Sayre, Kristine Nielsen (Savages) as Minnie Sayre, Maya Kazan (The Knick) as Livye Hart, Sarah Schenkkan (30 Rock) as Eleanor Browder, Jamie Anne Allman (The Killing) as Tootsie Sayre, and Holly Curran (Alpha House) as Tilde Sayre.

About Amazon Video
Amazon Video includes tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes available on Prime Video at no additional charge to Prime members, as well as access to hundreds of thousands of titles to buy or rent. Amazon Video is the only service in the world that brings customers both of these options in one place.

Prime Video, available on Amazon Video, lets Prime members enjoy binge-worthy TV shows including Amazon Original Series airing now such as the multi-Golden Globe-winning and Emmy-winning series Transparent, Hand of God, Bosch, Catastrophe and Mozart in the Jungle as well as hit series like Sex and the City, Veep, Girls, The Sopranos, Entourage, Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Wire. Prime Video also offers members blockbuster movies such as Transformers: Age of Extinction, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, Star Trek Into Darkness and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, among others. Prime members have access to a collection of kids shows including Amazon Original Series Annedroids, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street and the Annecy, Annie and multi-Emmy Award-winning Tumble Leaf, as well as popular shows from Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, Team Umizoomi, and Blue’s Clues.

Prime members can look forward to several new upcoming original series premiering this year, with the coming-of-age dramedy Red Oaks premiering on October 9, followed by the much anticipated adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s The Man in the High Castle on November 20, and season two of Emmy-winning Transparent December 4. Coming in 2016 will be the second seasons of Mozart in the Jungle, Bosch and romantic comedy, Catastrophe, along with the debut season of The New Yorker Presents.

In addition to tens of thousands of titles to instantly stream on Prime Video, the Amazon Prime membership (www.amazon.com/prime) includes more than one million songs, more than a thousand playlists and hundreds of stations through Prime Music, unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items, early access to select Lightning Deals, unlimited photo storage with Amazon Photos, and access to borrow from more than 800,000 books for Kindle owners–all for $99 a year.

Amazon Video can be accessed through the Amazon Video app on TVs, connected devices and mobile devices, or online at Amazon.com/amazonvideo. Prime Video titles can also be downloaded for offline enjoyment—the only subscription streaming service to offer this functionality. Customers who are not already Prime members can sign up for a free trial at Amazon.com/prime.

About Amazon
Amazon.com opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.

SEATTLE– (NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon today launched its third pilot season, calling on customers in the US and UK to watch a brand new slate of original comedy and drama pilots, and provide feedback to help determine which shows should be made into Amazon Original Series. The line-up includes everything from a visit to modern day Paris, a psycho-physiological illness spread through social media, the humor and complexities of marriage, a New Jersey 1980’s flashback, and a mysterious thriller. The pilots can be viewed with the Amazon Instant Video app available on Amazon Fire TV, Kindle Fire tablets, Fire phone, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Roku, Xbox, PlayStation, Wii, as well as hundreds of other connected devices such as smart TVs—or customers can visit amazonoriginals.com to watch online.

The five new pilots include half hour comedies The Cosmopolitans, Really and Red Oaks, and hour-long dramatic thrillers Hand of God and Hysteria. The pilots come from renowned creators including Shaun Cassidy, Jay Chandrasekhar, Marc Forster, David Gordon Green, Steven Soderbergh and Whit Stillman, and star Selma Blair, Adam Brody, Sarah Chalke, Dana Delany, Ron Perlman, Paul Reiser, Chloë Sevigny and Mena Suvari.

“We’re delighted to bring Amazon customers the work of these passionate and talented creators and are excited to get customer feedback,” said Roy Price, Director of Amazon Studios. “It’s an exciting time at Prime Instant Video, with new, original shows coming to the service every month for the rest of the year.”

As part of its unique development process, Amazon gives customers an opportunity to provide feedback on which pilots they want turned into series on Prime Instant Video. During pilot season, any Amazon customer in the US and UK can watch, rate and comment on the pilots. At the end of pilot season, that feedback helps determine the shows that become an Amazon Original Series. This past February, Amazon customers posted comments during the second pilot season, which helped Amazon decide to green light six series—Transparent, Mozart in the Jungle, Bosch, The After, and kids series Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street and Wishenpoof!

Amazon’s third pilot season includes the following shows:

The Cosmopolitans
Written, directed and produced by Academy Award nominee Whit Stillman (Metropolitan, Barcelona, The Last Days of Disco), The Cosmopolitans follows a group of young American expatriates in contemporary Paris searching for love and friendship in a foreign city. The romantic comedy pilot stars Adam Brody as Jimmy, Chloë Sevigny as Vicky, Carrie MacLemore as Aubrey, Dree Hemingway as Camille, Freddy Åsblom as Fritz, Jordan Rountree as Hal, and Adriano Giannini as Sandro. The pilot was filmed on location in Paris.

Hand of God
Marking the television debut of renowned filmmaker Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball, Finding Neverland, World War Z) and written by Ben Watkins, Hand of God stars Golden Globe winner Ron Perlman in his first lead television role since Sons of Anarchy as Judge Pernell Harris. Hand of God also stars Dana Delany as the Judge’s protective wife Crystal Harris, Garret Dillahunt as KD, the born-again sociopath whose violent tendencies are exploited by Pernell, Andre Royo as the slick, smart, gregarious, and greedy mayor Robert ‘Bobo’ Boston, Alona Tal as Pernell’s grieving daughter-in-law Jocelyn Harris, Julian Morris as the questionable preacher Paul Curtis, Elizabeth McLaughlin as the preacher’s sultry girlfriend Alicia, and Emayatzy Corinealdi as Pernell’s call girl and confidante Tessie. The show centers on the powerful Judge Harris, a hard-living, law-bending married man with a high-end call girl on the side, who suffers a mental breakdown and goes on a vigilante quest to find the rapist who tore his family apart. With no real evidence to go on, Pernell begins to rely on “visions” and “messages” he believes are being sent by God through Pernell’s ventilator-bound son. Forster, Watkins, Perlman, Brian Wilkins and Jeff King are Executive Producers, and Jillian Kugler is co-Executive Producer.

Hysteria
Hysteria takes viewers to Austin, Texas where social connection has become contagious. In the pilot, members of a girls’ competitive dance team are stricken with a strange, psycho-physiological illness that manifests itself in violent fits and spasms and then begins spreading in the community through technology. Neurologist Logan Harlen (played by Mena Suvari) returns to her hometown to investigate the cause. Fighting her own demons and the growing manipulation of a brother on death row, Logan develops an uneasy suspicion that the hysteria surrounding the girls might actually be linked to social media and her own tragic past. Hysteria is written by Shaun Cassidy, who is known for genre thrillers such as Invasion and American Gothic, and directed by Otto Bathurst, who won the BAFTA Award for his work on the critically-acclaimed U.K. mini-series Peaky Blinders. The show also stars James McDaniel (Orange Is The New Black) as Carl Sapsi, Josh Stewart (The Dark Knight Rises) as Ray Ratajeck, Adan Canto (X-Men: Days of Future Past) as Matt Sanchez, Laura San Giacomo (Saving Grace) as Grace Pelayo and T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy) as Carter Harlen. The show is written by Cassidy, who is also Executive Producer alongside Adam Schroeder, Sharon Hall, Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Bryan Zuriff, and Bathurst. In addition to Suvari, McDaniel, Stewart, Canto, San Giacomo and Knight, Hysteria also stars Ella Rae Peck and Jenessa Grant. Pilot guest stars include Jason Douglas, Heather Kafka, Asjha Cooper, and Evie Thompson. Amazon Studios is collaborating with Universal Television and Alcon Television Group on the production of Hysteria.

Really
Written, directed and starring Jay Chandrasekhar, Really is a funny, extremely, honest behind-the-curtain look at the complexities of marriage and the charged dynamics of a tight-knit group of friends. The show is about four hard-charging suburban Chicago couples trying to grasp on-to their dwindling youth. At the center are the happily but messily married couple Jed, played by Chandrasekhar, and Lori, played by Sarah Chalke. When Jed is faced with the choice of keeping his pal’s secret or destroying his friend group, he winds up digging himself into a very deep hole. Really explores marriage, friendship and the stifling peculiarities of suburban Chicago life. The pilot also stars Selma Blair, Travis Schuldt, Hayes MacArthur, Collette Wolfe, Luka Jones, Lindsay Sloane and Rob Delaney. Really comes from Main Street Films’ Craig Chang and Harrison Kordestani, and Executive Producer Jamie Tarses (Happy Endings).

Red Oaks
Directed by Sundance award-winner David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express, Eastbound and Down) and executive produced by Academy Award winner Steven Soderbergh (Behind the Candelabra, Traffic, Ocean’s Eleven), Red Oaks stars Craig Roberts (Submarine) as David Myers, an assistant tennis pro at the Red Oaks Country Club in suburban New Jersey in 1985, who is both reeling from his father’s heart attack and conflicted about what major to declare in the fall. While there, he meets a colorful cast of misfit co-workers and wealthy club members including an alluring art student named Skye (played by guest star Alexandra Socha) and her corporate raider father Getty played by Paul Reiser (Mad About You). A coming-of-age comedy set in the “go-go” 80s that is equal parts hijinks and heartfelt, Red Oaks is about enjoying a last hurrah before summer comes to an end—and the future begins. Red Oaks also stars Jennifer Grey (It’s Like, You Know) as Judy Myers, Richard Kind (Luck) as Sam Myers, Oliver Cooper (Californication) as Wheeler, Gage Golightly as Karen, and Ennis Esmer as Nash. Red Oaks is written by Gregory Jacobs (The Knick) and Joe Gangemi (Eliza Graves). Soderbergh, Green, Jacobs, and Gangemi are Executive Producers.

About Amazon Studios

Last year Amazon Studios launched its first two prime time series, Alpha House and Betas, and recently debuted its first three children’s series, the Annecy International Animated Film Festival Award-winning Tumble Leaf from Bix Pix Entertainment, as well as Creative Galaxy from Angela Santomero and Out of the Blue Enterprises, the creators of Blue’s Clues, and Annedroids, from Emmy nominated Sinking Ship Entertainment.

Amazon Studios will later this year debut two new comedy series, Jill Soloway’s Transparent, and Mozart in the Jungle from Paul Weitz, John J. Strauss, Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman, along with season two of Garry Trudeau’s Alpha House. In addition, Amazon will also debut a new kids series Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street from David Anaxagoras. In early 2015, Amazon will release two drama series, Chris Carter’s The After and Michael Connelly’s Bosch. Amazon Original Series are available exclusively to Prime members through Prime Instant Video.

Amazon Studios launched in 2010 as a new way to develop feature films and episodic series—one that’s open to great ideas from creators and audiences around the world. Anyone can upload a script and Amazon Studios will read and review all submissions. Those who choose to make their projects public will also receive feedback from the Amazon Studios community.

Comprehensive cast and crew information, including bios and filmographies, is available on Amazon’s IMDb (www.imdb.com), the world’s most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.

About Amazon.com
Amazon opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by three principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire phone, Fire tablets, and Fire TV are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.

SEATTLE & MIAMI–Nov. 14, 2018– Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Viacom International Studios (VIS) have closed a content deal for Latin America that will bring two new VIS productions to Prime Video, Homens? and Dani Who?, which will only be available to stream exclusively on Prime Video.

Created by Porta dos Fundos, Brazil’s top comedy content provider and part of the VIS portfolio of brands, Homens? is a comedy series starring Fabio Porchat that follows four very close friends who are dealing with the conflicts of understanding what it means to be a man. Recently produced in Brazil and slated for a 2019 premiere, Homens? takes a look at what men want and can do in today’s world. In the dramatic series Dani Who?, created and produced by VIS, Dani and her friends investigate their shared origin after the disappearance of a friend. They discover they possess unique abilities, which leads them to believe they may not be from this world, but they later find out their story hides even darker and deeper secrets. Dani Who? is scheduled to begin production in 2019.

“Amazon is committed to delivering great content to our Prime Video members across Latin America and this new relationship with the VIS team will bring two new and compelling stories to our service for audiences to enjoy,” said Pablo Iacoviello, Head of Content for Latin America, Amazon Prime Video. “We remain focused on adding locally relevant content, so we’re especially thrilled about adding Homens? to our catalog of titles as an exclusive Brazilian series.”

“We are very happy to be working with Amazon on this important deal for our Viacom International Studios. Since presenting our new slate of programming earlier this year, we have worked closely with the team at Amazon to create a tailor-made package to fulfill their content needs for Latin America and to extend the reach of our product throughout the region,” commented Pierluigi Gazzolo, President, VIMN – Americas. “We look forward to continuing this partnership to deliver high quality series to our shared audiences across the region.”

Both Homens? and Dani Who? join Prime Video’s growing slate of exclusive streaming titles in Latin America which include Falco, The Good Doctor and Mr. Robot, in addition to local original series which to date include critically acclaimed series Diablo Guardian and Un Extraño Enemigo, as well as the upcoming LOL: Last One Laughing which stars Eugenio Derbez and premieres globally on December 14.

The series will be available to stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video. Prime Video can be accessed through Smart TV apps, connected devices including Fire TV, mobile devices and online. Members can also download the series to mobile devices for offline viewing at no additional cost to their membership. The series will be a global release and available on PrimeVideo.com for Prime Video members in more than 200 countries and territories.

Customers who are not already Prime Video members can sign up for a free trial at www.PrimeVideo.com. For a list of all Prime Video compatible devices, visit: link .

About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

About VIMN Americas:
Viacom International Media Networks Americas, a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB), owns and operates the company’s portfolio of entertainment brands, which include MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Comedy Central, Paramount Channel, VH1, Telefe and their respective properties in Latin America (including Brazil). Additionally, the portfolio includes Tr3 in the US, which targets a broad US Hispanic audience, and VIMN’s programming partnerships in Canada with Corus Entertainment for Nickelodeon and Bell Media for MTV and Comedy Central. VIMN Americas also holds a majority stake in Porta dos Fundos, one of the main comedy content creators in Brazil. The company’s multiplatform business includes the mobile apps MTV Play, Nick Play, Comedy Central Play, Mi Telefe and Telefe Noticias; on-demand products, Nick First and My Nick Jr., and the SVOD product, Noggin, in addition to multiple web sites.

In its continued efforts to grow into one of the world’s leading producers and distributors of Latin American content, Viacom International Studios is actively developing its new slate of programming and continues to secure distribution deals for its original formats with leading SVOD, Pay TV and FTA broadcasters globally. New programming includes all genres, from tween telenovelas, to scripted dramas from Telefe and short and long-form comedy from Porta dos Fundos, in addition to cinematic productions.

SEATTLE– (NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon today announced it will premiere all ten episodes of its first hour-long drama series Bosch on Friday, February 13 on Prime Instant Video in the US, UK and Germany. Based on Michael Connelly’s internationally best-selling Harry Bosch book series with nearly 50 million copies sold, Bosch stars Titus Welliver (Sons of Anarchy, Argo) as Harry Bosch, Jamie Hector (The Wire) as Jerry Edgar, Amy Aquino (Being Human) as Lt. Grace Billets, Lance Reddick (Fringe, The Wire) as Deputy Chief Irvin Irving, and Annie Wersching (24, Extant) as Julia Brasher, with Sarah Clarke (24) as Eleanor Wish and Jason Gedrick (Luck) as Raynard Waits. The series follows the relentless LAPD homicide detective as he pursues the killer of a 13-year-old boy while standing trial in federal court on accusations that he murdered a suspected killer in cold blood. Guest stars on Bosch include Scott Wilson (The Walking Dead) as Dr. Guyot and Troy Evans (ER) as Detective Johnson, and was developed for television by Eric Overmyer (Treme, The Wire, Homicide: Life on the Streets) and Executive Produced by Overmyer, Connelly, and Henrik Bastin (The Killing, Burn Notice).

Primarily based on elements from Connelly’s books City of Bones (2002), The Concrete Blonde (1994) and Echo Park (2006), Harry Bosch’s investigation takes on a life and death urgency when a killer who has confessed to the boy’s murder escapes custody and begins a murderous rampage across Los Angeles. Bosch and the killer are locked in a cat and mouse game, with the killer taunting Bosch as the investigation turns deeply personal. The case unearths Bosch’s buried past as well as entangling his ex-wife and 14-year-old daughter. The season takes the viewer through back streets and neighborhoods of Los Angeles rarely seen on-screen. There have been 19 Harry Bosch novels published since 1992, including 2014’s number-one bestseller The Burning Room.

Amazon Prime members can watch the first episode of Bosch now on their TVs using the Amazon Instant Video app on Fire TV, Roku, Xbox, PlayStation, Wii, and smart TVs. They can also use the Amazon Instant Video app to watch on mobile devices, including Fire tablets, Fire phone, iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Android phones, as well as hundreds of other connected devices—or customers can visit Amazon.com/PIV to watch online. Prime members can add Bosch to their Watchlist and easily access new episodes when they premiere on February 13.

“We had a very strong response to the pilot from our customers and, after years of anticipation from the fan community, we are delighted to launch the complete first television season of Michael Connelly’s classic works of LA Noir,” said Roy Price, Vice President, Amazon Studios.

“I am very pleased with season one,” Connelly says. “We have been extremely loyal to the character and city in the books. I think anybody who likes Harry Bosch on the page is going to like him on screen too. Titus Welliver is perfectly cast and viewers are going to be drawn to him whether they’ve read the books or not.”

“With its high production values, star-studded cast and huge fan base already established from the book franchise – Bosch will be the crime drama series of 2015!” added Henrik Pabst, Managing Director at Red Arrow International.

Other guest stars in Bosch include Veronica Cartwright (Resurrection) as Irene Saxon, Abraham Benrubi (The Bridge) as Rodney Belk, Mark Derwin (The Secret Life of the American Teenager) as Captain Harvey Pounds, Mimi Rogers (Austin Powers) as Honey Chandler, and Alan Rosenberg (The Guardian) as Dr. Golliher. The series is co-Executive Produced by Pieter Jan Brugge (Heat, The Pelican Brief) and Produced by Pat McKee (Longmire) and Rachel Rusch (Bill Maher: The Decider). Episodes were directed by Jim McKay, Kevin Dowling, Ernest Dickerson, Roxann Dawson, Matt Earl Beesley, Alex Zakrzewski and Thomas Carter.

About Amazon Studios

Amazon Studios most recently debuted its dramatic comedy Mozart in the Jungle from Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, Paul Weitz, John Strauss and Alex Timbers as well as Jill Soloway’s multi-Golden Globe Award-winning dark comedy Transparent; its first live-action series for kids 6-11, Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street; and a second season of the Garry Trudeau political comedy Alpha House. The studio has also launched three additional children’s series, the Annecy International Animated Film Festival Award-winning and Annie Award-nominated Tumble Leaf from Bix Pix Entertainment; Creative Galaxy from Angela Santomero and Out of the Blue Enterprises, the creators of Blue’s Clues; and Annedroids, from Emmy nominated Sinking Ship Entertainment.

Amazon Studios has also announced five additional, original series to debut in 2015 including Michael Connelly’s Bosch; Hand of God from Marc Forster and Ben Watkins; Red Oaks from Steven Soderbergh, David Gordon Green, Greg Jacobs and Joe Gangemi; and kids series Wishenpoof! from Angela Santomero and Out of the Blue Enterprises; as well as a second season of Transparent.

Amazon Studios launched in 2010 as a new way to develop feature films and episodic series—one that’s open to great ideas from creators and audiences around the world. Anyone can upload a script online and Amazon Studios will read and review all submissions. Those who choose to make their projects public can also receive feedback from the Amazon Studios community.

Comprehensive cast and crew information, including bios and filmographies, is available on Amazon’s IMDb (www.imdb.com), the world’s most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content.

About Amazon

Amazon.com opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire phone, Fire tablets, and Fire TV are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.

About Red Arrow International

Red Arrow International is a leading worldwide programming sales-house with a broad selection of scripted, factual and format titles from Red Arrow’s global portfolio of production companies, outstanding third-party creators and digital-content partners.

In addition, Red Arrow International is a prolific co-producer and provides substantial production financing to a wide array of highly acclaimed scripted and non-scripted projects. Recent global highlights include: “Bosch” (Amazon), “Lilyhammer” (Netflix); “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers” (NBC), and “The Taste” (ABC).

With offices in Munich, Los Angeles and Hong Kong, the company has a global reach and distributes content to over 180 territories around the world.

Led by Henrik Pabst, Red Arrow International is part of Red Arrow Entertainment Group, which also includes 13 production companies across 7 countries; Los Angeles based MCN, Collective Digital Studios; and creative partnerships and joint ventures with STV, Screenz, Sync Media and United Artists Media Group (Mark Burnett / Hearst).

Red Arrow Entertainment Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of the ProSiebenSat.1 Group, one of Europe’s leading media groups.

SEATTLE– Amazon today announced a deal to bring Steven Soderbergh’s newest film to Prime Video customers during its exclusive first-run US streaming window. Logan Lucky will hit theaters on August 18, 2017 and is expected to be released on Prime Video during the first quarter of 2018. Additionally, Amazon has signed an exclusive two-year first-look deal with Fingerprint Releasing on its theatrical film projects. Fingerprint is the new US film distributor formed by Soderbergh and piloted by Dan Fellman, former long-time President of Domestic Distribution for Warner Bros., with Amazon providing strategic P&A financing to augment the marketing of Fingerprint’s theatrical releases.

Says Soderbergh, the Oscar- and Emmy-winning director known for box office and critical successes such as Ocean’s Eleven, Erin Brockovich and Magic Mike, “The deal with Amazon is the final, crucial piece of the puzzle. The scale of this endeavor required a fearless, flexible co-conspirator, and Amazon has shown they have the appetite and vision to help us navigate these semi-unchartered waters. I’m both relieved and excited, which is one of my favorite states of being.”

“We’re thrilled to be working with the Fingerprint Releasing team,” said Jason Ropell, Amazon’s Vice President of World Wide Movies. “The combination of a pioneering director, a compelling script and an A-list cast made this an easy decision. We strive to work with partners who bring innovative ideas to our service; with Fingerprint Releasing, Steven is creating a new paradigm for indies which can seriously compete with major studios on director and star-driven projects, and we’re excited to support that vision.”

Other companies partnering with Fingerprint on the film’s US distribution include Bleecker Street and Universal Home Entertainment. Milan Records will be distributing the film’s soundtrack album. FilmNation Entertainment is handling the film’s international deals.

Logan Lucky was written by Rebecca Blunt, produced by Gregory Jacobs, Mark Johnson, Reid Carolin and Channing Tatum, and executive produced by Michael Polaire, Dan Fellman, and NASCAR’s Zane Stoddard. Trying to reverse the infamous Logan Family Curse, brothers Jimmy Logan (Channing Tatum) and Clyde Logan (Adam Driver), along with sister Mellie Logan (Riley Keough) hook up with accomplice Joe Bang (Daniel Craig) to execute an impossibly elaborate robbery during the Coca-Cola 600, the biggest NASCAR race of the year. In addition to Tatum, Craig, Driver, MacFarlane, Swank, Keough, Waterston, Holmes and Stan, Logan Lucky also stars Dwight Yoakam (Amazon Original Goliath), David Denman (13 Hours), Macon Blair (Gold), Jack Quaid (The Hunger Games) and Brian Gleeson (Snow White and the Huntsman) and features cameos from six NASCAR drivers.

About Amazon Video
Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers customers the greatest choice in what to watch, and how to watch it. Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:

Prime Video: Thousands of movies and TV shows, including popular licensed content plus critically-acclaimed and award-winning Amazon Original Series and Movies from Amazon Studios like Transparent, The Man in the High Castle, Love & Friendship and kids series Tumble Leaf, available for unlimited streaming as part of an Amazon Prime membership. Prime Video is also now available to customers in more than 200 countries and territories around the globe at www.primevideo.com.
Amazon Channels: Over 100 channel subscriptions that Prime members can add to their membership, including HBO, SHOWTIME, STARZ, Cinemax, PBS KIDS, Acorn TV and more, plus Anime Strike – the first curated on-demand subscription by Amazon Channels. To view the full list of channels available, visit www.amazon.com/channels

Rent or Own: Hundreds of thousands of titles, including new-release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental or purchase for all Amazon customers
Instant Access: Instantly watch anytime, anywhere through the Amazon Video app on TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online. For a list of all compatible devices visit www.amazon.com/howtostream
Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range (HDR) and mobile downloads for offline viewing of select content

In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited fast free shipping options across all categories available on Amazon, more than two million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with Prime Music, secure photo storage with Prime Photos, unlimited reading with Prime Reading, unlimited access to a digital audiobook catalogue with Audible Channels for Prime, a rotating selection of free digital games and in-game loot with Twitch Prime, early access to select Lightning Deals, exclusive access and discounts to select items, and more. To sign-up for Prime or to find out more visit: www.amazon.com/prime.

About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about and follow @AmazonNews.

SEATTLE — Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Twitch Interactive, Inc., the leading live video platform for gamers. In July, more than 55 million unique visitors viewed more than 15 billion minutes of content on Twitch produced by more than 1 million broadcasters, including individual gamers, pro players, publishers, developers, media outlets, conventions and stadium-filling esports organizations.

“Broadcasting and watching gameplay is a global phenomenon and Twitch has built a platform that brings together tens of millions of people who watch billions of minutes of games each month – from The International, to breaking the world record for Mario, to gaming conferences like E3. And, amazingly, Twitch is only three years old,” said Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com. “Like Twitch, we obsess over customers and like to think differently, and we look forward to learning from them and helping them move even faster to build new services for the gaming community.”

“Amazon and Twitch optimize for our customers first and are both believers in the future of gaming,” said Twitch CEO Emmett Shear. “Being part of Amazon will let us do even more for our community. We will be able to create tools and services faster than we could have independently. This change will mean great things for our community, and will let us bring Twitch to even more people around the world.”

Twitch launched in June 2011 to focus exclusively on live video for gamers. Under the terms of the agreement, which has been approved by Twitch’s shareholders, Amazon will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Twitch for approximately $970 million in cash, as adjusted for the assumption of options and other items. Subject to customary closing conditions, the acquisition is expected to close in the second half of 2014.

About Amazon.com
Amazon opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by three principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire phone, Fire tablets, and Fire TV are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon.

About Twitch
Twitch is the leading live video platform and community for gamers where more than 55 million have gathered to broadcast, watch and talk about video games. Twitch’s video platform is the backbone of both live and on-demand distribution for the entire video game ecosystem. This includes game developers, publishers, media outlets, events, user generated content and the entire esports scene. In February 2014, The Wall Street Journal ranked Twitch as the 4th largest website in terms of peak internet traffic in the U.S., fortifying the brand as an entertainment industry leader and the epicenter of social video for gamers. For more information, visit: www.twitch.tv

LEAWOOD, Kan.- AMC Theatres (AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc.) (NYSE: AMC) (“AMC”) announced today that it has entered into an amended and restated merger agreement pursuant to which AMC will acquire all outstanding shares of Carmike Cinemas, Inc. (NASDAQ: CKEC) (“Carmike”) for $33.06 per share in cash and stock. The amended merger agreement represents AMC’s “best and final” offer. The revised offer provides an additional $3.06 per share or 10.2% more than the previous offer. Carmike stockholders can elect to receive $33.06 in cash or 1.0819 AMC shares per Carmike share, subject to a customary proration mechanism to achieve an aggregate consideration mix of 70% cash and 30% in shares of AMC stock. The revised offer represents an approximate 32% premium to Carmike’s March 3, 2016, closing stock price. Based on the closing trading price of AMC’s common stock on the New York Stock Exchange on July 22, 2016, the transaction is valued at approximately $1.2 billion, including the assumption of Carmike net indebtedness.

Adam Aron, CEO and President of AMC, said, “We continue to believe that the proposed merger between AMC and Carmike is a compelling opportunity that offers significant value to both companies’ shareholders. Accordingly, after substantial and extended negotiation with Carmike, we have increased our offer to an approximate 32% premium over the unaffected share price on March 3, 2016, and have incorporated AMC shares as a significant portion of the consideration for this transaction. This will enable Carmike shareholders to participate in the future upside potential of this attractive combination of complementary theatre exhibitors. This is particularly true when also considering AMC’s announced acquisition of Odeon & UCI Cinemas in Europe. By broadening AMC’s geographic and demographic base for delivering our groundbreaking guest experience innovations, AMC is poised to deliver the best possible movie experience to more movie-goers than ever before.”

Aron remarked, “Some Carmike stockholders may still oppose this transaction because of published analysis that we believe is materially flawed. For example, movie theatre transactions in Europe and Asia/Pacific are erroneously cited as comparables for the Carmike purchase, even though the major U.S.-based theatre operators trade every day on U.S. exchanges at considerably lower multiples. As another example, some take AMC’s tax NOL’s and apply them to the Carmike transaction, even though we have alternate uses for these credits. As such, they understate the incremental cash tax cost to AMC. Similarly ignored are the sizable transaction and company integration costs, as well as the leakage that will occur with the theatres that AMC is forced to divest after regulatory review.”

Aron further added, “For absolute clarity, let there be zero room for doubt or miscalculation. This latest agreement between AMC and Carmike is our best and final offer for Carmike. While we would like this transaction to go forward, we are fully prepared to focus instead only on the improving fortunes of AMC and on our Odeon & UCI acquisition in Europe if a majority of Carmike shareholders do not find this revised offer attractive. In our view it would be very unfortunate if this transaction were to break which would deprive Carmike stockholders of the approximate 32% premium that AMC is offering.”

Key Benefits of the Transaction
The transaction is expected to produce annual cost synergies of approximately $35 million. Other key benefits of the transaction include: Diversifying AMC’s footprint by adding theatres with complementary geographic and guest demographic profiles that strengthen the combined company’s admissions growth potential with limited geographic overlap;
The reduction of related General and Administrative expenses by combining back-of-the-house functions such as accounting, finance and technology. The result is a more efficient and effective competitor through greater scale, scope and expertise. The combined company will be headquartered in Leawood, Kansas. Adam Aron will serve as Chief Executive Officer and President, and Craig Ramsey will serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer;
The expansion of AMC’s proven and successful guest experience strategies to millions of new guests in complementary markets;
Combined with AMC’s announced acquisition of Odeon & UCI Cinemas in Europe, this transaction further increases AMC’s world’s largest movie theatre platform;
Expects to maintain quarterly dividend;
The receipt of substantial additional value in NCM LLC, a subsidiary of National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI), subject to taxes and make whole payments.
Approvals and Timing

The revised offer was approved by both Boards of Directors of AMC and Carmike, respectively.

The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of 2016, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval and approval by Carmike’s shareholders.

About AMC Theatres
AMC (NYSE: AMC) is the guest experience leader with 385 locations and 5,380 screens located primarily in the United States. AMC has propelled innovation in the theatrical exhibition industry and continues today by delivering more comfort and convenience, enhanced food & beverage, greater engagement and loyalty, premium sight & sound, and targeted programming. AMC operates the most productive theatres in the country’s top markets, including No. 1 market share in the top three markets (NY, LA, Chicago) www.amctheatres.com.

LEAWOOD, Kan. & COLUMBUS, Ga.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– AMC Theatres (AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc.) (NYSE: AMC) (“AMC”) and Carmike Cinemas, Inc. (NASDAQ: CKEC) (“Carmike”) announced today they have entered into a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which AMC will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Carmike for $30.00 per share in cash. The transaction is valued at approximately $1.1 billion, including the assumption of Carmike net indebtedness. The purchase price per screen is approximately $376,000, and the per share purchase price represents an approximate 19.47% premium to Carmike’s March 3, 2016 closing stock price.

The Combined Company After Closing the Transaction
AMC is one of the nation’s premier entertainment companies with 5,426 screens and the most productive theatres in the country’s top markets. Carmike, America’s hometown theatre circuit, has 2,954 screens, primarily located in mid-size, non-urban communities. Together AMC and Carmike would have well over 600 theatre locations in 45 states across the country, including the District of Columbia. The transaction is expected to provide significant growth for AMC and will allow it to bring its innovative amenities and best-in-class customer experience to enhance the movie-going experience for more customers in more areas.

Key Benefits of the Transaction
The transaction is expected to result in free cash flow per share accretion, exclusive of one-time transaction-related charges, in 2017 and beyond, and is expected to produce annual cost synergies of approximately $35 million. Other key benefits of the transaction include:

Diversifying AMC’s footprint by adding theatres with complementary geographic and guest demographic profiles that strengthen the combined company’s admissions growth potential with limited geographic overlap;
Expanding AMC’s proven and successful guest experience strategies to millions of new guests in complementary markets;
Reducing related General and Administrative expenses by combining back-of-the-house functions such as accounting, finance and technology. The result is a more efficient and effective competitor through greater scale, scope and expertise. The combined company will be headquartered in Leawood, Kansas. Adam Aron will serve as Chief Executive Officer and President, and Craig Ramsey will serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer;
The maintenance of AMC’s quarterly dividend;
The maintenance of AMC’s balance sheet flexibility and attractive leverage profile; and
AMC’s receiving substantial additional value in NCM LLC, a subsidiary of National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI).
Commenting on the transaction, AMC Chief Executive Officer and President, Adam Aron said, “This is a compelling transaction that brings together two great companies with complementary strengths to create substantial value for our guests and shareholders. Through this transaction we expect to unlock synergies, sufficient we believe to make this transaction accretive in 2017. AMC also gets to extend the reach of our innovative, guest-experience strategies to further transform the movie-going experience for millions of new guests. We also look forward to welcoming so many talented Carmike employees to the AMC team.”

“Our combination with AMC is a transformative milestone for Carmike and one that provides significant value to Carmike shareholders,” stated David Passman, Carmike President and Chief Executive Officer. “By joining with AMC, we are bringing together two highly complementary theatre footprints and a shared commitment to service and innovation, positioning the combined company to deliver an even more compelling movie-going experience in many more locations across the country. I am proud of the Carmike employees whose dedication and hard work have made this combination and its many benefits possible. We look forward to working together with the AMC team to complete the transaction and to ensure a seamless transition.”

Aron added, “By broadening AMC’s geographic and demographic base for delivering our groundbreaking guest experience innovations in comfort and convenience — such as plush power-recliners, enhanced food and beverage, premium sight and sound, greater guest engagement and targeted programming — AMC is poised to deliver the best possible movie experience to more movie-goers than ever before.”

Approvals and Timing
The transaction was approved by both Boards of Directors of AMC and Carmike, respectively.

The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of 2016, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval and approval by Carmike’s shareholders.

Additional Details
The transaction, which has fully committed financing in place, will be funded through a combination of existing liquidity, including cash on hand, and incremental debt. The debt financing commitment is being provided by Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (“Citi”).

Citi is serving as exclusive financial advisor to AMC and Husch Blackwell LLP is serving as AMC’s lead legal advisor. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is serving as exclusive financial advisor and provided a fairness opinion to Carmike. King & Spalding LLP is acting as legal counsel to Carmike.

About AMC Theatres
AMC (NYSE: AMC) is the guest experience leader with 387 locations and 5,426 screens located primarily in the United States. AMC has propelled innovation in the theatrical exhibition industry and continues today by delivering more comfort and convenience, enhanced food & beverage, greater engagement and loyalty, premium sight & sound, and targeted programming. AMC operates the most productive theatres in the country’s top markets, including No. 1 market share in the top three markets (NY, LA, Chicago) www.amctheatres.com.

About Carmike Cinemas
Carmike Cinemas, Inc. is a U.S. leader in digital cinema, 3-D cinema deployments and alternative programming and is one of the nation’s largest motion picture exhibitors. Carmike has 276 theatres with 2,954 screens in 41 states. The circuit includes 55 premium large format (PLF) auditoriums featuring state-of-the-art technology and luxurious seating, including 32 “BigDs,” 21 IMAX auditoriums and two MuviXL screens. As “America’s Hometown Theatre Chain” Carmike’s primary focus is mid-sized communities. Visit www.carmike.com for more information.

Universal Studios and American Express today announced an expanded multi-year agreement that brings the strength of Universal’s theme parks and filmed entertainment together with the premier brand of American Express to create exclusive consumer benefits and experiences. The agreement also enables American Express, for the first time, to acquire new Card Members directly through Universal theme parks and web sites.

While American Express and Universal have worked together since 2008, this expanded partnership presents new and innovative marketing opportunities for both companies. The partnership will now include marketing opportunities that leverage Universal Pictures’ retail partners, consumer licensing and digital media platforms on a global basis. American Express now has the first opportunity among payment services providers to participate in product placement and co-promotion on Universal Pictures’ films. Universal and American Express will also work together to offer Universal’s assets, including special holiday and seasonal theme park events, film premieres and VIP screenings of select Universal films, to eligible American Express Card Members and prospects worldwide. The partnership will continue to set the stage for ongoing offers and promotions for anyone holding an American Express Card, ranging from discounts at the theme parks to special once-in-a-lifetime entertainment experiences.

“With this partnership we are maximizing the assets of two iconic brands: American Express, one of the world’s premier payment companies, and Universal Studios, a leading media and destination-based entertainment company,” said Stephanie Sperber, President, Universal Partnerships & Licensing. “The continuation of this alliance provides Universal with an endless range of potential marketing opportunities, of which the consumer is the ultimate beneficiary.”

“The expanded partnership is about membership, providing special access along with exciting on-site and online offers for our Card Members. It also presents a unique opportunity in the marketplace for both our brands,” said Suzan Kereere, Senior Vice President, Merchant Services Americas, American Express. “This is a great example of how a strategic merchant relationship can deliver exceptional benefits and experiences for our joint customers.”

The agreement will offer a wide range of exclusive benefits for Card Members, including:

Select discounts on in-park merchandise, food and beverage purchases made with their American Express Card;
Access to exclusive American Express VIP lounges with the purchase of a Multi-Park ticket or Annual Pass at Universal Orlando Resort and with the purchase of a VIP Experience or Front-of-the-Line Pass at Universal Studios Hollywood; lounges provide guests with a relaxing environment to plan the rest of their day, as well as enjoy complimentary beverages and snacks;
Exclusive experiences including tickets to Universal Pictures’ film premieres, private VIP preview screenings of select Universal films and dedicated viewing areas for some park special events;
Rich incentives & offers for approved new applicants applying for an American Express Card at Universal theme parks and on their websites.
American Express Card Members can visit Universal’s theme park websites or guest services in the parks to learn more about current park offers. Or you can also learn more by visiting: https://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Park-Tickets/Special-Offers/American-Express.aspx.

Universal Parks & Resorts
Universal Parks & Resorts (UPR), a unit of Comcast Corporation’s NBCUniversal, encompasses today’s most relevant and popular entertainment experiences, creating emotional connections with guests around the world. Each year, millions of guests visit UPR theme parks to experience thrilling, world-famous attractions that use ground-breaking technology that cannot be found anywhere else. Universal Studios is a globally respected and internationally renowned theme park brand. With three-time Academy Award® winner, Steven Spielberg as creative consultant, its theme parks are known for some of most thrilling and technologically advanced “ride-the-movies,” motion picture and television show-based attractions.

NBCUniversal wholly owns Universal Studios Hollywood, which includes Universal CityWalk Hollywood, featuring over 65 retail, dining and entertainment venues. It also owns Universal Orlando Resort, a world-class destination resort featuring two parks (Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure), three premier resort hotels, and Universal CityWalk Orlando, a 30-acre dining, shopping and entertainment complex. NBCUniversal also has license agreements with Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, Japan; Port Aventura near Barcelona, Spain; and Universal Studios Singapore at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore. In addition, UPR has announced a prospective Universal Studios theme park resort near Seoul, South Korea.

Learn more about Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood at https://www.universalorlando.comand http://www.universalstudioshollywood.com. Connect on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/UniversalOrlandoResort or https://www.facebook.com/UniversalStudiosHollywood.

Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures is a division of Universal Studios (www.universalstudios.com). Universal Studios is part of NBCUniversal. NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group and world-renowned theme parks. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

About American Express
American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success.

This news is courtesy of www.americanexpress.com

PARIS and BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – Marseille, an eight episode tale of power, corruption and redemption set against the rich backdrop of the French port city, will debut exclusively in all Netflix territories in late 2015.

The first French production from the world’s leading Internet TV Network, Marseille focuses on the story of Robert Taro, mayor of the city for 25 years. The coming elections have him face the man he chose as his heir, an ambitious youngster aiming high. Both candidates will fight mercilessly. Marseille stages a fight around revenge, animated by drug lords, politicians, unions and the political players of the city.

Shot entirely in France, Marseille is created and written by Dan Franck, writer of La Séparation and Les Hommes de l’ombre and co-writer of Carlos, which won a Golden Globe for best miniseries and a Cesar for most promising actor, Edgar Ramirez, and was nominated for 36 international awards, including two Emmys.

Directing the first two episodes of Marseille will be Florent-Emilio Siri, director of the Cesar-nominated theatrical hits Cloclo and L’Ennemi Intime. Also directing will be Sundance Award-winning filmmaker Samuel Benchetrit (“J’ai toujours rêvé d’être un gangster”)

Marseille is produced by Paris-based Federation Entertainment, led by Pascal Breton, producer of the hit French series Dolmen and Sous le Soleil.

“Creating a series for an enormous audience and without any constraints will let us push to its limits a story about the Shakespearean theater of politics in a city where Alexandre Dumas and Jean-Claude Izzo, among others, have planted many spears,” said Dan Franck. “Netflix has given us a blank page to create a “House of Cards” in French that breaks through unspoken hypocrisy. This is a writer’s dream and a great opportunity for French producers and creators to enter a new world.”

“Movies today sacrifice a lot to almighty pacing and often lose the essential: the characters. Current TV series do exactly the opposite, they stretch time and work characters in depth with all their complexities and contradictions. That’s what makes for their success,” said Florent-Emilio Siri. “The movie business in France today confines itself to comedy or what is called ‘author cinema.’ TV series give movie directors the potential of a new opportunity to be able to explore and express their talents within the full extent of their art. This is why I’m really eager to work on Marseille.”

Added Samuel Benchetrit: “I’m incredibly excited and honored to work on Marseille and to create an original series that will be powerful and unique. Working with Netflix is a great opportunity for artists and creators, it democratizes movies and series in France and globally.”

Producer Pascal Breton said: “Marseille will take the audience right into the political arena where the old regime of traditional politicians are getting ready to face the younger generation of predators, thugs, and sometimes their own heirs. Netflix is giving us the perfect opportunity to tell this story from a uniquely French viewpoint, in association with some of France’s best writers and directors. Produced entirely in France, Marseille has the potential to become one of the most gripping television events of the coming years.”

“Marseille is an ambitious, diabolically smart fictitious exploration of local politics in one of the world’s most vibrant and fascinating cities.” said Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos. “We are delighted to be working with some of the best storytellers in France to deliver a series that erases the line between film and television.”

Production is expected to start in spring of 2015 with the series debut everywhere Netflix is available in late 2015.

About Federation Entertainment:Based in Paris, Federation Entertainment is a fully-integrated television production and distribution mini-studio comprised of exclusive partnerships with some of the most renowned executives, producers and showrunners in global entertainment. Established by leading French entertainment executive Pascal Breton, the company represents a new model for the creation, production, distribution, deficit financing and marketing of high quality original television series programming and motion pictures for the global marketplace

About Netflix Netflix is the world’s leading Internet television network with over 50 million members in more than 40 countries enjoying more than one billion hours of TV shows and movies per month, including original series. For a low monthly price, Netflix members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.

LONDON ―Apple® today announced that Maroon 5, Pharrell Williams, Beck, Sam Smith, Blondie, Kylie, David Guetta, 5 Seconds of Summer, Calvin Harris, Chrissie Hynde and many more of the world’s biggest artists will be headlining this year’s iTunes® Festival. Returning to the UK for an eighth year―following a week of incredible live performances in March at SXSW―the iTunes Festival will feature over 60 acts throughout September at the legendary Roundhouse. iTunes performances can be watched live or on-demand by millions of iOS users around the world on their iPhone®, iPad® or iPod touch® and iTunes on their computer or in stunning HD with Apple TV®. Tickets are free for competition winners only.

“The iTunes Festival in London is back with another stunning line-up of world class performers and tremendous new acts,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “These live shows capture the heart and soul of iTunes and we love bringing them to our customers in the Roundhouse, as well as to the millions of people watching all over the world for free.”

Music fans from across the world can win tickets to the iTunes Festival through competitions run by local media partners. In the UK, fans can win tickets by entering ballots on iTunes, as well as through select media partners including Global Radio and the London Evening Standard.

Since the inaugural Festival at London’s Institute for Contemporary Arts in 2007, over 430 artists have performed in front of more than 430,000 fans and tens of millions more online and on-demand. Now in its eighth year, the iTunes Festival has played host to performers including Adele, Coldplay, Elton John, Foo Fighters, Justin Timberlake, Kings of Leon, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Muse, Sir Paul McCartney and many, many more.

For updates, tickets and additional information, please visit: www.iTunesFestival.com, or join the conversation @iTunesfestival and #iTunesfestival.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

LONDON ― Apple® today announced the Apple Music® Festival will return to London’s legendary Roundhouse this September for a 10th anniversary celebration of live music, curated exclusively by Apple Music for fans around the world.

The full lineup was announced today by Julie Adenuga, the London voice of Beats 1®, an Apple Music radio station that celebrates the best new music every day. Apple Music lets fans get even closer to their favorite performers during the Apple Music Festival with exclusive playlists, artist news and backstage interviews throughout September. The 10 spectacular nights of live performances will be made available live and on-demand to Apple Music members in 100 countries on their iPhone®, iPad®, iPod touch®, Mac®, PC, Apple TV® and Android phones.

“Over the past decade, the Festival has brought the biggest and best artists from all over the world to London and into the homes of millions of music fans,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of International Content. “This year’s Apple Music Festival builds on that incredible legacy and we couldn’t be more excited to have another amazing lineup to celebrate our 10th birthday.”

Artists performing at the upcoming Apple Music Festival shared their excitement:

“I love London and performing at the Roundhouse! I can’t wait to see you there. It’s going to be magic!” – Alicia Keys

“We’re massively excited to play Apple Music Festival for many reasons, but mainly because it’ll be our first proper London show after the release of our new album, ‘Wild World.’” “The Roundhouse is such a beautiful venue and it’s in our hometown, so I can’t think of a better place to play a bunch of new songs for the first time.” – Bastille

“I’m so excited to go back to London, which is a special place for me to visit and I’m really looking forward to performing at the Apple Music Festival. It’s also their 10th birthday! It’s going to be a great party.” – Britney Spears

“I’m very excited to be headlining at this year’s Apple Music Festival at the Roundhouse in London, and for everyone around the world to be able to watch it live on Apple Music.” – Calvin Harris

“I am so excited to be playing at the Roundhouse. I love London and can’t wait to share this fantastic experience at the Apple Music Festival with my fans.” – Elton John

“We are looking forward to returning to the iconic Roundhouse this year to play one of our favorite festivals, the Apple Music Festival, and perform new music for our fans!” – OneRepublic

“We’re really looking forward to being a part of this year’s Apple Music Festival. We loved playing at The Roundhouse for the 2013 Festival and are excited to be heading back this year.” – The 1975

Apple Music Festival runs from September 18 to September 30. Fans based in the UK can apply to win tickets by entering prize draws on Apple Music, as well as through select media partners.

Apple Music is a single, intuitive app that combines the best ways to enjoy music—all in one place. Over 15 million paying subscribers are already enjoying hand-picked playlists based on the music they love, hearing new music first before anyone else and discovering new artists every day.

For updates and additional information, visit www.applemusicfestival.com or join the conversation using #AMF10 on the official Apple Music social media channels.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apple’s four software platforms — iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple’s 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

Cupertino, California — Apple today announced Apple TV+, the new home for the world’s most creative storytellers featuring exclusive original shows, movies and documentaries, coming this fall. Apple TV+, Apple’s original video subscription service, will feature a brand new slate of programming from the world’s most celebrated creative artists, including Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Octavia Spencer, J.J. Abrams, Jason Momoa, M. Night Shyamalan, Jon M. Chu and more. On the Apple TV app, subscribers will enjoy inspiring and authentic stories with emotional depth and compelling characters from all walks of life, ad-free and on demand.

“We’re honored that the absolute best lineup of storytellers in the world — both in front of and behind the camera — are coming to Apple TV+,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “We’re thrilled to give viewers a sneak peek of Apple TV+ and cannot wait for them to tune in starting this fall. Apple TV+ will be home to some of the highest quality original storytelling that TV and movie lovers have seen yet.”

Additionally, Apple debuted the all-new Apple TV app and Apple TV channels coming in May 2019. The all-new Apple TV app brings together the different ways to discover and watch shows, movies, sports, news and more in one app across iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, smart TVs and streaming devices. Users can subscribe to and watch new Apple TV channels — paying for only services they want, like HBO, SHOWTIME and Starz — all on demand, available on and offline, with incredible picture quality and sound; enjoy sports, news and network TV from cable and satellite providers as well as purchase or rent iTunes movies and TV shows all within the new, personalized Apple TV app.

Beginning in May, customers can subscribe to Apple TV channels à la carte and watch them in the Apple TV app, with no additional apps, accounts or passwords required. Apple TV channels include popular services such as HBO, Starz, SHOWTIME, CBS All Access, Smithsonian Channel, EPIX, Tastemade, Noggin and new services like MTV Hits, with more to be added over time around the world.

The new Apple TV app personalizes what viewers love to watch across their existing apps and services while developing a secure and comprehensive understanding of users’ viewing interests. The app will offer suggestions for shows and movies from over 150 streaming apps, including Amazon Prime and Hulu, as well as pay-TV services such as Canal+, Charter Spectrum, DIRECTV NOW and PlayStation Vue. Optimum and Suddenlink from Altice will be added later this year.1

Additionally, the Apple TV app will become the new home to the hundreds of thousands of movies and TV shows currently available for purchase or rent in the iTunes Store.

Availability
Pricing and availability for the Apple TV+ video subscription service will be announced later this fall.
The all-new Apple TV app is coming to iPhone, iPad and Apple TV customers in over 100 countries with a free software update this May, and to Mac this fall.
Through Family Sharing, users can share Apple TV+ and subscriptions to Apple TV channels.
The Apple TV app will be available on Samsung smart TVs beginning this spring and on Amazon Fire TV, LG, Roku, Sony and VIZIO platforms in the future.
Later this year, customers with eligible VIZIO, Samsung, LG and Sony smart TVs will be able to effortlessly play videos and other content from their iPhone or iPad directly to their smart TVs with AirPlay 2 support.

Apple has unveiled its Best of 2016 lists, celebrating the best and most downloaded apps, music, movies, TV shows, books and podcasts across the App Store, iTunes and iBooks.

Showcasing editorial selections and top-selling and most downloaded charts, Apple’s Best of 2016 highlights the talented artists, storytellers and developers who are entertaining Apple customers around the world.

On Apple Music, Drake dominates the top song and album spots with “One Dance” and Views, respectively, while the Hamilton soundtrack is also a top-selling album. The Chainsmokers have two of the top 10 songs this year, and music fans still can’t get enough of Adele’s 25, Rihanna’s ANTI and Frank Ocean’s Blonde. The Beats 1 team will be counting down the biggest songs on the station in 2016 with a special Best of Beats 1 show on December 7. The Best of Beats 1 playlist will also be available on Apple Music and feature Christine And The Queens, Kiiara, The 1975, Kanye West, Solange, The Weeknd, DJ Khaled and more.

App Store editors reveal their App of the Year picks for 2016, including Prisma for iPhone, Sketchbook Motion for iPad, Twitter for Apple TV, MySwimPro – Personal Swim Trainer for Apple Watch and Bear for Mac. Game of the Year selections include Clash Royale for iPhone, Severed for iPad, Riptide GP: Renegade for Apple TV, Field Day for Apple Watch and Life Is Strange for Mac.

Snapchat is the most downloaded free iPhone app, while the craze of the summer, Pokémon GO, unsurprisingly lands on both the iPhone and iPad charts. The top paid iPhone apps cover a range of categories, with FaceTune, Heads Up!, 7 Minute Workout Challenge, KIMOJI, Geometry Dash and Face Swap Live among the top 10. Minecraft: Pocket Edition is the most downloaded paid iPad app, while YouTube is the top free iPad app.

The editors of iTunes Movies recognize inventive films like La La Land, Moonlight, Zootopia and Sing Street, and the top-selling charts feature huge blockbuster hits to buzzworthy indie titles, from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Deadpool to Spotlight and The Hateful Eight.

iTunes TV’s top editorial picks include groundbreaking shows like Full Frontal with Samantha Bee and Atlanta, while longtime TV favorites Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead and Downton Abbey are top sellers.

Podcasts hit an impressive milestone in 2016: globally, Apple listeners consumed over 10 billion downloads and streams over the past 12 months via iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and desktop. Fresh Air from NPR is the top downloaded podcast of the year.

This year’s editorial selections on iBooks include powerful titles, such as Homegoing, Evicted, Born to Run and If I Was Your Girl. The Girl on the Train is the top-seller in fiction and audiobooks, while readers continue to be moved by When Breath Becomes Air, the best-selling nonfiction title.

Overall, the Best of 2016 spotlights the fan-favorite entertainment that Apple customers couldn’t get enough of this year, while also celebrating the breadth and depth of creativity across the App Store, iTunes and iBooks.

Later this year AT&T1 plans to launch the ability for you to access and stream DIRECTV video services over a wired or wireless Internet connection from any provider and from virtually any device – smartphone, tablet, Smart TV, streaming media hardware or PC.

Our 3 new affordable video offers will be designed for customers looking for premium content with choice and flexibility in what they want to watch and how they want to watch it. We plan for each service to come with a set number of simultaneous sessions. Also, these services will not require annual contracts, satellite dishes or set-top boxes.

Customers can expect to see these 3 new streaming options beginning in 4Q 2016:

DIRECTV Now
The company plans to offer a range of content packages, including much of what is available from DIRECTV today — on-demand and live programming from many networks, plus premium add-on options. Customers will be able to access the service over a wired or wireless Internet connection and on Internet-enabled devices. Consumers can simply sign-up for the service, download the app and begin watching.

DIRECTV Mobile
This affordable offer will deliver a mobile-first user experience for people wanting to watch premium video and made-for-digital content directly on a smartphone, regardless of the wireless provider. Consumers can start watching video immediately after the same simple sign-up and app-download process.

DIRECTV Preview
This free offer for anyone with a wired or wireless Internet connection will feature some of the quality programming available on DIRECTV today. The tailored ad-supported service will showcase content from AT&T’s AUDIENCE Network, many networks and other content sources, and millennial-focused video from Otter Media, a joint venture of AT&T and The Chernin Group.

“These new video subscription models reflect the flexible content choices, viewing options and simple, transparent pricing that consumers want. AT&T intends to be the first company to deliver that flexibility, along with an effortless customer experience,” said John Stankey, CEO – AT&T Entertainment Group. “These offers will provide a broad range of customers with greater freedom and choice to watch, binge and even buy premium content, regardless of how and where they enjoy their entertainment.

“We are looking at these offerings differently than others in the market. We often hear from customers who want more content from streaming services, or who can’t get or can’t afford a traditional pay-TV service,” Stankey said. “We intend to offer customers a quality pay-TV experience, including top channels, sports and more, with increased value and flexibility of pure online streaming and no need for home installation.”

AT&T is a leader in video streamed over the Internet. We serve more than 60 million streams and downloads to our TV customers each month. Today more than 60 percent of our network traffic is video.

AT&T will continue to provide DIRECTV’s premium satellite TV entertainment service, which includes its industry-leading lineup of live and on-demand programming choices and optional add-ons such as HBO, Showtime and its exclusive NFL Sunday Ticket Package. Customers will be able to access their programming on virtually all mobile devices, as they have been able to do for many years. AT&T also will continue to offer its U-verse TV and Internet service.

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) and Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) today announced a definitive agreement to combine WarnerMedia’s premium entertainment, sports and news assets with Discovery’s leading nonfiction and international entertainment and sports businesses to create a premier, standalone global entertainment company.

Under the terms of the agreement, which is structured as an all-stock, Reverse Morris Trust transaction, AT&T would receive $43 billion (subject to adjustment) in a combination of cash, debt securities, and WarnerMedia’s retention of certain debt, and AT&T’s shareholders would receive stock representing 71% of the new company; Discovery shareholders would own 29% of the new company. The Boards of Directors of both AT&T and Discovery have approved the transaction.

The companies expect the transaction will create substantial value for AT&T and Discovery shareholders by:

Bringing together the strongest leadership teams, content creators, and high-quality series and film libraries in the media business.
Accelerating both companies’ plans for leading direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming services for global consumers.
Uniting complementary and diverse content strengths with broad appeal — WarnerMedia’s robust studios and portfolio of iconic scripted entertainment, animation, news and sports with Discovery’s global leadership in unscripted and international entertainment and sports.
Forming a new company that will have significant scale and investment resources with projected 2023 Revenue of approximately $52 billion, adjusted EBITDA of approximately $14 billion, and an industry leading Free Cash Flow conversion rate of approximately 60%.
Creating at least $3 billion in expected cost synergies annually for the new company to increase its investment in content and digital innovation, and to scale its global DTC business.
For AT&T and its shareholders, this transaction provides an opportunity to unlock value in its media assets and to better position the media business to take advantage of the attractive DTC trends in the industry. Additionally, the transaction allows the company to better capitalize on the longer-term demand for connectivity:

AT&T shareholders participate in a leading media company with a broad global portfolio of brands, tremendous DTC potential and strengthened combined assets.
Creates substantial value opportunity for AT&T shareholders through stepped-up investment in growth areas – mobile and fixed broadband.
Capital structure improvement after closing will position AT&T as one of the best capitalized 5G and fiber broadband companies in the United States.
Results in two independent companies – one broadband connectivity and the other media – to sharpen the investment focus and attract the best investor base for each company.
A Stronger Competitor in Global Streaming

The new company will compete globally in the fast-growing direct-to-consumer business — bringing compelling content to DTC subscribers across its portfolio, including HBO Max and the recently launched discovery+. The transaction will combine WarnerMedia’s storied content library of popular and valuable IP with Discovery’s global footprint, trove of local-language content and deep regional expertise across more than 200 countries and territories. The new company will be able to invest in more original content for its streaming services, enhance the programming options across its global linear pay TV and broadcast channels, and offer more innovative video experiences and consumer choices.

Uniting Dynamic, Enduring and Historic Brands and Franchises

The “pure play” content company will own one of the deepest libraries in the world with nearly 200,000 hours of iconic programming and will bring together over 100 of the most cherished, popular and trusted brands in the world under one global portfolio, including: HBO, Warner Bros., Discovery, DC Comics, CNN, Cartoon Network, HGTV, Food Network, the Turner Networks, TNT, TBS, Eurosport, Magnolia, TLC, Animal Planet, ID and many more.

The new company will be able to increase investment and capabilities in original content and programming; create more opportunity for under-represented storytellers and independent creators; serve customers with innovative video experiences and points of engagement; and propel more investment in high-quality, family-friendly nonfiction content.

Leadership, Governance and Structure
The companies announced that Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav will lead the proposed new company with a best-in-class management team and top operational and creative leadership from both companies.

Discovery’s current multiple classes of shares will be consolidated to a single class with one vote per share.

The new company’s Board of Directors will consist of 13 members, 7 initially appointed by AT&T, including the chairperson of the board; Discovery will initially appoint 6 members, including CEO David Zaslav.

Executive Commentary

John Stankey Said:
“This agreement unites two entertainment leaders with complementary content strengths and positions the new company to be one of the leading global direct-to-consumer streaming platforms. It will support the fantastic growth and international launch of HBO Max with Discovery’s global footprint and create efficiencies which can be re-invested in producing more great content to give consumers what they want. For AT&T shareholders, this is an opportunity to unlock value and be one of the best capitalized broadband companies, focused on investing in 5G and fiber to meet substantial, long-term demand for connectivity. AT&T shareholders will retain their stake in our leading communications company that comes with an attractive dividend. Plus, they will get a stake in the new company, a global media leader that can build one of the top streaming platforms in the world.”

David Zaslav Said:

“During my many conversations with John, we always come back to the same simple and powerful strategic principle: these assets are better and more valuable together. It is super exciting to combine such historic brands, world class journalism and iconic franchises under one roof and unlock so much value and opportunity. With a library of cherished IP, dynamite management teams and global expertise in every market in the world, we believe everyone wins…consumers with more diverse choices, talent and storytellers with more resources and compelling pathways to larger audiences, and shareholders with a globally scaled growth company committed to a strong balance sheet that is better positioned to compete with the world’s largest streamers. We will build a new chapter together with the creative and talented WarnerMedia team and these incredible assets built on a nearly 100-year legacy of the most wonderful storytelling in the world. That will be our singular mission: to focus on telling the most amazing stories and have a ton of fun doing it.”

Transaction Highlights
The combination will be executed through a Reverse Morris Trust, under which WarnerMedia will be spun or split off to AT&T’s shareholders via dividend or through an exchange offer or a combination of both and simultaneously combined with Discovery. The transaction is expected to be tax-free to AT&T and AT&T’s shareholders.

In connection with the spin-off or split-off of WarnerMedia, AT&T will receive $43 billion (subject to adjustment) in a combination of cash, debt securities and WarnerMedia’s retention of certain debt. The new company expects to maintain investment grade rating and utilize the significant cash flow of the combined company to rapidly de-lever to approximately 3.0x within 24 months, and to target a new, longer term gross leverage target of 2.5x-3.0x. WarnerMedia has secured fully committed financing from JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and affiliates of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC for the purposes of funding the distribution.

The transaction is anticipated to close in mid-2022, subject to approval by Discovery shareholders and customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals. No vote is required by AT&T shareholders. Agreements are in place with Dr. John Malone and Advance to vote in favor of the transaction.

AT&T Preliminary Financial Profile Following Completion of the Transaction; Focused Total Return Strategy for Capital Allocation; After Close, Dividend Payout Ratio1 Expected to be Low 40s%.

After close and on a pro-forma basis, AT&T expects its remaining assets to produce the following financial trajectory from 2022 to 2024:

Annual revenue growth: low single digits CAGR2
Annual adjusted EBITDA3 and adjusted EPS4 growth: mid-single digits CAGR
Significantly increased financial flexibility to drive returns to shareholders, including:
Expected increased capital investment for incremental investments in 5G and fiber broadband. The company expects annual capital expenditures of around $24 billion once the transaction closes. AT&T expects its 5G C-band network will cover 200 million people in the U.S. by year-end 2023. And the company plans to expand its fiber footprint to cover 30 million customer locations by year-end 2025.
Significant debt reduction: Expect Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA5 in the 2.6x range after transaction closes and less than 2.5x by year end 2023.
Attractive dividend – resized to account for the distribution of WarnerMedia to AT&T shareholders. After close and subject to AT&T Board approval, AT&T expects an annual dividend payout ratio of 40% to 43% on anticipated free cash flow1 of $20 billion plus.
The optionality to repurchase shares once Net Debt to Adjusted EBITDA is less than 2.5x.
Advisors

LionTree LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as financial advisors and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP served as legal advisor to AT&T.

Allen & Company LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC served as financial advisors and Debevoise & Plimpton LLP served as legal advisor to Discovery. Peralla Weinberg Partners and Wachtell Lipton, Rosen & Katz served as advisors to the Independent Directors of Discovery.
RBC Capital Markets served as financial advisors and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP served as legal advisors to Advance.

Media Availability and Investor Call

AT&T and Discovery will hold a joint press conference at 7:30am EDT, and a separate call with investors will begin at 8:30am EDT today. The webcast of the call and related materials will be available on AT&T’s and Discovery’s Investor Relations websites at https://investors.att.com/ and https://ir.corporate.discovery.com/investor-relations.

Join the 7:30am EDT press conference with John Stankey and David Zaslav on Zoom by clicking here. Your camera will be disabled and microphones will be automatically muted. To ask a question, please select the “raise hand icon.” When you are called on, you will receive a prompt asking you to unmute your microphone. The Zoom Webinar ID is 985 9072 9554; the passcode is 866906.

PURCHASE, N.Y., Aquafina® FlavorSplash®, a line of sparkling and still water beverages and liquid water enhancers, is kicking off 2014 by encouraging teens everywhere to “Make a Splash” and celebrate their passions. To help spread the word, the brand’s first-ever national commercial will include Austin Mahone along with his new single, “Mmm Yeah” featuring Pitbull. The single will be available on iTunes starting January 26th, timed to the commercial premiere, and is available for pre-order now. Days after the commercial debuts during The 56th Annual GRAMMY® Awards, Austin will perform his new single live at PepsiCo’s “#PEPCITY” Super Bowl XLVIII kick-off celebration in New York City and then gear up for the launch of Aquafina FlavorSplash’s “Make a Splash” year-long program.

Since becoming Digital and Brand Strategist for Aquafina FlavorSplash, Austin has been busy helping the brand come up with ways to engage, inspire and excite teens. In the new commercial, viewers will see how Austin’s creativity transforms and is inspired by, the creative, colorful Aquafina FlavorSplash collection. “I am honored to play a larger role in the brand and help encourage teens to make a splash,” said Austin. “I’m excited to be part of a program that empowers teens to be creative and pursue their passions whatever they may be, the same way I pursued my passion in music.”

Following the commercial (shot and produced by AwesomenessTV), Austin will be making another splash with a performance at PepsiCo’s Super Bowl XLVIII celebration in New York City on January 29. As a part of PepsiCo’s “#PEPCITY” event at Bryant Park, fans will get to enjoy the free concert as a part of a three-day celebration in the first-of-its-kind, dome-enclosed space that will feature food and beverage offerings from PepsiCo and celebrity chefs.

“We are so thrilled to have Austin on our team and help guide us on a path through the exciting, busy world of teens,” said Rebecca Granne, Sr. Director, Aquafina. “We look forward to inspiring teens to “Make a Splash” in their everyday lives with our year-long program, similar to how our products showcase how much more fun water can be with customizable hydration options.”

The “Make a Splash” program calls on teens passionate in various areas such as music, entertainment, culinary arts, fashion and more, to share why they deserve their dream to become a reality. Seven lucky and creative teens will be selected and given the opportunity to experience their passion in a real-world, professional setting. The contest kicks off on February 10 with the first #MakeaSplash experience focusing on the music industry. From February 10-17, teens can visit FlavorSplash.com and submit a video demonstrating how they could help shake up the music biz – whether they want to be a musician, songwriter, record label mogul, the possibilities are endless. The lucky winning teen will have a chance to visit New York City and shadow Austin Mahone and his crew, for the ultimate music industry experience – up-close and in real-life. Other great finalist entries have a chance to win prizes – from DJ systems to speakers and more.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.pepsico.com

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) today named Beijing, People’s Republic of China, as the host city of the Olympic Winter Games 2022.
The Chinese capital was chosen over Almaty, Kazakhstan, in a vote at the 128th IOC Session in Kuala Lumpur. Beijing received 44 votes to Almaty’s 40.

As a result, Beijing will become the first city to host both a summer and winter edition of the Olympic Games, following the city’s successful staging of the Summer Games in 2008.

Right after the election, representatives of Beijing together with IOC President Thomas Bach signed the Host City Contract (HCC), which is available here. This is the first time that the HCC is being made public, which is a result of the recommendations of Olympic Agenda 2020 – a reform package that significantly changed the host city selection process.

Beijing aims to use the Games to accelerate the development of a new sport, culture and tourism area, and to encourage interest in winter sports in a region that is home to more than 300 million people in northern China.

Although the bid process for 2022 began before the approval of Olympic Agenda 2020, the reforms have already had a significant impact on Beijing’s Olympic plans. Olympic Agenda 2020 calls for a stronger focus on sustainability, legacy, and transparency, while making it easier for host cities to tailor Games that meet their needs rather than trying to fit a template.

Beijing took advantage of the flexibility provided by Olympic Agenda 2020 to improve its plans for the Games and reduce costs. The city will rely heavily on existing venues, including those built for the Games in 2008, such as the iconic Bird’s Nest stadium.

Beijing’s proposed budget for investment in Olympic villages, sports venues and other infrastructure totals 1.5 billion US dollars – significantly less than for Olympic Games in the past. The proposed operational budget should be fully offset by revenue from ticket sales, marketing sponsorships and other income. Thanks to an additional contribution from the IOC of approximately 880 million US dollars to support the staging of the Olympic Winter Games in 2022, Beijing is confident that it will either break even or make a profit.

In addition, post-Games legacy uses for all permanent venues have already been identified to ensure that Games-related investments deliver benefits for years to come.

###

The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit independent international organisation made up of volunteers, which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of USD 3.25 million goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.

###

BEIJING, March 5, 2022 — The waves triggered by Bing Dwen Dwen, the cute panda mascot of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, are continuing, and Shuey Rhon Rhon has followed. On Friday, the Paralympic Winter Games kicked off. The opening ceremony, with the theme “Blossoming of Life,” is a continuation of the warmth and human touch that the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games brought to the world and makes the significance of this event go beyond sports. Letting go of the barriers of countries and races and breaking through the shadow of war and disputes, the calling for “Together for a Shared Future” unites people around the world and promotes a peaceful and more inclusive world.

March 4 was the second day of the second month in the Chinese lunar calendar. On this day, there is a folk saying that “the dragon raises its head.” The Beijing Winter Olympics gave people the budding hope and vitality of early spring, and the “dragon raises its head” symbolizes the vitality and color of all things.

At the Beijing Winter Olympics, athletes challenged the limits of human beings and allowed the audience to enjoy a visual feast; the Winter Paralympics will provide athletes a platform to show the world self-esteem, self-confidence, self-improvement and self-reliance. Their spirit of self-improvement and hard work and the inspiration and emotions they bring to the global audience will also have a long-lasting effect.

Since the first Winter Paralympics in Sweden in 1976, the Winter Paralympic Games have continued to grow and become a stage for the world’s athletes with disabilities to demonstrate their competitive levels and the value of life, and also build a bridge of friendship for the world. At present, the COVID-19 pandemic is still raging and some regions are plunged in great uncertainty, but the Beijing Winter Paralympics are still held as scheduled. This is China’s new contribution to promoting the development of the Olympic cause and the cause of the disabled.

Facts have once again proven to the world that China is worth trusting. China has presented a simple, safe and splendid Winter Olympics to the world. Athletes from all over the world can communicate and compete here without any worries. We are confident toward and capable of hosting a same splendid Paralympic Winter Games to ensure that athletes with disabilities can show the beauty of life to the fullest in a beautiful, barrier-free experience. People will see that despite the changing international situation, the three core values of the Olympics – Excellence, Respect and Friendship – will still shine brightly at the Beijing Winter Paralympics, and the belief in unity and peace will once again be upheld.

Honorary Life President of the IOC Juan Antonio Samaranch once said sports for the disabled could awaken the conscience of mankind. There are more than a billion people with disabilities in the world, accounting for about 15 percent of the world’s population. China is home to over 85 million people with various disabilities. The Beijing Winter Paralympics have provided a window to allow the world to see their existence, efforts and hardships. The Games have also offered the world an opportunity to applaud for the unremitting efforts athletes made to improve themselves and urge society to care for persons with disabilities. Promoting peace, inclusiveness and integration is the important connotation of the name of Winter Paralympics mascot Shuey Rhon Rhon and also the warm message it conveys to the world.

On the eve of the opening of the Beijing Winter Paralympics, China’s State Council Information Office published a white paper titled “China’s Parasports: Progress and the Protection of Rights.” It revealed that the participation rate in grassroots cultural and sports activities for persons with disabilities has increased from 6.8 percent in 2015 to 23.9 percent in 2021 in China. In the Beijing Paralympic Winter Games, there will be guide dogs wearing the anti-counterfeiting traceability code as well as many high-tech facilities and services that serve persons with disabilities. Beijing has made considerate preparations for the Paralympic Winter Games no less than the previous Winter Olympics. Beijing has worked with meticulous attention and conscientiously to fulfill the spirit of the Paralympic movement. This is a natural international extension of the Chinese government’s philosophy of “exercising governance for the people.”

At the opening ceremony, the last torchbearer was a blind athlete. When he fumbled several times and tried to insert the torch into the snowflake cauldron, the audience cheered for him; when the torch stayed in the center of the big snowflake, the whole stadium burst into applause. This scene is moving. Some netizens said, “Although he can’t see the light, he lights up the night sky for us.” This night, fireworks filled the sky and life blossomed. Surprises and hopes that the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics brought to the people have been engraved in history, and so will the warmth and human touch the Winter Paralympics will bring.

“The two Olympics will be equally wonderful.” We expect on the Paralympic fields, athletes will inject peace, warmth and positive energy into this turbulent world with their friendship, courage and strength.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202203/1253977.shtml

SOURCE Global Times

CONTACT: Jincui Yu, 13811675317, yujincui@globaltimes.com.cn

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sep. 15, 2021– BET, a unit of ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA), today launched BET Studios, an unprecedented studio venture that offers equity ownership for Black content creators. Propelled by the infrastructure and financing of BET and ViacomCBS, BET Studios will create premium television series and films for an array of internal buyers, including Paramount+, SHOWTIME, CBS, Nickelodeon, BET+ and BET, in addition to select third-party platforms that seek best-in-class content from both leading and rising Black creatives. BET Studios will launch with principal partners Kenya Barris, Rashida Jones and Aaron Rahsaan Thomas.

“The demand for premium content from Black creators has accelerated dramatically as a result of both the rapidly changing media and social landscapes. BET, with our 40-year legacy of celebrating Black culture, and the full power of the ViacomCBS ecosystem—is uniquely positioned to service this demand,” said BET President Scott Mills. “As a company with its origin in Black entrepreneurship, we are incredibly excited to create the first major studio to provide Black creators with ownership, creative freedom and the unparalleled partnership and support of BET. I am thrilled to have Aisha at the helm of this venture, and I look forward to our collaboration with our amazing creative partners in BET Studios.”

“BET Studios is an exciting and novel extension of the storied BET brand, and we have a structure well-suited to our times to bring top talent into this production company with real ownership,” said David Nevins, Chief Content Officer, Scripted Originals, Paramount+ & Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Showtime Networks Inc. “Scott Mills deserves tremendous credit for driving this innovative new business from idea to reality – and Kenya, Rashida and Aaron, could not be a more talented or in-demand group to lead this venture along with Aisha Summers.”

“The investment being made by Scott, David Nevins, Bob Bakish and the ViacomCBS team into BET Studios is not only an investment in Black storytelling, it is also an investment in the culture,” said Barris. “And while individual success is great, being able to amplify and champion underrepresented storytellers has been equally exciting and this venture allows that to continue to be a key focus in this next chapter of my career.”

“There is such power in the creative talent that the principal partners bring to the table and BET Studios’ unique ability to tell Black stories at scale,” said Jones. “This joining of forces is super exciting for me in the multitude of ways that people of color see themselves represented on screen.”

“As a new venture, BET Studios offers an opportunity to expand the brand’s legacy of delivering Black stories,” said Thomas. “This is a chance to bring nuanced, layered narratives to life, partnering with a forward-thinking team, interested in surprising and engaging the audience.”

BET Studios will be headed by Aisha Summers Burke, who was recently appointed Executive Vice-President and General Manager of the new venture. In this role, Burke will be responsible for working collaboratively with the Studio’s formidable creative partners and key internal constituencies. Along with overseeing the day-to-day creative affairs for the company, she will also be responsible for the BET Studios content slate and focusing on growing the Studio’s production output across both internal and external platforms. Burke will report to BET President Scott Mills.

“BET has long been celebrated for excellence in producing quality programming that authentically depicts experiences lived within the Black community,” said Summers Burke. “With the launch of BET Studios, we are excited to introduce a new model that opens the aperture to a broad array of platforms and supports the full range of content from Black creators. This entrepreneurial environment offers creatives the opportunity to produce diverse high-end content reflecting all aspects of entertainment.”

Prior to joining BET, Burke spent thirteen years at Warner Bros. Television, most recently serving as Vice-President of scripted television for the cable and streaming division of Warner Horizon before it merged with Warner Bros. TV in 2020.

About BET Studios Principal Partners

BET Studios will operate with nimble teams of dedicated staff for Mr. Barris, Ms. Jones and Mr. Thomas. This group will utilize the BET and larger ViacomCBS infrastructure and shared services to support day-to-day tactics. BET Studios will be led by newly appointed General Manager, Aisha Summers-Burke, with Kenya Barris, Rashida Jones and Aaron Rahsaan Thomas serving as principals, and a broad array of creative talent that will partner with BET to launch the venture.

Kenya Barris is an award-winning writer, producer, and director. Barris created the Netflix original comedy #BlackAF and the multiseries “-ish” franchise, which includes ABC’s Peabody Award-winning sitcom Black-ish and spin-off series Mixed-ish and Grown-ish, which airs on Freeform. Most recently, Barris co-wrote Coming 2 America, the highly anticipated sequel to John Landis’ 1980s classic starring Eddie Murphy. In 2018, he was honored with the ACLU Bill of Rights Award, followed by being presented the 2019 Visionary Award from the Producers Guild of America and the Voice for Change Award from the Humanitas Prize.

Rashida Jones is an actress, director, writer, and filmmaker. As a filmmaker, Jones executive produced the Emmy nominated Hot Girls Wanted and the follow up Netflix series Turned On. In 2018, her documentary Quincy, about her father, Quincy Jones, debuted on Netflix and won the GRAMMY® Award for Best Music Film the next year. Alongside her partner Will McCormack, their company Le Train Train executive produced the hit dramedy series CLAWS, which premiered on TNT in 2017.

Aaron Rahsaan Thomas is an acclaimed television and film screenwriter and producer from Kansas City, Kansas. Most recently, Thomas was the co-creator and co-showrunner of the procedural series reboot of S.W.A.T., which airs on Friday nights on CBS and has worked on NBC’s Friday Night Lights—for which he received a Peabody Award and two NAACP Image Award nominations—as well as CBS series, like Numb3rs and CSI: NY. He has also served as a Co-Executive Producer on TNT’s SouthLAnd, Fox’s Sleepy Hollow, Netflix’s The Get Down and directed an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, Trojan War.

About BET

BET, a subsidiary of ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIACA, VIAC), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news, and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET+, the preeminent streaming service for the Black audience; BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

VIAC-IR

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210915005715/en/

Mia Scott-Aime
mia.scott@bet.net

BET Networks, a unit of Viacom Media Networks (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), and Tyler Perry Studios today unveiled a new joint venture to launch BET+, a premier subscription video-on-demand service focused on the African American audience. Available to consumers this fall, BET+ will feature more than 1,000 hours of premium content including exclusive new original programming and fan-favorite series, movies, and specials from BET Networks, world-renowned creator Tyler Perry, and a host of leading African American content creators.

BET+, the new online streaming service, will launch with more than 1,000 hours of premium content including beloved hit movies and TV shows, new exclusive originals, and recent seasons of current shows from top black creators and talent.

“African Americans are the leading consumers of streaming services, with higher SVOD adoption rates than other consumers, which is why we’re so excited to launch a premium product for this underserved audience. BET+ is a natural extension of BET’s linear network, which has been the leading home of black culture for decades. Our curated catalog and original programming will keep the BET+ content offering fresh, fueling subscriber growth, viewership and retention,” said Scott Mills, President of BET Networks. “Tyler Perry is the perfect partner for BET+. The combination of new, original shows and his giant library of popular movies, series and stage plays that Tyler brings to our joint venture creates an amazing product for his large and passionate fan base.”

“In our industry, the way people consume content is constantly evolving. I’ve paid attention to my audience and what works for them and, for that reason, I’m very excited not only about the idea of partnering with BET to create new and exciting content, but also about the idea of giving people a personalized experience through the ability to curate the content they love to consume. On a personal level, this will also be the first time I’ll be working in areas like unscripted and variety television, which will afford me the opportunity to work in fresh, creative ways with new voices and to discover new talent,” said Tyler Perry.

BET+ will offer consumers a comprehensive collection of premier African American-focused dramas, sitcoms, films and specials in the streaming universe. Itwill be the official home of Tyler Perry’s collected works across film, television and the stage. The service will feature Tyler Perry’s box office-topping theatrical films, including films from the “Madea” series; original series “House of Payne” and “Meet the Browns” and a selection of Perry’s stage plays.

In addition, the first BET+ original — “First Wives Club,” a new 10 episode scripted drama from acclaimed “Girls Trip” screenwriter Tracy Oliver — will debut on the service in the fall. The modern television remake of the classic 1996 revenge comedy starring Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton now stars an all-star African American cast including Jill Scott (“Why Did I Get Married”), Ryan Michelle Bathe(“This is Us,” “Empire”) and Michelle Buteau (“Isn’t It Romantic”). “First Wives Club” kicks off BET+’s slate of exclusive original programming that includes the premiere of a new series from blockbuster hit-maker Will Packer(“Ride Along,” “Think Like a Man”) and new original series from Tyler Perry and more.

The service will also feature a deep library of beloved series, films, and documentaries from BET Networks and the Viacom portfolio — including “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” “The New Edition Story,” “The Quad,” “College Hill,” “Comic View,” “Hell Date,” and more — most of which have not previously been available on streaming platforms.

BET+ will be available at launch on Android devices such as Samsung Galaxy, iOS devices such as the Apple iPad and iPhone, as well as other streaming devices.

BET’s new and current-window programming will continue to be available on BET’s linear network, including the newly-announced Tyler Perry original drama, “The Oval,” which will debut on BET as the first series under Perry’s multi-year content partnership with the network. With over 75 hours of new original content slated to premiere on BET over the next year, Perry’s line-up will also include another drama series, two comedy series, and a live holiday-themed production. BET fans will have additional access points to BET content on BET.com and the BET Now app for TV Everywhere users.

In addition, BET’s recently launched channel on Pluto TV, the leading free streaming television service in the U.S., will continue to feature hundreds of hours of classic films and box office hits from the best of black Hollywood.

For more information on BET+ visit bet.com/betplus.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in nearly 85 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER (formerly CENTRIC), a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET Networks around the globe.

ABOUT TYLER PERRY STUDIOS
Tyler Perry Studios is a state-of-the art film and television production facility founded in 2006 by actor, producer, filmmaker, playwright and philanthropist Tyler Perry. Located in Atlanta, Georgia on the historic grounds of the former Fort McPherson army base, the new 330-acre campus is one of the largest production studios in the country. It boasts a variety of shooting locations including 40 buildings on the national register of historic places, 11 purpose-built sound stages, 200 acres of green space and an expansive backlot.

ABOUT VIACOM
Viacom creates entertainment experiences that drive conversation and culture around the world. Through television, film, digital media, live events, merchandise and solutions, our brands connect with diverse, young and young at heart audiences in more than 180 countries.

NEW YORK–
“African Americans are the leading consumers of streaming services, with higher SVOD adoption rates than other consumers, which is why we’re so excited to launch a premium product for this underserved audience. BET+ is a natural extension of BET’s linear network, which has been the leading home of black culture for decades. Our curated catalog and original programming will keep the BET+ content offering fresh, fueling subscriber growth, viewership and retention,” said Scott Mills, President of BET Networks. “Tyler Perry is the perfect partner for BET+. The combination of new, original shows and his giant library of popular movies, series and stage plays that Tyler brings to our joint venture creates an amazing product for his large and passionate fan base.”

“In our industry, the way people consume content is constantly evolving. I’ve paid attention to my audience and what works for them and, for that reason, I’m very excited not only about the idea of partnering with BET to create new and exciting content, but also about the idea of giving people a personalized experience through the ability to curate the content they love to consume. On a personal level, this will also be the first time I’ll be working in areas like unscripted and variety television, which will afford me the opportunity to work in fresh, creative ways with new voices and to discover new talent,” said Tyler Perry.

BET+ will offer consumers a comprehensive collection of premier African American-focused dramas, sitcoms, films and specials in the streaming universe. It will be the official home of Tyler Perry’s collected works across film, television and the stage. The service will feature Tyler Perry’s box office-topping theatrical films, including films from the “Madea” series; original series “House of Payne” and “Meet the Browns” and a selection of Perry’s stage plays.

In addition, the first BET+ original — “First Wives Club,” a new 10 episode scripted drama from acclaimed “Girls Trip” screenwriter Tracy Oliver — will debut on the service in the fall. The modern television remake of the classic 1996 revenge comedy starring Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton now stars an all-star African American cast including Jill Scott (“Why Did I Get Married”), Ryan Michelle Bathe (“This is Us,” “Empire”) and Michelle Buteau (“Isn’t It Romantic”). “First Wives Club” kicks off BET+‘s slate of exclusive original programming that includes the premiere of a new series from blockbuster hit-maker Will Packer (“Ride Along,” “Think Like a Man”) and new original series from Tyler Perry and more.

The service will also feature a deep library of beloved series, films, and documentaries from BET Networks and the Viacom portfolio — including “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” “The New Edition Story,” “The Quad,” “College Hill,” “Comic View,” “Hell Date,” and more — most of which have not previously been available on streaming platforms.

BET+ will be available at launch on Android devices such as Samsung Galaxy, iOS devices such as the Apple iPad and iPhone, as well as other streaming devices.

BET’s new and current-window programming will continue to be available on BET’s linear network, including the newly-announced Tyler Perry original drama, “The Oval,” which will debut on BET as the first series under Perry’s multi-year content partnership with the network. With over 75 hours of new original content slated to premiere on BET over the next year, Perry’s line-up will also include another drama series, two comedy series, and a live holiday-themed production. BET fans will have additional access points to BET content on BET.com and the BET Now app for TV Everywhere users.

In addition, BET’s recently launched channel on Pluto TV, the leading free streaming television service in the U.S., will continue to feature hundreds of hours of classic films and box office hits from the best of black Hollywood.

For more information on BET+ visit bet.com/betplus.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in nearly 85 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa and France. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER (formerly CENTRIC), a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET Networks around the globe.

ABOUT TYLER PERRY STUDIOS
Tyler Perry Studios is a state-of-the art film and television production facility founded in 2006 by actor, producer, filmmaker, playwright and philanthropist Tyler Perry. Located in Atlanta, Georgia on the historic grounds of the former Fort McPherson army base, the new 330-acre campus is one of the largest production studios in the country. It boasts a variety of shooting locations including 40 buildings on the national register of historic places, 11 purpose-built sound stages, 200 acres of green space and an expansive backlot.

ABOUT VIACOM
Viacom creates entertainment experiences that drive conversation and culture around the world. Through television, film, digital media, live events, merchandise and solutions, our brands connect with diverse, young and young at heart audiences in more than 180 countries.

NEW YORK- BET Networks is pleased to announce that it is stepping into the ring with Roc Nation Sports as their exclusive broadcast partner to air live throne boxing events on the network. The partnership between BET Networks and Roc Nation Sports is the first of its kind for the network and includes airing up to nine live, two-hour telecasts of Roc Nation Sports throne boxing events over the next 18 months. The first main event fight to air on BET Networks will feature WBA Super Middleweight World Champion Andre Ward (27-0, 14 KO’s) facing former World Title Challenger Paul Smith (35-5, 20 KO’s) of England on Saturday, June 20, 2015 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. In addition to the great action inside the ring, the telecast will feature several notable Roc Nation touches that offer an unprecedented fan experience, including a live musical performance and a name DJ to keep the energy at a high level throughout the night. Fans can catch the action live on BET in the United States and globally on TIDAL.com, the newly launched music streaming service that combines the best high fidelity sound quality, high definition music videos and expertly curated editorial.

Tickets priced at $250, $125, $90, $60 and $30, not including applicable service charges and taxes, go on sale Friday, April 24 at 10:00 AM PT and will be available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000 FREE.

“BET is constantly searching for ways to expand its portfolio of content with the sole goal of satisfying our audiences,” said Stephen G. Hill, President of Programming, BET Networks. “Roc Nation is doing very exciting things in the entertainment space and we are excited to partner with them on this groundbreaking deal positioning BET Networks as a go-to destination for premier live boxing events. Together, we’ll provide unique entertainment.”

“We’re thrilled to not only be introducing our newest broadcast partnership with BET Networks, but also to use this new platform to telecast Andre Ward’s highly anticipated return to the ring,” said David Itskowitch, COO – Boxing of Roc Nation Sports. “On June 20, we will once again provide fans a night of exciting throne boxing fights, live musical entertainment and an unprecedented fan experience.”

“I’m very excited to be coming back on June 20 at Oracle Arena in my hometown of Oakland which has been a long time coming,” said Ward. “I’m equally excited to be fighting on BET in front of a potential viewership of over 90 million homes. As a fighter, this diversifies my portfolio and puts me in front of a whole different audience. I have an extremely tough fighter in front of me in Paul Smith who’s looking to pull the upset, but I can’t let that happen. I have to be on my best game to turn Smith away and beat him the way I want to beat him. As always, I’m ready to put on a tremendous performance in front of my hometown fans and those watching on BET. This is a fight you don’t want to miss.”

“I cannot wait to get back in the ring and test myself against a class act like Andre Ward. I proved that I belong at the top level with my performances against Arthur Abraham and this is a challenge that I am relishing,” said Smith. “Andre is a top pound-for-pound fighter and someone I respect a lot, but he has only boxed once in almost three years and I will give it everything I have got. I am fresh and confident going into this fight. It’s a massive opportunity for me and one that I took with both hands when it was offered. I have spent a lot of time boxing in the United States and I look forward to returning for this fight.”

Known for his strong character and integrity outside the ring and his killer instinct inside it, Andre Ward’s skill and talent were apparent early in his outstanding amateur career. He racked up every title in the books, culminating with a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. As the only male American boxer to claim Olympic gold since 1996, Ward joined the likes of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya. He turned professional on December 18, 2004, scoring a second round technical knockout victory over Chris Molina at Staples Center in a fight that was televised live on HBO. He has gone on to rack up 26 more victories since then, building an ever-growing legion of fans in the process. After becoming the Ring Magazine and WBA Super Middleweight World Champion, rising to the number two spot on the pound-for-pound list and winning the 2011 Fighter of the Year Award (ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Ring Magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America), it was announced that Ward signed an exclusive promotional agreement with Roc Nation Sports in January 2015, opening a new chapter in his storied boxing career. Now the Bay Area product is ready to return to the ring on June 20 at the Oracle Arena in front of his hometown fans in Oakland, California.

Paul “Real Gone Kid” Smith enters his fight against pound-for-pound star Ward coming off of two heroic performances against WBO Super Middleweight World Champion Arthur Abraham. Smith challenged the Armenian-German for his title in Kiel, Germany in September 2014 and put on the performance of his career in his world title first shot. The 32-year-old native of Liverpool was the clear winner of large parts of the fight and celebrated at the bell in front of a hushed partisan crowd that thought that Abraham had been dethroned. Smith was not expecting the wide scorecards that were read out in favor of the hometown fighter and, judging by the far-reaching outrage at the lopsided numbers, neither were the majority of the boxing world and beyond, with Smith receiving support from some of Britain’s biggest sports stars on social media. A rematch was the only possible scenario and, like a true champion, Abraham duly obliged. Smith returned to Germany in February of this year to face Abraham again, this time in Berlin, but Abraham was a different fighter the night of their second fight, successfully defending his belt against a brave challenge from Smith. Once again the judges’ were forced to give a verdict and this time a decision win by Abraham was met with no outcry of controversy. On June 20, “Real Gone Kid” will return to the ring and once again venture into hostile territory to take on one of boxing’s best, looking to silence the crowd.

Ward vs. Smith, presented by Roc Nation Sports, takes place Saturday, June 20 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, will be televised live on BET and streamed globally on TIDAL.com at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT and is presented in association with Matchroom Sport.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS:
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks – BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

ABOUT ROC NATION SPORTS:
Roc Nation Sports, a sub-division of Roc Nation, launched in spring 2013. Founder Shawn “JAY Z” Carter’s love of sports lead to the natural formation of Roc Nations Sports, helping athletes in the same way Roc Nation has been helping artists in the music industry for years. Roc Nation Sports focuses on elevating athletes’ career on a global scale both on and off the field. Roc Nation Sports conceptualizes and executes marketing and endorsement deals, community outreach, charitable tie-ins, media relations and brand strategy. Roc Nation Sports launched its boxing division, a full service promotional company which represents world champions Miguel Cotto and Andre Ward, in August 2014. Roc Nation Sports’ roster includes premiere athletes such as Robinson Cano, Skylar Diggins, Kevin Durant, Geno Smith, Victor Cruz, CC Sabathia, James Young, Dez Bryant, Ndamukong Suh, Rusney Castillo, Yoenis Cespedes, Jaelen Strong, Todd Gurley, Wilson Chandler, Erick Aybar and Frances Tiafoe. For more information please visit www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation.

ABOUT ORACLE ARENA & O.co COLISEUM:
Oracle Arena and O.co Coliseum, managed by AEG Facilities, are the premiere sports and entertainment complexes in Northern California. Home of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, the NFL’s Oakland Raiders and MLB’s Oakland Athletics as well as host to concerts, family shows and special events. Additional information on Oracle Arena and O.co Coliseum, including a complete schedule of events can be found online at www.coliseum.com. Follow Oracle Arena on Twitter, Instagram, Vine and Snapchat @OracleArena and on Facebook www.faecbook.com/OracleArenaO.coColiseum.

NEW YORK- BET Networks is pleased to announce that it is stepping into the ring with Roc Nation Sports as their exclusive broadcast partner to air live throne boxing events on the network. The partnership between BET Networks and Roc Nation Sports is the first of its kind for the network and includes airing up to nine live, two-hour telecasts of Roc Nation Sports throne boxing events over the next 18 months. The first main event fight to air on BET Networks will feature WBA Super Middleweight World Champion Andre Ward (27-0, 14 KO’s) facing former World Title Challenger Paul Smith (35-5, 20 KO’s) of England on Saturday, June 20, 2015 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. In addition to the great action inside the ring, the telecast will feature several notable Roc Nation touches that offer an unprecedented fan experience, including a live musical performance and a name DJ to keep the energy at a high level throughout the night. Fans can catch the action live on BET in the United States and globally on TIDAL.com, the newly launched music streaming service that combines the best high fidelity sound quality, high definition music videos and expertly curated editorial.

Tickets priced at $250, $125, $90, $60 and $30, not including applicable service charges and taxes, go on sale Friday, April 24 at 10:00 AM PT and will be available at all Ticketmaster locations, online at Ticketmaster.com and charge by phone at (800) 745-3000 FREE.

“BET is constantly searching for ways to expand its portfolio of content with the sole goal of satisfying our audiences,” said Stephen G. Hill, President of Programming, BET Networks. “Roc Nation is doing very exciting things in the entertainment space and we are excited to partner with them on this groundbreaking deal positioning BET Networks as a go-to destination for premier live boxing events. Together, we’ll provide unique entertainment.”

“We’re thrilled to not only be introducing our newest broadcast partnership with BET Networks, but also to use this new platform to telecast Andre Ward’s highly anticipated return to the ring,” said David Itskowitch, COO – Boxing of Roc Nation Sports. “On June 20, we will once again provide fans a night of exciting throne boxing fights, live musical entertainment and an unprecedented fan experience.”

“I’m very excited to be coming back on June 20 at Oracle Arena in my hometown of Oakland which has been a long time coming,” said Ward. “I’m equally excited to be fighting on BET in front of a potential viewership of over 90 million homes. As a fighter, this diversifies my portfolio and puts me in front of a whole different audience. I have an extremely tough fighter in front of me in Paul Smith who’s looking to pull the upset, but I can’t let that happen. I have to be on my best game to turn Smith away and beat him the way I want to beat him. As always, I’m ready to put on a tremendous performance in front of my hometown fans and those watching on BET. This is a fight you don’t want to miss.”

“I cannot wait to get back in the ring and test myself against a class act like Andre Ward. I proved that I belong at the top level with my performances against Arthur Abraham and this is a challenge that I am relishing,” said Smith. “Andre is a top pound-for-pound fighter and someone I respect a lot, but he has only boxed once in almost three years and I will give it everything I have got. I am fresh and confident going into this fight. It’s a massive opportunity for me and one that I took with both hands when it was offered. I have spent a lot of time boxing in the United States and I look forward to returning for this fight.”

Known for his strong character and integrity outside the ring and his killer instinct inside it, Andre Ward’s skill and talent were apparent early in his outstanding amateur career. He racked up every title in the books, culminating with a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. As the only male American boxer to claim Olympic gold since 1996, Ward joined the likes of Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya. He turned professional on December 18, 2004, scoring a second round technical knockout victory over Chris Molina at Staples Center in a fight that was televised live on HBO. He has gone on to rack up 26 more victories since then, building an ever-growing legion of fans in the process. After becoming the Ring Magazine and WBA Super Middleweight World Champion, rising to the number two spot on the pound-for-pound list and winning the 2011 Fighter of the Year Award (ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Ring Magazine and the Boxing Writers Association of America), it was announced that Ward signed an exclusive promotional agreement with Roc Nation Sports in January 2015, opening a new chapter in his storied boxing career. Now the Bay Area product is ready to return to the ring on June 20 at the Oracle Arena in front of his hometown fans in Oakland, California.

Paul “Real Gone Kid” Smith enters his fight against pound-for-pound star Ward coming off of two heroic performances against WBO Super Middleweight World Champion Arthur Abraham. Smith challenged the Armenian-German for his title in Kiel, Germany in September 2014 and put on the performance of his career in his world title first shot. The 32-year-old native of Liverpool was the clear winner of large parts of the fight and celebrated at the bell in front of a hushed partisan crowd that thought that Abraham had been dethroned. Smith was not expecting the wide scorecards that were read out in favor of the hometown fighter and, judging by the far-reaching outrage at the lopsided numbers, neither were the majority of the boxing world and beyond, with Smith receiving support from some of Britain’s biggest sports stars on social media. A rematch was the only possible scenario and, like a true champion, Abraham duly obliged. Smith returned to Germany in February of this year to face Abraham again, this time in Berlin, but Abraham was a different fighter the night of their second fight, successfully defending his belt against a brave challenge from Smith. Once again the judges’ were forced to give a verdict and this time a decision win by Abraham was met with no outcry of controversy. On June 20, “Real Gone Kid” will return to the ring and once again venture into hostile territory to take on one of boxing’s best, looking to silence the crowd.

Ward vs. Smith, presented by Roc Nation Sports, takes place Saturday, June 20 at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, will be televised live on BET and streamed globally on TIDAL.com at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT and is presented in association with Matchroom Sport.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS:

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks – BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

ABOUT ROC NATION SPORTS:
Roc Nation Sports, a sub-division of Roc Nation, launched in spring 2013. Founder Shawn “JAY Z” Carter’s love of sports lead to the natural formation of Roc Nations Sports, helping athletes in the same way Roc Nation has been helping artists in the music industry for years. Roc Nation Sports focuses on elevating athletes’ career on a global scale both on and off the field. Roc Nation Sports conceptualizes and executes marketing and endorsement deals, community outreach, charitable tie-ins, media relations and brand strategy. Roc Nation Sports launched its boxing division, a full service promotional company which represents world champions Miguel Cotto and Andre Ward, in August 2014. Roc Nation Sports’ roster includes premiere athletes such as Robinson Cano, Skylar Diggins, Kevin Durant, Geno Smith, Victor Cruz, CC Sabathia, James Young, Dez Bryant, Ndamukong Suh, Rusney Castillo, Yoenis Cespedes, Jaelen Strong, Todd Gurley, Wilson Chandler, Erick Aybar and Frances Tiafoe. For more information please visit www.rocnation.com. Follow Roc Nation on Twitter and Instagram @rocnation and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RocNation.

ABOUT ORACLE ARENA & O.co COLISEUM:
Oracle Arena and O.co Coliseum, managed by AEG Facilities, are the premiere sports and entertainment complexes in Northern California. Home of the NBA’s Golden State Warriors, the NFL’s Oakland Raiders and MLB’s Oakland Athletics as well as host to concerts, family shows and special events. Additional information on Oracle Arena and O.co Coliseum, including a complete schedule of events can be found online at www.coliseum.com. Follow Oracle Arena on Twitter, Instagram, Vine and Snapchat @OracleArena and on Facebook www.faecbook.com/OracleArenaO.coColiseum.

LOS ANGELES- BET Networks is burning up television screens this summer with the rollout of its Summer 2015 programming slate, including hot new original series, returning hits, mind-blowing mega-specials, fun original movies, star-studded live events, and in-depth news specials. On the heels of a successful spring programming season, BET Networks keeps the momentum going with over 16 program premieres planned throughout the summer, as the network continues its reign as the #1 network for African American households. BET is bringing the heat as its diverse slate is set to capture viewers’ attention, while reflecting and celebrating the lives of African American adults.

Whether you want to turn all the way up or sip tea in the shade, BET has a show for every occasion. First up, audiences can bask in the glory of returning hit series, including the hilarious antics of Kevin Hart and the “REAL HUSBANDS OF HOLLYWOOD;” a first-time “SUNDAY BEST ALL STARS,” which will give former fan favorite contestants a chance at redemption; and the can’t-miss bittersweet final season of “THE GAME.” Also returning for its fourth season is Centric’s docu-series “BEING,” featuring some of today’s biggest artists and names.

Then BET turns up the volume on reality, with the premieres of “DESEAN JACKSON: HOME TEAM” [WT], which follows the NFL superstar as he navigates fame and family; and a BET-branded reboot of popular prank series, “PUNK’D.” The real-life stakes remain high with the returns of “NELLYVILLE,” which will give viewers a front row seat to Nelly’s recent headline-making drama; and “FRANKIE & NEFFE,” an intimate glimpse into the complex lives of Keyshia Coles’ mother and sisters.

BET keeps the party going with its star-studded tentpole and mega-special events. In partnership with Roc Nation Sports, BET presents its first LIVE boxing event, “ANDRE WARD vs. PAUL SMITH.” And this year, BET is pulling out all the stops as it celebrates the 15th anniversary of the “BET AWARDS,” promising the biggest celebrities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. Plus, fans are invited to the 3rd annual BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles, a four-day festival leading up to the big night.

BET News is also making a splash this summer with a special tribute to boxing champ and icon, “MUHAMMAD ALI,” as well as an in-depth exploration of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in “HURRICANE KATRINA: 10 YEARS LATER.”

Finally, BET brings two big original movies to the small screen. First up, Regina King directs “LET THE CHURCH SAY AMEN,” starring Naturi Naughton as a wayward preacher’s daughter struggling to get her life back on track. Then hip-hop prince, Diggy Simmons, stars in “THE START UP,” which chronicles the captivating lives of young digital entrepreneurs as they navigate fame and adulthood.

From sports to music, sitcoms to movies, you can bet on BET to have this summer’s hottest hits. See the full BET Networks’ Summer 2015 programming slate below.

BET NETWORKS’ SUMMER 2015 PROGRAMMING SLATE

HOT NEW SERIES ON BET

“DESEAN JACKSON: HOME TEAM” [WT] Washington Redskins’ wide receiver DeSean Jackson is literally at the top of his game as one of the most talked about and watched players in the NFL today. While being watched is a great thing, it means eyes are always on him– waiting for him to score touchdowns and waiting for him to drop the ball off the field. Even though he has the money and the fame, DeSean depends on the guidance of a core group of women including his “momager” Gayle, his sister and assistant A’Dreea, his publicist and his new girlfriend, Kayla. Produced by Rogue Atlas Productions in association with Lionsgate Television. Eli Frankel, Ryan Holcomb, Elise Duran, DeSean Jackson and Byron Jackson serve as Executive Producers. Jay Fragus and Lawrence Bell serve as Co-Executive Producers “DESEAN JACKSON: HOME TEAM” [WT] premieres Tuesday, June 30, at 10pm ET/PT on BET.
“PUNK’D”
A reboot of the popular hidden camera series tailored for the BET audience. For the first time, audiences will be taken behind the scenes as the pranks are conceptualized and carried through. Stakes are high as our viewers follow the ticking clock on the journey of pranking their favorite celebrities. “PUNK’D” hails from Executive Producer Jason Goldberg, and is produced by Katalyst Media. “PUNK’D” debuts on August, 18th at 10:30pm.
RETURNING FAVORITE SERIES ON BET & CENTRIC

“BEING” (on CENTRIC)
“BEING” is a one-hour documentary series that highlights the careers of seminal soul and vintage hip hop artists. “BEING” is inspirational, not tragic. Often beating the odds and rising from tough environments, these personalities have compelling and unknown stories that we know will inspire our audience. Throughout each episode we get to hear what it’s like “BEING” them at different points in their career and life. The new season of BEING premieres Saturday, June 6, at 10 P.M. ET/PT on Centric.
“THE GAME” **FINAL SEASON**
Season 9 of “THE GAME” continues to explore the world of the San Diego Sabers through the eyes of its beloved characters, while bringing back some fan favorites to stir up the drama. Stars Coby Bell, Brandy Norwood, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Hosea Chanchez, Lauren London, Jay Ellis, Barry Floyd and Brittany Daniel. Executive Producers Mara Brock Akil, Salim Akil, Kenny Smith, Hale Rothstein and Jennifer Genzuk-Rice. Co-Executive Producer Claire Brown. Season 9 of “THE GAME” kicks off Wednesday, June 3, at 10pm ET/PT; The 90-minute Series finale airs July 29 at a special 9 P.M. ET/PT timeslot on BET.
“FRANKIE & NEFFE”
“FRANKIE & NEFFE” picks up where “KEYSHIA COLE: ALL IN” left off, as viewers will get a deeper glimpse into the complex lives of Keyshia’s mother, Frankie, and 2 sisters, Neffe and Elite. While Neffe and Elite are determined to launch successful careers, they continue to struggle with Frankie, as her instability is a constant source of friction with her daughters. The family ties are inescapable, but Frankie, Neffe, and Elite are also three individual women at different stages of life. Whether they enter laughing or come out swinging, these funny, raw, unforgettable women fascinate us, and keep us rooting for their success. Keyshia Cole also makes guest appearances. Executive Producers: Susan Baronoff, Kenn Michael, Manny Halley and Keyshia Cole. “FRANKIE & NEFFE” premieres Wednesday, June 3, at 10:30 P.M. ET/PT on BET.
“NELLYVILLE”
BET’s hit reality series, “NELLYVILLE,” continues its first season with 12 new episodes this summer giving viewers a front row seat to all of the unfolding drama. “NELLYVILLE” is a one-hour docu-series following Nelly as he navigates his busy career as a hip-hop icon, successful entrepreneur, and loving father to his two biological children (daughter “Nana” and son “Tre”) and his deceased sister’s two children (nephew “Lil Shawn” and niece “Stink”) – all while nurturing a friendship with Shantel “Miss” Jackson. Produced by Entertainment One and from Executive Producers John Morayniss, Tara Long and David Shaye for eOne; Howie Miller; Shanta Conic; Kim McKoy and Nelly and Co-Executive Producer J Erving. Supersized season 1 of “NELLYVIILLE” continues Tuesday, June 30, at 9pm ET/PT on BET.
“SUNDAY BEST ALL STARS”
Season eight of BET’s hit gospel competition show, “SUNDAY BEST,” returns with a special all-star edition featuring voter-picked contestants from the last seven seasons. “SUNDAY BEST ALL STARS” not only sees the return of the series’ most memorable contestants, but also its legendary host and superstar judges. Executive Producer Kirk Franklin is back to host the supersized season along with judges Donnie McClurkin, Yolanda Adams and Kierra Sheard. Kim Burrell returns as mentor. The chosen “SUNDAY BEST ALL STARS” will compete for a cash prize, recording contract with Franklin’s record label, Fo Yo Soul Recordings, and a second chance for the coveted Sunday Best crown. The excitement doesn’t end there, this season the “SUNDAY BEST ALL STARS” will crown the new winner in a LIVE finale on Sunday, August 30. “SUNDAY BEST ALL STARS” will run for seven consecutive weeks and is executive produced by Marilyn Gill, Kirk Franklin, Brian Gadinsky, and Arnold Preston. “SUNDAY BEST ALL STARS” premieres Sunday, July 19 at 8 PM ET/PT on BET.
“REAL HUSBANDS OF HOLLYWOOD”
The fakest reality show ever is a real-life runaway smash. Led by comic genius Kevin Hart with an all-star cast (Nelly, Nick Cannon, Duane Martin, Dondre Whitfield and Cynthia McWilliams), Season 4 will provide more appointment television full of new rivalries, special guest stars and laugh-out-loud cliffhangers. From Executive Producers Kevin Hart, Stan Lathan, Ralph Farquhar, Jesse Collins, Chris Spencer and Dave Becky. Season 4 of “REAL HUSBANDS OF HOLLYWOOD” premieres Tuesday, August 18, at 10pm ET/PT on BET.
TENTPOLES & MEGA-SPECIALS ON BET

ROC NATION LIVE BOXING – Andre Ward vs. Paul Smith
BET Networks steps into the ring with RocNation Sports as their exclusive broadcast partner to air live boxing events. The new partnership’s first main event fight to air on BET Networks will feature WBA Super Middleweight World Champion Andre Ward (27-0, 14 KO’s) facing former World Title Challenger Paul Smith (35-5, 20 KO’s) of England. The 12 round bout, presented by Roc Nation Sports and in association with Matchroom Sport, takes place at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. Ward vs. Smith will be televised LIVE Saturday, June 20, at 10:00 PM ET/7:00 PM PT on BET Networks, and streamed globally on TIDAL.com.
BET EXPERIENCE AT L.A. LIVE
For the third year, BET is rolling out the red carpet in a big way during the BET Awards weekend. The BET Experience at L.A. Live will bring together thousands of music lovers for a four-day, jam-packed entertainment fest that will feature some of the world’s best music performers. There will also be a FREE Fan Fest, featuring the BET and Centric pavilions, Celebrity Basketball Game, comedy, seminars and the hottest industry parties. It’s a weekend you don’t want to miss! Visit BET.com/bet-experience for tickets and details. The BET Experience runs June 25 through June 27 at L.A. LIVE in Downtown Los Angeles.
“BET AWARDS 2015”
Celebrating its 15th anniversary, the “BET AWARDS” franchise is the #1 program in cable television history among the Black audience, and is still a top 10 awards show on television (Broadcast & Cable) among total viewers. It continues to hold the leadership position because it gathers the biggest stars in music, sports, Hollywood, and philanthropy all on one stage for one incredible night. “BET AWARDS 2015” airs LIVE Sunday, June 28, on BET.
IN-DEPTH BET NEWS SPECIALS

“MUHAMMAD ALI”
A biographical tribute to the former heavyweight champion, this news special will connect his boxing prowess as well as his social media activism to the millennial audience to reveal Ali’s meaning in the world today. Known as “The Greatest” and “The People’s Champion,” Ali remains a global icon. From Creative Control and Executive Producers Clarence “Coodie” Simmons and Chike Ozah. BET News’ “MUHAMMAD ALI” tribute premieres in August.
“BET’S BEST MOMENTS”
Relive your favorite moments from BET’s historic archives over 5 episodes. “BET’s BEST MOMENTS” premieres Wednesday, August 5th, at 10 P.M. ET/PT on BET.
“HURRICANE KATRINA: 10 YEARS LATER”
On the 10th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we will take a look back at the devastating effects of the storm as well as the current conditions of residents of the 9th Ward and neighborhoods most affected by the flooding. The water has receded but what’s left in its wake. “HURRICANE KATRINA: 10 YEARS LATER” premieres in August.
NEW ORIGINAL MOVIES ON BET

LET THE CHURCH SAY AMEN
Twenty-one-year-old Rachel Jackson (Naturi Naughton) is a wayward preacher’s kid who is struggling to pull her life together. With a six-year-old son out of wedlock and a high school diploma, Rachel’s mission in life is to marry her son’s father in order to become a traditional and respectable family and regain her father’s respect. LET THE CHURCH SAY AMEN is a powerful journey through one family’s trials and tribulations and a remarkable story of reconciliation and love. Based on the best-selling novel by Reshonda Tate Billingsley, this two hour movie of the week will be a BET Premiere Cinema event starring Steve Harris, Naturi Naughton, Lela Rochon, Hosea Chanchez and Collins Curtis Pennie. Produced by Queen Latifah, Shakim Compere, Shelby Stone, Roger Bobb and Regina King, who is also making her theatrical directorial debut. Executive Produced by Regina King. LET THE CHURCH SAY AMEN is a BET Networks, Royal Ties and Flavor Unit Production. LET THE CHURCH SAY AMEN premieres in August.

THE START UP
In THE START UP film, hip-hop prince Diggy Simmons stars as Blake Monroe, founder of TheJetsetters.com, an entertainment and lifestyle blog. THE START UP hones in on what it means to be young, gifted and digital, as Blake and his friends strategize for fame and financing while they navigate the freedoms and pressures of adulthood. Also starring Teyana Taylor, Bria Murphy, Allen Maldonado, Chris Brew, and Stephanie Charles. From Executive Producers Mara Brock Akil, Salim Akil, Kenya Barris, James DuBose and Laurie Dobbins. THE START UP premieres in September.
For more information on BET Networks programming, go to www.betpressroom.com.

About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, the first network designed for Black women;; BET Digital Networks – BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

About CENTRIC
Centric is a 24-hour music and entertainment channel that reflects the lifestyle and sophistication of today’s African-American and multicultural adult viewer. With a finger on the pulse of an ever-changing beat, its compelling music content fuses Soul, R&B, Neo-Soul, Hip Hop, Reggae, Gospel, Jazz, Old School, New School and everything in between with today’s hottest artists. It is a unique mix of music, culture and lifestyle programming that embodies the lives, tastes and aspirations of the CENTRIC viewer: All you. All day. All night.

EW YORK–BET Networks, (a subsidiary of Viacom Inc., NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), is closing out 2017 with record ratings growth and a slew of #1 rankings under its belt! While other networks court African American viewers, BET remains the undisputed #1 destination on cable for African-American viewers for 16 years straight among its core demo, African-American Adults 18-49 (CY02-CY17 YTD). With a broad appeal, the network also continues to rank in the Top 20 Cable Nets this year in the key P18-49 demo, as well as Adult Women 18-49. From the record-breaking “New Edition Story” which bowed as the #1 Cable Biopic of ALL TIME, to BET’s dominating tentpole awards shows, to hit BET Originals – BET is winning 2017!

BET’s passionate fans propelled BET to be the #1 most socially buzzed-about cable network of CY2017 across Facebook and Twitter. In fact, BET claims 6 out of the Top 10 Most Social Cable Specials this year – including “BET Awards,” “BET Hip Hop Awards,” and “New Edition” to name a few – more than any cable net in the Top 10. The Network continues to reel in a fiercely enthusiastic fanbase with 7 months of consecutive year-over-year gains in CY17 – making this the highest streak of monthly YoY gains in nearly 8 years (since CY2009).

Now the Network is keeping up the momentum for 2018, as it announces its Winter 2018 programming lineup. BET will kick off January with two new series debuts – “Black Card Revoked” with Tony Rock and “BET’s Mancave” from Steve Harvey; and two returning favorites – late night satire “The Rundown with Robin Thede” and HBCU campus drama “The Quad.” The Network is also introducing the first ever “BET Social Awards” from Mike Epps celebrating the best (and worst) in social media, as well as BET’s first legal procedural drama, “In Contempt” starring Erica Ash.

Check out how BET stacked up in 2017 below!

BET Remains #1 Cable Net for African American Viewers Across ALL Key Demos *

BET is the #1 Cable Net for 16 Years Straight among Core Demo, African-American Adults 18-49 (CY02-CY17 YTD)
BET is the #1 Cable Net of CY17 for African-American viewers across Key AA Demos, Women, and Teens
AA Key Demos: AA P2+, AA P18-49, AA P25-54, AA P18+; AA Women Demos: AA W2+, AA W25-54, AA W35+; and African American Teens 12-17
BET ranked as the #1 Cable Net in Primetime among African-American Adult Men 18+
BET is a Top 20 Cable Net for All Viewers & Top 15 Net For Millennials (Total Day)

BET is a Top 20 Cable Net of CY2017 in total day among Target Demo, P18-49, Adult Women 18-49, Adults 25-54, Adult Women 25-54, and Millennial Men 18-34
BET ranked among Top 15 Cable Nets of CY2017 in total day for Millennials P18-34 and Millennial Women 18-34
BET Closes 2017 with Historic Ratings Growth

Amid a challenging TV environment, BET reports a ratings upswing with 7 months of consecutive double digit year-over-year gains in CY17 – making this the highest streak of monthly YoY gains in nearly 8 years (since CY2009)
BET is 1 out of only 2 cable nets in the Top 20 to report year-over-year gains for CY2017
BET’s “The New Edition Story” Was the Mini-Series Event of the Year**

“The New Edition Story” bowed as the #1 Cable Biopic of All Time among Viewers 2+ and Adults 18-49, grossing 29MM TOTAL VIEWERS during its premiere week (Sum Totals)
BET Takes The Lion’s Share Of Social Buzz ***

BET is the #1 most socially buzzed about cable network of CY2017 across Facebook and Twitter.
BET has 6 out of the Top 10 Most Social Cable Specials this year – with BET Awards, BET Hip Hop Awards, New Edition to name a few – more than any cable net in the top 10.

About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel is in nearly 85 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, sub-Saharan Africa, France and South Korea. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions including BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; BET HER (formerly CENTRIC), a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET Networks around the globe.

LOS ANGELES– BET taps a new producing powerhouse led by Executive Producer Will Packer and Showrunner Erica Shelton Kodish to run the critically acclaimed series “BEING MARY JANE.” Will Packer will serve as Executive Producer and Erica Shelton Kodish will be the Showrunner, Executive Producer and Writer. Packer and Shelton Kodish join Gabrielle Union, Mara Brock Akil and Salim Akil as Executive Producers and Co-Executive Producer Jeff Morrone. The series was created by Mara Brock Akil. BET, Will Packer Productions and Akil Productions will produce the fourth season of the series. Korin D. Huggins, Head of Television for Will Packer Productions, will oversee on behalf of Will Packer Productions. Production on the new season is set to begin in Atlanta, GA later this year.

“‘Being Mary Jane’ is full of characters and stories about which BET viewers are passionate. We knew it would take special talent to further this very important mission and we’re lucky to have found them in this dynamic duo,” says Stephen Hill, President of Programming, BET Networks. “Will’s a master producer and storyteller and Erica is a dynamic writer whose experience in developing complex, multidimensional women makes her the ideal scribe to continue Mary Jane’s journey. We look forward to sharing this next chapter of the series with our audience.”

Packer, whose television credits include Executive Producer of the upcoming “Roots” miniseries and comedy series “Uncle Buck,” has produced eight number one films – Ride Along 2, No Good Deed, Ride Along, Think Like A Man Too, Think Like A Man, Takers, Obsessed and Stomp The Yard. He was also an executive producer on the mega-hit Straight Outta Compton. “It’s an amazing time to be involved in producing great television and this is the rare opportunity to work with Gab, who I think is one of the best actresses doing it today, whom I also consider family. BET is a tremendous partner and Erica has the perfect skill set to handle a show of this magnitude,” says Packer. He is represented by Creative Artists Agency and Ziffren Brittenham.

Erica Shelton Kodish recently wrapped the final season of “The Good Wife” as co-executive producer. Her previous producing credits include “Covert Affairs,” “Hawthorne,” and “Cold Case.” “I’m honored to have an opportunity to partner with Will Packer, Gabrielle Union, and BET to create stories for ‘Being Mary Jane’,” says Erica Shelton Kodish. “Mara Brock Akil has created a show that has a unique ability to address issues relevant to black women and I’m thrilled to be in a position to tell those stories.” Shelton Kodish is represented by Creative Artists Agency, Helena Heyman at Industry Entertainment, and attorney Bruce Gellman.

“Jeff Morrone and I could not be any more thrilled to be once again teaming up with Packer, who continues to deliver us home runs,” says Union. “Erica is the dream choice and we could not be more excited to start work on the upcoming season.” Union is represented by Creative Artists Agency and Primary Wave.

“BEING MARY JANE” – Hailed as “spicy and explosive” by Essence Magazine and given an “A-” by Entertainment Weekly, “BEING MARY JANE” is a game changing smash hit drama. The third season earned a 2016 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing in A Drama Series, and Gabrielle Union’s critically acclaimed performance has shattered the Internet with non-stop chatter about Mary Jane’s unbreakable spirit in the face of tragedy, extortion, and intimate relationships. Gabrielle Union returns for what promises to be an explosive Season 4 of the breakout original drama series. This never-predictable, always-engaging, one-hour drama delivers gasp-worthy realness every week. See what life and love have in store for Mary Jane in the tantalizing new season of “BEING MARY JANE.”

For the latest news on “BEING MARY JANE,” visit the official pages at BET.com/shows/beingmary-jane.html. Viewers can also find series updates on Facebook by liking the fan pages at Facebook: Facebook.com/BeingMaryJane. Also, join the conversation about the shows on Twitter by using hashtags: #BeingMaryJane; follow the show for all updates & special surprises: @BeingMaryJane. For more information and to download assets for the series, please visit BETPressroom.com.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

CUPERTINO, California—December 16, 2013—Apple® today announced that BEYONCÉ has become the fastest selling album ever on the iTunes Store® worldwide with an unprecedented 828,773 albums sold in just its first three days. BEYONCÉ also broke the US first week album sales record with 617,213 sold and proved to be a global success going to number one in 104 countries.

The self-titled, BEYONCÉ, is the fifth solo studio album from Beyoncé, which was made available exclusively worldwide on the iTunes Store on December 13 by Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records. The self-titled set is the artist’s first visual album. BEYONCÉ is infused with 14 new songs and 17 visually stunning, provocative videos shot around the world from Houston to New York City to Paris, and Sydney to Rio de Janeiro, all before the album’s release. The album represents Beyoncé’s biggest sales week ever.

The iTunes Store is the world’s most popular music store with a catalog of over 26 million songs and is available in 119 countries. The iTunes Store is the best way for iPhone®, iPad®, iPod®, Mac® and PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music online. All music on the iTunes Store comes in iTunes Plus®, Apple’s DRM-free format with high-quality 256 kbps AAC encoding for audio virtually indistinguishable from the original recordings.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.

This Press Release is courtesy Apple.com

Munich. BMW i is once again one of the official partners of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2019. For the last two years, BMW i has been building up to the festival on social media with #roadtocoachella and is also showcasing a unique Coachella design for its BMW i models. The striking look featuring flames and the image of a wolf is inspired by the current album cover of global superstar Khalid.

“The variety of live concerts at Coachella Festival is a great playground for creativity. At Coachella, the internationally most famous stars of the industry meet the most enthusiastic audience. Innovation and inspiration are the values that BMW i shares with the iconic festival, making it an ideal partner. We look forward to working with the festival and Khalid, one of the most exciting artists of contemporary soul music and a passionate BMW driver“, says Stefan Ponikva, Head of BMW Brand Experience Shows & Events.

Khalid is one of the most popular artists of his generation. It is therefore no surprise that Khalid is one of the headline acts at the upcoming Coachella festival. He inspired the festival fleet of vehicles for BMW i based on the cover of his new album ‘Free Spirit’. The Road to Coachella embodies the Free Spirit mentality of a fun road trip with friends to one of the greatest music festivals.

‘I love road-tripping, hopping in my car and driving back home to El Paso is 12 hours each way from LA. To me, BMW, especially BMW i8, is the embodiment of freedom on the road. I really feel like a free spirit when I’m driving and listening to music. I love making music that you can crank up and drive to with the windows down’, says Khalid.

Some of the best-known international names will travel to the venue with BMW i a day before the festival begins to experience the design of the BMW i Coachella fleet for themselves and to explore Palm Springs. Follow the hashtag #roadtocoachella to virtually join Paris Hilton, Lena Gercke, Laura Marano and other influencers.

In addition to the actual festival programme, there is also something special in store for fans of Khalid. Together with BMW i, the singer will open a ‘Pit Stop’, where exclusive merchandise will be available for purchase. BMW of Palm Springs (3737 E Palm Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92264 USA) will be transformed into a must see fan experience away from the festival site with music, a food truck and other lifestyle initiatives. Khalid will announce the exact opening times himself on social media.

The creative design interpretation of BMW i electric vehicles reflects the special, diverse spirit of the festival. Coachella is once again taking place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. BMW i is supporting the event over the entire period from 12 to 21 April 2019. Almost 200 acts will thrill thousands of international visitors over the two weekends.

RIO DE JANEIRO – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) today announced a collaborative agreement that makes the world’s largest tyre and rubber company the first Founding Partner of the Olympic Channel. The new, ground-breaking digital platform, where fans can experience the power of sport and the Olympic Movement all year round, will launch worldwide on Sunday 21 August following the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Games Rio 2016. The four-year partnership between Bridgestone and the IOC extends through to 2020.

“We are delighted that our Worldwide TOP Partner, Bridgestone, has become an Olympic Channel Founding Partner,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “Bridgestone has demonstrated its support for the Olympic Movement and belief in the Olympic values through its long-term commitment as a Worldwide TOP Partner, and through this new agreement we look forward to working closely with them to bring the Olympic Channel to fans around the world.”

“This is a very exciting time for Bridgestone as our Worldwide Olympic Partnership marks the first truly global marketing platform in our company’s history, and the Olympic Games Rio 2016 – the first ever in South America – are our first as a Worldwide TOP Partner. It is fitting that we also are the first Founding Partner of the Olympic Channel,” said Masaaki Tsuya, CEO and Representative Executive Officer, Bridgestone Corporation. “The Olympic Movement is universal and we continue to reaffirm Bridgestone’s longstanding support for sport and our belief that the core principles of Olympism – and the world’s greatest athletes – should be celebrated every day of the year.”

A Worldwide TOP Partner since 2014, Bridgestone is strengthening its commitment to the Olympic Movement and the Olympic Channel mission, outlined in Olympic Agenda 2020, to reach audiences around the world, beyond the Olympic Games period, 365 days a year. As a Founding Partner, the company will play a key role in enabling the development of the Olympic Channel and will work with the Olympic Channel team to put content into the hands of fans anytime, anywhere, and on any device.

At the outset, Bridgestone will serve as the presenting partner of the Olympic Channel’s “Against All Odds”, an eight-episode documentary series that demonstrates the very embodiment of the Olympic spirit and follows eight athletes. Each half-hour episode will focus on one athlete, offering a first-person account of a key turning point, and how personal will and determination helped them to overcome adversity and reach their goals. The first episode in the series will premiere on 21 August, when the Olympic Channel launches.

Support for “Against All Odds”, and the Olympic Channel as a whole, furthers Bridgestone’s proud history of innovation and its more than 100 years of sporting heritage – and also deepens the company’s engagement with the passionate, performance-oriented fans who follow the Olympic Games and sport around the world.

Bridgestone proudly became an official Worldwide Olympic Partner of the IOC on 13 June 2014. The 10-year partnership will see Bridgestone serve as a TOP Partner at the Olympic Games Rio 2016, the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, which is where the company’s global headquarters are located, the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, and the Olympic Games in 2024. The partnership also includes support for the next three Youth Olympic Games, the IOC and National Olympic Committees around the world.

# # #

About the Olympic Channel
The Olympic Channel is a digital-first, multiplatform global Olympic media entity, which aims to broadcast the Olympic Movement and its inherent values all year round, especially in the periods between the Olympic Games. The primary objectives of the Olympic Channel are to provide a platform for the continuous exposure of Olympic sports and athletes beyond the Olympic Games period and to help create anticipation while providing opportunities to “re-live the experience” after the Games; continuously highlight the relevance of the Olympic Movement’s ideals to the challenges of today’s world; provide a platform for sharing the IOC’s very rich patrimonial assets and archives with the world and create additional value and content for the IOC archives; and engage the young generations around the world using methods that are relevant to them, building understanding, entertainment and education. At launch, the Olympic Channel will be a digital platform, with on-demand content available across the web, mobile, tablet and other connected devices where fans can experience the power of sport and Olympism 24 hours per day, 365 days a year. Audiences will also be able to access content and engage through a variety of social media platforms as part of the Olympic Channel network. For more info, please visit olympicchannel.com.

About the IOC
The International Olympic Committee is a not-for-profit independent international organisation made up of volunteers, which is committed to building a better world through sport. It redistributes more than 90 per cent of its income to the wider sporting movement, which means that every day the equivalent of USD 3.25 million goes to help athletes and sports organisations at all levels around the world.

About Bridgestone
Bridgestone Corporation, headquartered in Tokyo, is the world’s largest tyre and rubber company. In addition to tyres for use in a wide variety of applications, it also manufactures a broad range of diversified products, which include industrial rubber and chemical products and sporting goods. Its products are sold in over 150 nations and territories around the world.

NEW YORK–Tonight, BET PRESENTS: 2017 SOUL TRAIN AWARDS celebrated the best in Soul, R&B and Hip-Hop by featuring both returning legends and breakout stars with unrivaled musical moments and show-stopping performances. The awards show, which aired tonight, November 26th, 2017 at 8pm ET on BET and BET HER, was again hosted by the otherworldly Godmother of Soul, Erykah Badu, who also brought her creative forces to the show as writer and producer.

Bruno Mars led the night’s winners dominating in top categories including Best R&B/Soul Male Artist, Video of the Year, Album/Mixtape of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Dance Performance. SZA followed with two awards, Best New Artist and Best R&B/Soul Female Artist. Artists were honored across 12 different categories and additional winners included Cardi B for Rhythm & Bars Award for “Bodak Yellow,” Bell Biv Devoe and Ledisi (Soul Train Certified Award), Lecrae (Best Gospel/Inspirational Award), Solange “Cranes in the Sky” (The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award) and DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller “Wild Thoughts” (Best Collaboration).

The BET Presents: 2017 Soul Train Awards were action-packed from start to finish, with third annual Lady of Soul honorees SWV getting the party started with a medley of their top hits such as, “I’m So Into You,” and “Weak.” The trio were joined by Method Man and U-God for their final song, “Anything,” getting the entire crowd out of their seats and singing along, including newcomer Kehlani. Fearless and funkadelic host Erykah Badu then took to the stage and opened with an impactful statement by taking a knee before the crowd. Her poignant, yet laugh-out-loud, monologue focused on current events and included everything from faux Trump tweets to the changing sound of love is love. Toni Braxton watched delightedly from her seat as Anthony Anderson guided the crowd through a tribute medley by Ro James performing, “Seven Whole Days,” Jessie J. performing, “You Mean the World to Me,” and Luke James performing, “Unbreak My Heart.” The incomparable multi-platinum, multi-GRAMMY award-winning artist took the stage to remind everyone just how legendary she before graciously accepting the coveted Legend Award accompanied by a standing ovation. Braxton brought down the house, performing classics including, “Love Shoulda Brought You Home,” “You’re Making Me High,” and “He Wasn’t Man Enough for Me.” As the show neared its end, Kirk Franklin led an inspirational performance alongside MAJOR., Le’Andria Johnson, Daniel Caeser and Ledisi.

In addition to electrifying performances, the awards show unveiled a powerful “Soul Cypher,” for the third year, with Badu holding court at the DJ while Faith Evans, Fantasia, Bilal and Mali Music brought their powerhouse vocals.

SOUL TRAIN AWARDS 2017 WINNERS
Best New Artist – SZA
Best R&B/Soul Male Artist – Bruno Mars
Soul Train Certified Award – Bell Biv Devoe and Ledisi
Video of the Year – Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
Best Gospel/Inspirational Award – Lecrae
Album/Mixtape of the Year – Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
Rhythm & Bars Award (Formerly Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year) – Cardi B – “Bodak Yellow”
Best R&B/Soul Female Artist – SZA
Song of the Year – Bruno Mars – “That’s What I Like”
The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter’s Award – “Cranes in the Sky” – Written By: Troy L. John, Solange Knowles, Raphael Saadiq (Solange)
Best Dance Performance – Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
Best Collaboration – DJ Khaled ft. Rihanna and Bryson Tiller – “Wild Thoughts”

BET Presents: 2017 Soul Train Awards is produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment. Executive Producers of the network telecast are as follows: Debra Lee and Connie Orlando from BET, and Jesse Collins from Jesse Collins Entertainment.

For show information, please visit BET.com/SoulTrain, the official site for BET Presents: 2017 Soul Train Awards. For photos, please visit the BET Press Room.

ABOUT BET NETWORKS
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the African-American Woman; BET Music Networks – BET Jams, BET Soul and BET Gospel; BET Home Entertainment; BET Live, BET’s growing festival business; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET around the globe.

About Soul Train Holdings
SOUL TRAIN HOLDINGS, LLC was formed in May 2008 and is owned by InterMedia Partners and a partnership between Magic Johnson Enterprises and Ron Burkle’s investment firm, The Yucaipa Companies. The iconic franchise and catalog consists of more than 1,100 episodes and 40 specials from Don Cornelius Productions, Inc. Soul Train is the longest running, first-run, nationally syndicated music program in television history. During its 35-year run, the show featured lasting innovations such as the Soul Train line and the legendary sign off “Love, Peace and Soul.” At the heart of the show was Don Cornelius, the dancers and influential artists such as James Brown, Al Green, Ike & Tina Turner, Hall & Oates, Donna Summer, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Whitney Houston, David Bowie, Prince, Run D.M.C. and Destiny’s Child.

About the Orleans Arena
The Orleans Arena, a Boyd Gaming facility located just west of the Las Vegas Strip, is one of the nation’s leading multi-purpose sports and entertainment facilities and the 2014 recipient of the Venue Excellence Award from the International Association of Venue Managers. In addition, the Orleans Arena is one of only a handful of arenas in the United States to achieve LEED Gold Certification and is part of the largest company in Nevada to achieve SHARP Certification for commitments to safe venue operations. According to Venues Today magazine, the Orleans Arena, which hosts more than 200 events each year, consistently ranks in the Top 10 for ticket sales in the United States and internationally among venues of similar size. These events include nationally touring concerts, NCAA basketball conference tournaments, family shows, motorsports and other unique events. For more information, call 702-365-7469 or visit www.OrleansArena.com. Stay connected to the Orleans Arena on Facebook (www.facebook.com/orleansarena) and on Twitter (@orleansarena).

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-super-bowl/0ap3000000467614/Super-Bowl-XLIX-Remix

GLENDALE, Ariz. — This time, Tom Brady’s defense made the play we’ll remember forever.

Malcolm Butler’s stunning interception on the goal line with 20 seconds left gave the New England Patriots a 28-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX. Bill Belichick and Brady are champions for a fourth time.

Butler’s play ended a wild back-and-forth game between two great quarterbacks and two titanic coaches. It was a game worthy of the two best teams in the sport this decade. It was a game that reminded everyone watching why we love football so much.

Brady must have had flashbacks on the sideline just before Butler’s play. He had just authored a beautiful fourth-quarter drive to take back the lead with under three minutes left, just like he did in 2008 against the New York Giants. The Seahawks drove right down the field on the back of an improbable Jermaine Kearse catch, conjuring memories of David Tyree. And then Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell made the play call that will be debated for decades to come.

The Seahawks trusted Russell Wilson instead of Marshawn Lynch in the biggest moment possible, and Butler made them pay for it. It was reminiscent of the early 2000s Patriots teams that always had role players step up in the biggest moments.

This Patriots dynasty started with controversy (Tuck Rule) and insane Super Bowl endings. Now 10 years removed from their last championship and just days removed from the team’s deflated ball scandal, they are champions again. It has to feel especially sweet.

Brady and Belichick have knocked on the door of a fourth title for so long. They have lost two heartbreakers in the big game and squandered four straight playoff byes before this season. They know exactly how hard it is to become champions, and they know exactly how much this title means. They are living legends.

Here is what else we learned in a thrilling Super Bowl XLIX:

1. Brace yourself for a week of legacy questions, specifically Brady versus Joe Montana and this game’s hierarchy among the greatest Super Bowls. Brady sailed past Montana’s Super-Bowl touchdowns record, shredding a historically strong pass defense en route to an epic fourth-quarter comeback that will still be running on NFL Films 50 years from now. Brady joins Montana and Terry Bradshaw as the only quarterbacks with four Lombardi Trophies. Along the way, he set a single-game Super Bowl record with 37 completions and walked away with his third Super Bowl MVP award.

2. Coach Pete Carroll will have to answer for the most head-scratching play call in Super Bowl history. Armed with the NFL’s best tackle-breaker who excels at pushing through goal-line traffic, the Seahawks called for a pass on second-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Butler promptly stepped in front of Ricardo Lockette for the game-sealing interception, capping off the most unlikely three-play series in recent memory. Two plays prior, Jermaine Kearse channeled both David Tyree and Antonio Freeman with a ridiculous twice-batted, once-kicked pass that dropped right into his arms after he had fallen to the turf.

3. The bizarre finish robbed the Seahawks of the most unlikely Super Bowl hero since Redskins running back Timmy Smith erupted for 204 yards and a pair of touchdowns back in 1987. After one-and-a-half quarters of Seattle ineptitude, former CFL Most Outstanding Rookie Chris Matthews high-pointed a 44-yard pass for the first reception of his NFL career. Over the next six minutes of game action, he beat Logan Ryan for an 11-yard touchdown and hauled in a 45-yard sideline rainbow. Directly responsible for Seattle’s first 17 points, Matthews almost singlehandedly turned the game around. A street free agent in mid-November, Matthews had played just 28 snaps all season prior to Sunday. Credit the coaching staff for realizing the 6-foot-5 Matthews was capable of giving this team the big, physical downfield threat that had been missing for two years.

4. Matthews’ third catch set up a Steven Hauschka field goal that extended Russell Wilson’s streak of enjoying a lead in all 56 career games. Wilson deserved a better fate. He okey-doked Patriots pass rushers time and again while averaging an eye-opening 11.8 yards per attempt in a highly efficient performance. Rather than castigating Wilson for the game-ending interception, we would prefer to shine a light on his brilliant five-play, 80-yard touchdown drive in 29 seconds to enter halftime with a 14-14 tie. Football’s version of Houdini pulled it off with a handful of undrafted wide receivers, best known for their special teams ability.

5. Sunday’s effort was an encapsulation of Brady’s 29-game postseason career, with a surgical clean-pocket Brady staving off the mistakes of an erratic muddy-pocket Brady. Defensive end Michael Bennett was a monster, hitting the QB four times and forcing both hideous interceptions. Losing fellow pass rusher Cliff Avril to a concussion in the fourth quarter was no small factor, providing Brady with the time to pick a vaunted defense apart. Still, Bennett’s game-changing plays would have catapulted him into the MVP discussion along with Wilson and Matthews had the Seahawks won.

6. Despite the loss, Seattle’s rabid fan base was a factor. We estimated a 75-25 ratio of Seahawks fans to Patriots fans milling around Phoenix and Glendale this weekend. To the surprise of no one, the 12s were the more raucous crowd throughout the game.

7. It’s a shame that Carroll’s ill-fated play call will end up overshadowing his aggressive coaching clinic to close out the first half. A lot of coaches would have taken a knee deep in their own territory with just 30 seconds remaining in the first half. Others would have opted to play it safe with a field-goal attempt at the 0:06-second mark instead of taking one shot at the end zone. Carroll went with the high-reward option both times. This isn’t your grandfather’s hide-bound conservative 1972 football. More often than not, NFL coaches are punished by the 21st century football gods when they play it safe. Turning to Lynch with the game on the line wasn’t the safe option: it was the high-reward option.

The latest Around The NFL Podcast recaps Super Bowl XLIX, including Malcolm Butler’s game-sealing interception, Tom Brady’s legacy and more. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.

LAS VEGAS, — Caesars Entertainment Operating Company, Inc. (“CEOC”), a subsidiary of Caesars Entertainment Corporation (“Caesars Entertainment”) (Nasdaq: CZR), today announced that it is moving forward to implement its previously announced financial restructuring plan. The plan, which has received support from more than 80% of first-lien noteholders, is intended to significantly reduce long-term debt and annual interest payments, while providing for significant recoveries for creditors and ensuring no interruption of operations across the company’s network of properties.

To implement the balance sheet deleveraging, CEOC and certain of its U.S. subsidiaries have voluntarily filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago. All Caesars Entertainment properties, including those owned by CEOC, are open for business and are continuing to operate in the ordinary course. All properties are continuing to host meetings and events and provide the facilities, amenities and experiences that guests expect. The entertainers who perform at Caesars properties will continue to do so on their ordinary schedule. Caesars Entertainment, Caesars Entertainment Resort Properties and Caesars Growth Partners, which are separate entities with independent capital structures, have not filed for bankruptcy relief.

“Today, with the overwhelming support of our first-lien bondholders, we are moving forward to implement our previously announced restructuring plan, which is intended to strengthen CEOC’s financial condition and significantly reduce debt,” said Gary Loveman, Chairman of CEOC. “We believe this restructuring is in the best interests of all of CEOC’s stakeholders and will result in a sustainable capital structure for CEOC and value creation for all stakeholders. The restructuring of CEOC is the culmination of a years-long effort to improve the health of CEOC’s balance sheet, which has included substantial investment in new and upgraded assets, especially in Las Vegas. I am very confident in the future prospects of our enterprise, which will combine an improved capital structure with a network of profitable properties.”

Loveman added: “The properties across the entire Caesars Entertainment network are open and will operate without interruption throughout CEOC’s reorganization process. Our guests will continue to earn benefits through the Total Rewards loyalty program, and our team remains entirely focused on delivering the same outstanding service and unforgettable entertainment experiences guests have come to expect from Caesars Entertainment. Going forward, we will continue to develop and deliver new, innovative hospitality experiences to our guests.”

CEOC has filed, and expects to obtain approval for, various customary First Day Motions in the bankruptcy court in support of its financial restructuring. CEOC intends to pay suppliers in full under normal terms for goods and services provided on or after the filing date of January 15, 2015. Vendors and suppliers who work with affiliated entities that have not filed Chapter 11 petitions, including Caesars Entertainment, Caesars Growth Partners and Caesars Entertainment Resort Properties, will not be impacted.

Restructuring Details
As previously disclosed, under the terms of the proposed financial restructuring, CEOC will convert its corporate structure by separating virtually all of its U.S.-based gaming operating assets and real property assets into two companies: an operating entity (“OpCo”) and a newly formed, publicly-traded real estate investment trust (“REIT”) that will directly or indirectly own a newly formed property company (“PropCo”).

The proposed transactions would reduce CEOC’s debt by approximately $10 billion, providing for the exchange of approximately $18.4 billion of outstanding debt for $8.6 billion of new debt. Annual interest expense would be reduced by approximately 75%, from approximately $1.7 billion to approximately $450 million. PropCo would lease its real property assets to OpCo in exchange for annual lease payments of $635 million, subject to certain adjustments, with the lease payments guaranteed by Caesars Entertainment.

Under the proposed plan, Caesars Entertainment will make substantial cash and other contributions to support the restructuring. The completion of the previously announced merger of Caesars Entertainment and Caesars Acquisition Company will allow Caesars Entertainment to make these contributions without the need for any significant outside financing. The merged company will be in a strong position to serve as a guarantor for the lease payments OpCo will make to PropCo. Following the merger and the restructuring, OpCo will have sufficient cash to support its operations and obligations.

The restructuring is conditioned upon the release of all pending and potential litigation claims against Caesars Entertainment, Caesars Acquisition Company and related parties. The proposed restructuring plan remains subject to approval by the Bankruptcy Court and the receipt of required gaming regulatory approvals.

Chief Restructuring Officer Appointed

Randall S. Eisenberg, a managing director at AlixPartners, has been named Chief Restructuring Officer of CEOC. In this role, Eisenberg will oversee the Chapter 11 cases and implementation of the restructuring transactions at the operational level.

CEOC’s legal advisor for the Chapter 11 proceedings is Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Perella Weinberg Partners serves as financial advisor to CEOC and AlixPartners is restructuring advisor. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is counsel to Caesars Entertainment and Blackstone Advisory Partners, LP is financial advisor to Caesars Entertainment.

CEOC has established a dedicated website, www.ceocrestructuring.com, for stakeholders to access current information about the restructuring. Court documents pertaining to the Chapter 11 proceedings can be accessed directly through the Claims Agent website, http://cases.primeclerk.com/ceoc. Suppliers with inquiries can call 844-762-7052 (weekdays, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time) for assistance.

About Caesars Entertainment Operating Company Inc.
Caesars Entertainment Operating Company, Inc. (“CEOC”), a majority owned subsidiary of Caesars Entertainment Corporation, provides casino entertainment services and owns, operates or manages 44 gaming and resort properties in 13 states of the United States and in five countries primarily under the Caesars, Harrah’s and Horseshoe brand names. CEOC is focused on building customer loyalty through providing its guests with a combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership as well as all the advantages of the Total Rewards program. CEOC also is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation, and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment.

About Caesars Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment Corporation (CEC) is the world’s most diversified casino-entertainment provider and the most geographically diverse U.S. casino-entertainment company. CEC is mainly comprised of the following three entities: the majority owned operating subsidiary Caesars Entertainment Operating Company, wholly owned Caesars Entertainment Resort Properties and Caesars Growth Properties, in which we hold a variable economic interest. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, 75 years ago, CEC has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions and its portfolio of subsidiaries now operate 50 casinos in 13 U.S. states and five countries. The Company’s resorts operate primarily under the Caesars®, Harrah’s® and Horseshoe® brand names. CEC’s portfolio also includes the London Clubs International family of casinos. CEC is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. The Company is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

LAS VEGAS, – Caesars Entertainment Corporation’s Total Rewards Air, the gaming industry’s largest domestic charter service, is enhancing its commercial operation by entering into long-term agreements with Sun Country and Via Airlines.

In addition, new technology by Total Rewards Air will allow for ease of booking flight and hotel packages beyond its traditional passenger base of Total Rewards members. The scheduled charter flights to Atlantic City, Laughlin, Nevada, Tunica and Biloxi, Mississippi, will include both invited members of the company’s award-winning loyalty program as well as retail guests seeking an escape to the leisure destinations.

“Expanding our service is a natural evolution of the program,” said Blake Segal, Caesars Entertainment Vice President of Global Operations. “Total Rewards Air allows our loyal guests to more easily access our resorts and also serves as an economic catalyst for these regions by opening the destinations to a new audience who may not otherwise have had the opportunity to travel to these locations.”

The expanded service will include more than 1,800 flights annually to the Total Rewards Air primary destination hubs of Atlantic City, Laughlin, Nevada, Tunica and Biloxi, Mississippi. Total Rewards Air flies more than 100,000 passengers per year. Sun Country Airlines and Via Airlines will serve as the main operating partners for Total Rewards Air and will service more than 100 origin cities across the United States including major North American markets such as Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Denver, Edmonton and Toronto, as well as smaller regional markets such as Monterrey, California, Bismarck, North Dakota, Midland, Texas and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Starting this summer, Sun Country Airlines will operate one Boeing 737-700 while Via Airlines will operate five Embraer 145 regional jets on behalf of Total Rewards Air. Via’s regional jets will operate from private aviation terminals (Fixed Based Operators) affording guests the opportunity to experience a true, VIP private jet experience eliminating the long lines and early check-in associated with commercial airline terminals.

“Sun Country is honored to be partnered with an iconic organization like Caesars Entertainment,” said Eric Curry, Sun Country Vice President of Sales and Customer Experience. “We are looking forward to providing Caesars’ guests with the high standard of service that is the hallmark of both of our companies.”

“Via Airlines has been operating flights for Caesars since 1997 and we are honored to continue and expand our relationship with Caesars and Total Rewards Air,” said Mitch Pizik, Via Airlines Executive Vice President of Marketing. “Through our fleet of owned and leased Embraer jets we look forward to expanding our relationship with one of the most recognizable brands in the world that is synonymous with quality and customer service.”

Summer flight routes are now available for booking. Visit TotalRewards.com/TotalRewardsAir for a complete schedule and additional information.

About Caesars Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR) is the world’s most geographically diversified casino-entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, more than 77 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions, and now operates casinos on three continents. The company’s resorts operate primarily under the Harrah’s®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars Entertainment is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognizes the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

About Via Airlines
Founded in 1997, Via has grown to become a leading air charter provider for gaming companies, sports teams and group charters. In addition, as the direct air carrier for Via Air, LLC, Via operates U.S Government Essential Air Service routes. For more information visit: www.flyviaair.com

About Sun Country
Sun Country Airlines (MN Airlines, LLC d.b.a. Sun Country Airlines) is based in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. The award-winning airline, which flies to popular destinations across the U.S., Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, has earned a reputation for offering world-class service at an affordable price. Sun Country Airlines is ranked as one of the Top 10 Domestic Airlines by Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Survey, 2014. The airline offers vacation packages through Sun Country Vacations, a program that allows travelers to book airfare, hotel, rental cars, tour attractions and more in a single, convenient transaction. The Hometown Airline also offers Sun Country Charters-taking your private charter group virtually anywhere with a commitment to reliable and customized service. For more information, visit suncountry.com.

LAS VEGAS — Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR), the largest casino-entertainment company in the U.S., today released its 2022 Corporate Social Responsibility report. The report highlights progress toward Caesars’ diversity, equity and inclusion goal of gender and racial parity in leadership roles by 2025, progress toward the Company’s goal of reduction in Scope 1 + 2 emissions by 100% by 2050, investment in local communities, Team Member support and more.

“In 2022 we focused on enhancing our existing goals as well as offering more robust support for our Team Members and communities,” said Heather Rapp, Senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for Caesars Entertainment. “This past year’s progress is a reflection of the dedication of our leadership and our Team Members to making an impact both inside and outside of the Company.”

The report details progress in five critical areas for 2022, including:

Environmental Impact: Caesars is working to divert waste from landfills, reduce water consumption and reduce the Company’s carbon footprint.

The Company is working toward a reduction in Scope 1 + 2 emissions by 100% by 2050. In 2022, Caesars achieved an interim target in Scope 1 + 2 emissions of 41.8%
In 2022, Caesars reduced water consumption by 14% compared to a 2019 baseline. The Company was also named to CDP’s 2022 A-list for Water Security for the third consecutive year and received three “A” ratings for Climate Change, Water Security and Supply Chain submissions
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: To further advance the Company’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in its workforce, communities and supply base, in 2020 Caesars pledged DEI goals of achieving gender and racial parity in leadership roles by 2025.

The Company saw a 106% increase of people of color in senior leadership roles for 2022 since the Dec. 2020 baseline
Community Investment: In 2022, Caesars Entertainment invested $81 million in communities in which it operates. This includes $65 million in mandated and discretionary giving, $3.5 million in giving through the Caesars Foundation, $2.4 million as the value of Team Member volunteering and $1.6 million in-kind.

Education: Caesars launched a new educational assistance program for Team Members in July 2022, All-In On Education. The program provides tuition assistance, low to no-cost education options, student loan debt repayment, college savings plans and dependent scholarship opportunities. From its inception through Dec. 2022 the Company has seen:

14,700 Team Members create accounts on the Company’s educational platform, representing 29.3% of the eligible workforce
$1 million disbursed in student loan debt assistance and tuition assistance payments, benefitting 400 Team Members and their families
22 dependents of Team Members received scholarships of up to $20,000 over four years to pursue their college education through the inaugural Don Carano Legacy Scholarship
Team Member Support: Providing support and security of Team Members is a top priority at Caesars Entertainment. In 2022, the Company introduced two new programs focusing on Team Member benefits and safety, including:

Expanded and enhanced our best-in-class healthcare offering, providing Team Members with an array of high-quality and affordable plans
A new emergency security program to enhance onsite safety. The program requires Team Members to carry an alert fob that can be activated at any time. By the end of 2022, more than 3,700 fobs were issued to Team Members in Las Vegas
Click here for the full report, written in accordance with GRI Standards and including SASB and TCFD indices, and for more information on Caesars Entertainment’s corporate social responsibility progress.

About Caesars Entertainment, Inc.
Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) is the largest casino-entertainment company in the U.S. and one of the world’s most diversified gaming-entertainment providers. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, in 1937, Caesars Entertainment has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions. Caesars Entertainment’s resorts operate primarily under the Caesars®, Harrah’s®, Horseshoe® and Eldorado® brand names. Caesars Entertainment offers diversified amenities and one-of-a-kind destinations, with a focus on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of impeccable service, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars Entertainment is committed to its employees, suppliers, communities and the environment through its PEOPLE PLANET PLAY framework. If you think you or someone you care about may have a gambling problem, call 1-800-522-4700. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com/corporate.

LAS VEGAS — Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR), the largest casino-entertainment company in the U.S., today released its 2023 Corporate Social Responsibility report. The report highlights the Company’s progress in environmental impact, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, Team Member development, community investment and more.

“At Caesars Entertainment, we’re committed to continuing to develop, diversify and achieve our CSR goals,” said Heather Rapp, SVP of Corporate Social Responsibility for Caesars Entertainment. “We’ve been in a period of progress as we met and exceeded our interim emission reduction goals three years ahead of schedule, and because of that work, we were able to implement new, more ambitious goals this year. Our success in our environmental impact category motivates us to keep growing and achieving in our CSR efforts across the board. We look forward to continuing to grow and make a difference in the communities where we live, work and play.”

The report details progress in four critical areas for 2023, including:

Environmental Impact: After achieving emission reduction goals three years ahead of schedule in 2022, the Company is implementing a new greenhouse gas reduction goal of 46.2% by 2030 from a 2019 baseline.

Additionally, Caesars finalized several initiatives in 2023 to improve the carbon profile and overall environmental impact of CAESARS FORUM, the Company’s 600,000-square-foot convention center in Las Vegas. The new initiatives include a green cleaning program, monitoring-based commissioning, which uses data and feedback to ensure major mechanical systems are operating optimally and a composting program. These enabled CAESARS FORUM to achieve a Gold-level certification against the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standard.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: In 2023, Caesars held its first enterprise-wide Business Impact Group (BIG) summit, inviting leaders from across the country to attend a two-day workshop in Las Vegas. The summit was an opportunity to evaluate each BIG’s role within the company, share learnings and best practices and develop strategies for each group moving forward. The summit also served as a professional development opportunity for the leaders who were able to attend.

Community Investment: The Caesars Makes Change program, an NRT machine program piloted at one property in 2021, has now expanded to nearly 40 Caesars Entertainment destinations across the country. Guests can now donate a portion of their slot cash-out tickets to a charitable organization. In 2023, this program donated more than $1.25 million to the Company’s partner organizations, Meals on Wheels America and Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

Team Member Support: In 2023, Caesars introduced a quarterly publication for all salaried Team Members to stimulate self-development and professional growth. “Leading the Empire” is a leadership development tool that provides valuable information about the five pillars of the Company’s leadership framework with links to additional learning and online resources. By the end of 2023, Company leaders had completed more than 3,100 learning programs offered through “Leading the Empire,” investing more than 2,300 hours in their self-development.
Click here for the full report, written in accordance with GRI Standards and including SASB and TCFD indices, and for more information on Caesars Entertainment’s corporate social responsibility progress.

About Caesars Entertainment, Inc.

Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) is the largest casino-entertainment company in the U.S. and one of the world’s most diversified casino-entertainment providers. Since its beginning in Reno, NV, in 1937, Caesars Entertainment, Inc. has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions. Caesars Entertainment, Inc.’s resorts operate primarily under the Caesars®, Harrah’s®, Horseshoe®, and Eldorado® brand names. Caesars Entertainment, Inc. offers diversified gaming, entertainment and hospitality amenities, one-of-a-kind destinations, and a full suite of mobile and online gaming and sports betting experiences. All tied to its industry-leading Caesars Rewards loyalty program, the company focuses on building value with its guests through a unique combination of impeccable service, operational excellence, and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to its employees, suppliers, communities, and the environment through its PEOPLE PLANET PLAY framework. To review our latest CSR report, please visit www.caesars.com/corporate-social-responsibility/csr-reports. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com/corporate. If you think you or someone you care about may have a gambling problem, call 1-877-770-STOP (1-877-770-7867).

Media Contact:

Caesars Entertainment

Dayna Calkins

dcalkins@caesars.com

Source: Caesars Entertainment, Inc.

LAS VEGAS, — Caesars Acquisition Company (NASDAQ: CACQ) and Caesars Entertainment Corp. (NASDAQ: CZR) today announced the proposed development of Caesars New York, an $880 million luxury casino resort in Woodbury, New York. This afternoon, Caesars Acquisition Company, through its subsidiary, Caesars Growth Partners, submitted its application to the New York State Gaming Facility Location Board for a gaming license, which will be managed and operated by Caesars Entertainment and its affiliates. The application details plans for the resort and presents information about Caesars’ operations and history.

Situated in the heart of the Hudson Valley, approximately 50 miles from New York City, the proposed project will be a sustainably designed, contemporary structure that complements the region’s natural surroundings to create a world-class entertainment retreat. The resort is projected to attract more than 10 million visitors a year, making it a strong economic engine for the State of New York, Orange County and Woodbury. Caesars New York will work closely with other businesses in the State to maximize the economic development opportunity in the region as outlined in the Gaming Act.

“We have a tremendous opportunity to bring the Caesars brand to New York State and create a world-class entertainment facility, adding a new destination the Total Rewards loyalty network and attracting visitors from throughout the region and around the world,” said Gary Loveman, chairman and chief executive officer of Caesars Entertainment. “If we are successful in winning a license, Caesars New York will create thousands of jobs and become an engine for economic growth in the area. We are grateful for the support we have received from Woodbury residents and businesses and look forward to working closely with local officials if we win a license.”

Based on current estimates, Caesars projects an estimated total of $230 million in anticipated annual tax revenues with $29 million annually going to the local community and $10 million to Orange County. The project is anticipated to create approximately 4,500 direct jobs including 1,500 construction jobs and approximately 3,000 permanent, well-paying, mostly union jobs.

Caesars has entered into a neutrality agreement with the New York Hotel Trades Council and a project labor agreement with the Hudson Valley Building Trades Council with regard to the operation and construction of the proposed resort. In its application, Caesars has outlined a plan to open the resort approximately 24 months after receiving necessary permits and approvals.

Resort Details
“Caesars New York exemplifies the high-growth opportunities that Caesars Growth Partners was established to pursue,” said Mitch Garber, CEO of Caesars Acquisition Company. “We are excited about the opportunity to develop in Woodbury.”

The proposed resort, situated on a wooded 115-acre site in Woodbury, will include approximately 300 luxury hotel rooms, suites and villas, 2,560 state-of-the-art slot machines, 190 table games and 50 poker tables. The poker room will carry the World Series of Poker brand and become a leading East Coast home to the WSOP and its events, many of which are broadcast on ESPN. Caesars New York will include a flexible entertainment space, ideally suited for business meetings, celebrations, entertainment and WSOP circuit events.

The resort will also add a world-class dining program to the Hudson Valley, potentially including restaurants from some of the celebrity chefs who work with Caesars across its network of properties. The six planned restaurants include a range of concepts from fine dining to a Streets of New York food hall concept featuring cuisine from local restaurateurs. Caesars has successfully showcased local operators in many of its properties around the country. Among those who have expressed interest in developing a restaurant at Caesars New York are Gordon Ramsay and Nobu Matsuhisa. Caesars New York will also include a luxury spa and fitness center.

Community Benefits
Caesars has worked closely with officials from Woodbury and has entered into host community benefit agreements for the local area. Caesars has committed in these agreements to make various upfront and ongoing payments intended to mitigate the project’s impacts on the host communities, as well as to provide additional community benefits such as funding local police and fire, sewer and water infrastructure investment, and to address other ongoing costs. Caesars has also agreed to employ a private ambulance service, invest in local workforce development and support local businesses. In addition, Caesars will invest more than $10 million for community benefits including the development of two all-weather turf recreation fields.

Caesars has also committed to invest a minimum of $20 million to improve traffic circulation near the proposed resort, including funding a substantial portion of the long-delayed improvements at Exit 131 on the New York State Thruway. The contribution will be satisfied through a combination of construction of critical improvements and financial contributions to the NYDOT’s previously planned improvements.

About Caesars Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR) is the world’s most geographically diversified casino-entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, 75 years ago, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions and now operates casinos on four continents. The company’s resorts operate primarily under the Caesars®, Harrah’s® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars is focused on building loyalty and value with its guests through a unique combination of great service, excellent products, unsurpassed distribution, operational excellence and technology leadership. We are committed to environmental sustainability and energy conservation and recognize the importance of being a responsible steward of the environment. For more information, please visit www.caesars.com.

About Caesars Growth Partners
Caesars Growth Partners is a casino asset and entertainment company focused on acquiring and developing a portfolio of high-growth operating assets and equity and debt investments in the gaming and interactive entertainment industries. Through its two businesses-Interactive Entertainment and Casino Properties and Developments-Caesars Growth Partners will focus on acquiring or developing assets with strong value creation potential and leveraging interactive technology with its well-known online and mobile game portfolio and leading brands. Assets include Caesars Interactive Entertainment (with its social and mobile games, the World Series of Poker and regulated online real money gaming businesses), Planet Hollywood, Bally’s Las Vegas, The Cromwell, The Quad Resort & Casino, Harrah’s New Orleans and Horseshoe Baltimore (currently being developed by a joint venture). Through its relationship with Caesars Entertainment, Caesars Growth Partners has the ability to access Caesars Entertainment’s proven management expertise, brand equity, Total Rewards loyalty program and structural synergies. For more information, please visit www.caesarsacquisitioncompany.com.

About Caesars Acquisition Company
Caesars Acquisition Company (NASDAQ: CACQ) was formed to make an equity investment in Caesars Growth Partners, LLC , a joint venture between CACQ and Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR), the world’s most diversified casino entertainment provider and the most geographically diverse U.S. casino-entertainment company. CACQ is Growth Partners’ managing member and sole holder of all of its outstanding voting units. For more information, please visit www.caesarsacquisitioncompany.com.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup™ will be staged in Canada, Mexico and the United States. This Wednesday, 13 June, the 68th FIFA Congress convened in Moscow and designated the three countries as the hosts of football’s most prestigious tournament, which by then will be played with 48 teams.

The United Bid received 134 of 200 votes cast, or 67 per cent. Morocco tallied 65 votes (33 per cent), and one single member association voted not to choose either of the two bids.

On the eve of the opening game of the 2018 FIFA World Cup™, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin made an appearance at the Expocentre and delivered a speech to the representatives of FIFA’s member associations reiterating the country’s readiness to welcome the world.

The 68th FIFA Congress, among other decisions, ratified the 2017 Financial Report and approved the budget for the 2019-2022 cycle, with an unwavering focus on football development.

After having been presented with updated financial results which show that FIFA has currently contracted more than USD 6.1 billion in revenues – or 108 per cent of its full-cycle budget for 2015-2018 – the FIFA Congress approved the budget for the 2019-2022 cycle, which assumes a growth in revenue to USD 6.56 billion. Of this number, 70 per cent is already contracted. The budget for expenses is USD 6.46 billion, of which 80 per cent will be invested in football activities.

The budget for the FIFA Forward Programme will be increased by USD 667 million to a total of USD 1.746 billion. As a result, the investment in development & education increases by 41 per cent compared to the current cycle.

LOS ANGELES– Hasbro Studios, the Los Angeles-based entertainment division of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS), announced today that Cartoon Network, the regularly top-rated primetime network for boys’ ages 6-11 and 9-14, will become the U.S home of the brand new series, Transformers: Robots in Disguise.

Hasbro announced today that Cartoon Network will become the U.S home of the brand new series, Transf …
Hasbro announced today that Cartoon Network will become the U.S home of the brand new series, Transformers: Robots in Disguise created by Hasbro Studios. The latest installment in the Transformers franchise will debut in the first quarter of 2015. (Photo: Business Wire)

The latest installment in the Transformers franchise – a global phenomenon across TV, film, consumer products and digital media – will debut in the first quarter of 2015 and is written and directed by top Hollywood talent and influenced creatively with feedback from its avid fan base, which is reflected in the tone and style of the new series.

“Robots in Disguise begins a brand new chapter in storytelling, filled with great humor, lots of fun adventure and animated in a cooler, lighter, brighter style that we know kids are going to really love,” said Stephen Davis, president of Hasbro Studios and global entertainment & licensing for Hasbro, Inc. “We have spent a lot of time listening to what kids like about Transformers and they haven’t been shy about giving us their opinions. And we have listened! Robots in Disguise is reflective of all that we have learned in our conversations with kids. It has the most relatable Autobot and Decepticon characters we have ever ‘Rolled Out’ in a Transformers animated series.”

The mission begins as Bumblebee must step up to be leader in the years after we left the Autobots in Transformers Prime. Summoned by Optimus Prime to save Earth from a new faction of Decepticons, Bumblebee puts his light-hearted mettle to the test after assembling a rouge team of young Autobots action heroes. Bumblebee must balance his job fighting off evil with being equal parts squad leader and coach to a rascally band that needs constant coaxing to learn how to work together. The results are comical when the cool rebel, elite guard cadet, bombastic dinobot and exciteable mini-con must balance team-building with chasing and capturing their new enemies in every episode packed full of action, fun and adventure.

Finn Arnesen, senior VP of global distribution and development for Hasbro Studios, commented, “As the regularly top-rated U.S. TV network in prime among Transformers’ core audience of boys ages 6-11 and 9-14, our beloved Autobots and Decepticons will feel very much at home on Cartoon Network. And to seal our new partnership with Cartoon Network on the 30th anniversary of the Transformers franchise makes this a truly iconic event.”

The highly innovative Transformers franchise is one of the biggest brands in the world, spanning television, film and digital entertainment (including the 2014 global blockbuster, TRANSFORMERS: AGE OF EXTINCTION, the fourth in the hit film series); gaming; apps; publishing; transmedia events; toys, games and licensing.

About Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company dedicated to fulfilling the fundamental need for play for children and families through the creative expression of the Company’s world class brand portfolio, including TRANSFORMERS, MONOPOLY, PLAY-DOH, MY LITTLE PONY, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, NERF and LITTLEST PET SHOP. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its global customers with innovative play and entertainment experiences, in a variety of forms and formats, anytime and anywhere. The Company’s Hasbro Studios is responsible for entertainment brand-driven storytelling around Hasbro brands across television, film, commercial productions and short-form. Through the company’s deep commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world for future generations and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families every year. It has been recognized for its efforts by being named one of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies” and is ranked as one of Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s “100 Best Corporate Citizens.” Learn more at www.hasbro.com.

DEERFIELD, Ill., – Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) today announced a multi-year sponsorship with Major League Soccer (MLS), the fastest growing sports League in North America. With the highest percentage of millennial and multicultural fans of any U.S. sport, the sponsorship is designed to amplify the Caterpillar brand to a broader, more diverse audience in the United States and Canada and to engage with the League’s passionate fans more deeply.

“Caterpillar is eager to partner with Major League Soccer, as we share a joint commitment to being leaders in the communities where we live, work and play,” said Yvette Morrison, global director of marketing and brand for Caterpillar. “We celebrate the people who do the work every day and are constantly looking for new ways to engage with our next generation of employees, customers and their families. This sponsorship provides a perfect opportunity for us to introduce Cat to a broader audience.”

“Caterpillar is a leading, global brand and Major League Soccer is honored to partner with a company whose values and dealer network are committed to building a better, more modern future for soccer communities across the world,” said Carter Ladd, Executive Vice President of Brand Alliances & Consumer Products at MLS. “Together, MLS and Caterpillar will engage long-standing customers and the most diverse fanbase in all of sports to positively impact the sport of soccer in the U.S. and Canada.”

MLS features the youngest and most diverse player pool of any of North American professional sports league with players from more than 82 countries. The sponsorship of MLS supports Caterpillar’s efforts to evolve the brand, and ensure the company is representative of the many employees and customers it serves.

As a part of the sponsorship, MLS will collaborate with Caterpillar to integrate Cat® products into the soccer ecosystem. Cat dealers will also have access to exclusive soccer experiences for their operators and customers as well as their families.

Caterpillar recently collaborated with MLS in development of Cat Trials 12: No Hands, which features U.S. and International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup soccer legend, DaMarcus Beasley, teaming up with autonomous Cat equipment to make a trick shot. The Cat Trials 12 video can be viewed at http://www.cat.com/trial12.

For more information about Caterpillar’s sponsorship of MLS and other corporate sponsorships, please visit https://www.caterpillar.com/en/company/working-together/sponsorships.html.

About Caterpillar
With 2021 sales and revenues of $51.0 billion, Caterpillar Inc. is the world’s leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. For nearly 100 years, we’ve been helping customers build a better, more sustainable world and are committed and contributing to a reduced-carbon future. Our innovative products and services, backed by our global dealer network, provide exceptional value that helps customers succeed. Caterpillar does business on every continent, principally operating through three primary segments – Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation – and providing financing and related services through our Financial Products segment. Visit us at caterpillar.com or join the conversation on our social media channels.

About Major League Soccer
Headquartered in New York City, Major League Soccer – celebrating its 27th season in 2022 – features 29 clubs throughout the United States and Canada, including 2022 expansion team Charlotte FC and St. Louis City SC, which debuts in 2023. For more information about MLS, visit www.MLSsoccer.com.

NEW YORK–Dec. 9, 2020– CBS All Access, ViacomCBS’ digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service, today announced new product features for families and the addition of even more Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. library programming, as the service continues its expansion across the ViacomCBS portfolio in advance of its upcoming rebrand to Paramount+.

CBS All Access Launches New Product Features For Families and Expands Kids Programming (Photo: Business Wire)
CBS All Access Launches New Product Features For Families and Expands Kids Programming (Photo: Business Wire)

The new family-friendly features include the ability to create up to six profiles per account and manage each profile using “Kids Mode,” which allows parents to create profiles that limit content to older children or younger children based on content ratings. The service’s existing parental PIN controls’ option for mature content, which locks access to certain content based on its content rating, will also still be available to use across profiles.

“We are thrilled to bring even more popular kids hits from Nick Jr. and Nickelodeon to the service, in advance of our upcoming rebrand as Paramount+,” said Rob Gelick, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Streaming Services and Chief Product Officer, ViacomCBS Streaming. “We’ve already seen incredible growth in viewership since we began expanding our offering of children’s programming on the service. With today’s new product enhancements, like ‘Kids Mode’ and multiple profiles, we can create customized experiences for each member of the household, while giving our subscribers even more opportunities to discover and watch family programming together, and allowing parents additional peace of mind with the ability to further customize what programming is available to their kids.”

In addition, CBS All Access introduced nearly 800 more episodes of children’s programming to the service, including select past seasons of Nick Jr. favorites PAW PATROL, BLAZE AND THE MONSTER MACHINES, BLUE’S CLUES, BUBBLE GUPPIES, DORA THE EXPLORER, SHIMMER AND SHINE and more.

All CBS All Access children’s programming is available commercial-free. The new library content being added to the service today joins an already robust roster of over 1,000 episodes of library and original children’s programming, including the service’s previously launched original children’s series, WildBrain’s CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, Boat Rocker’s new DANGER MOUSE and new editions of LASSIE, GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE and MR. MAGOO from DreamWorks Animation’s Classic Media.

Original children’s programming on the service will continue to expand with the first spinoff from one of ViacomCBS’ biggest global franchises ever, Nickelodeon’s SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, when new series KAMP KORAL premieres in early 2021. The service will also be the exclusive home to THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE ON THE RUN, the upcoming feature film that follows SpongeBob SquarePants, his best friend Patrick Star, and the rest of the gang from Bikini Bottom in the first-ever all CGI SpongeBob motion picture event.

About CBS All Access:

CBS All Access is ViacomCBS’ direct-to-consumer digital subscription video on-demand and live streaming service. CBS All Access gives subscribers the ability to watch more than 20,000 episodes and movies on demand – including exclusive original series, current and past seasons of hit shows from the CBS Television Network and growing libraries from brands across the ViacomCBS portfolio including BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Smithsonian and more, as well as a wealth of films from Paramount Pictures. The service is also the streaming home to unmatched sports programming, including every CBS Sports event, from golf to football to basketball and more, plus exclusive streaming rights for major sports properties, including some of the world’s biggest and most popular soccer leagues. CBS All Access also enables subscribers to stream local CBS stations live across the U.S. in addition to the ability to stream ViacomCBS Digital’s other live channels: CBSN for 24/7 news, CBS Sports HQ for sports news and analysis, and ET Live for entertainment coverage.

NEW YORK – CBS Corporation today announced the launch of CBS All Access, a new digital subscription video on demand and Nielsen-measured live streaming service for the CBS Television Network. CBS All Access will offer subscribers thousands of episodes from the current season, previous seasons and classic shows on demand, as well as the ability to stream local CBS Television stations live in 14 of the largest U.S. markets at launch.

CBS All Access is available beginning today at CBS.com and on mobile devices through the CBS App for iOS and Android. The service allows fans to watch more CBS programming online and on mobile devices, while introducing yet another monetization window for the Company’s industry-leading content. CBS All Access will be available on other major connected devices in the coming months.

“CBS All Access is another key step in the Company’s long-standing strategy of monetizing our local and national content in the ways that viewers want it,” said Leslie Moonves, President and CEO, CBS Corporation. “This new subscription service will deliver the most of CBS to our biggest fans while being additive to the overall ecosystem. Across the board, we continue to capitalize on technological advances that help consumers engage with our world-class programming, and we look forward to serving our viewers in this new and exciting way.”

For $5.99 per month, CBS All Access includes the following programming, with more to be added in the coming months:

Full current seasons of 15 primetime shows with episodes available the day after they air.

Unprecedented ability to live stream local CBS stations in 14 of the largest markets at launch, with more to be added as affiliates join the new service.

Full past seasons of eight major current series, including THE GOOD WIFE, BLUE BLOODS and SURVIVOR.

More than 5,000 episodes of CBS Classics, including every episode of STAR TREK, CHEERS, MACGYVER, TWIN PEAKS and CSI: MIAMI.

Access to exclusive additional content for CBS Television’s biggest special events, such as THE GRAMMY® AWARDS, THE ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS and THE VICTORIA’S SECRET FASHION SHOW.

Ability to stream the BIG BROTHER 24/7 Live Feeds service for no additional fee when the show returns next summer.

Advertising-free environment for all CBS Classics.
CBS All Access offers an even more robust viewing experience on CBS.com, the #1 network website across platforms (comScore), and the CBS App, which has been downloaded more than 10 million times.

Jim Lanzone, President and CEO, CBS Interactive said: “Our focus is to develop the best cross-platform video experience possible. We want our audiences to be able to watch CBS’s industry-leading content live and on demand whenever and wherever they want. CBS All Access delivers on that promise by giving our audience not only more CBS content, but also more ways to watch in a seamless user experience. We’ve integrated the service into our existing offerings and look forward to bringing it to all major digital platforms – including additional connected devices – in the coming months.”

CBS All Access brings thousands of episodes to digital platforms, making it simple for fans looking for more CBS content to get it via one easy-to-use, multi-platform service.

Marc DeBevoise, Executive Vice President, Entertainment, Sports and News, CBS Interactive added: “Through CBS All Access, we are enabling our biggest fans to tap into CBS’s content – including the current seasons of many of the biggest shows on television – and bring it to existing and new audiences alike. CBS All Access reflects our efforts to distribute as much of our leading content as possible on new platforms in ways that are strategically sound and provide additional value to our audiences.”

The ability to live stream local CBS stations through CBS All Access was built in close collaboration with CBS’s owned and operated stations. Syncbak, in which CBS has a minority investment, powers the delivery and geo-targeting of the live feeds to in-market subscribers. At launch, live streaming will be available in CBS’s 14 owned and operated markets, including: New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, Miami, Denver, Sacramento, Pittsburgh and Baltimore, with more to be added.

Peter Dunn, President, CBS Television Stations said: “With video consumption habits changing all the time, it is very important that we continue to provide the best local news, entertainment and sports via a service like CBS All Access. Television stations have been the fabric of local broadcasting for 75 years, and today’s announcement is part of paving the way for the next 75. We are extremely pleased to be a part of this exciting new service, and look forward to reaching a whole new set of viewers in our major markets across the country.”

Non-subscribers will continue to have access to the most recent current episodes of CBS programming on CBS.com, select CBS Audience Network partner sites and through the CBS App. Programming will be available the day after the shows air on TV, with an eight-day delay on mobile devices for primetime series only.

NEW YORK & ENGLEWOOD, Colo.- CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) and DISH Network L.L.C., a wholly owned subsidiary of DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH), have reached a multi-year agreement for carriage of CBS owned stations across the country, as well as CBS Sports Network, Smithsonian Channel, TVGN and Showtime Networks, which includes Showtime TV Everywhere and Video-on-Demand rights.

“We are very pleased with this deal, which meets all of our economic and strategic objectives,” said Ray Hopkins, President, Television Networks Distribution, CBS Corporation. “We look forward to having DISH as a valued partner for many years to come.”

“We are pleased to continue delivering CBS programming to our customers, while expanding their digital access to Showtime content through Showtime Anytime,” said Warren Schlichting, DISH Senior Vice President, Programming.

Financial terms of the deal are not being disclosed. The agreement includes retransmission consent for CBS owned stations on DISH in New York (WCBS and WLNY), Los Angeles (KCBS and KCAL), San Francisco (KPIX and KBCW), Dallas (KTVT and KTXA), Denver (KCNC), Boston (WBZ and WSBK), Chicago (WBBM), Pittsburgh (KDKA and WPCW), Atlanta (WUPA), Baltimore (WJZ), Detroit (WWJ and WKBD), Miami (WFOR and WBFS), Minneapolis (WCCO), Philadelphia (KYW and WPSG), Sacramento (KOVR and KMAX), Seattle (KSTW) and Tampa (WTOG). The agreement also grants DISH rights to Showtime Video-on-Demand content and authentication rights for Showtime Anytime, and includes a path to over-the-top distribution of Showtime Networks.

The agreement will result in dismissal of all pending litigation between the two companies, including disputes over PrimeTime Anytime and AutoHop. As part of the accord, DISH’s AutoHop commercial-skipping functionality will not be available for CBS Television Network-owned stations and affiliates during the C7 window.

About CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) is a mass media company that creates and distributes industry-leading content across a variety of platforms to audiences around the world. The Company has businesses with origins that date back to the dawn of the broadcasting age as well as new ventures that operate on the leading edge of media. CBS owns the most-watched television network in the U.S. and one of the world’s largest libraries of entertainment content, making its brand —“the Eye” — one of the most recognized in business. The Company’s operations span virtually every field of media and entertainment, including cable, publishing, radio, local TV, film, and interactive and socially responsible media. CBS’s businesses include CBS Television Network, The CW (a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Warner Bros. Entertainment), CBS Television Studios, CBS Global Distribution Group (CBS Studios International and CBS Television Distribution), CBS Consumer Products, CBS Home Entertainment, CBS Interactive, CBS Films, Showtime Networks, CBS Sports Network, TVGN (a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Lionsgate), Smithsonian Networks, Simon & Schuster, CBS Television Stations, CBS Radio and CBS EcoMedia. For more information, go to www.cbscorporation.com.

About DISH
DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH), through its subsidiaries, provides approximately 14.041 million pay-TV subscribers, as of September 30, 2014, with the highest quality programming and technology with the most choices at the best value. Subscribers enjoy a high definition line-up with more than 200 national HD channels, the most international channels, and award-winning HD and DVR technology. DISH Network Corporation is a Fortune 250 company. Visit www.dish.com.

STUDIO CITY, Calif. – CBS Corporation announced today a strategic partnership with Kapital Entertainment, an independent production company founded and led by Aaron Kaplan.

As part of the agreement, CBS Corporation has acquired an ownership stake in Kapital Entertainment. CBS will provide co-financing for Kapital to invest in its future programming and serve as its worldwide distributor.

Kapital will continue to operate as an independent production company – separate from CBS Television Studios and the CBS Television Network – and maintain its ability to sell to all buyers in the television marketplace. Kaplan will continue to run Kapital Entertainment as its chief executive officer.

“CBS is a content company, and this new venture immediately establishes another source to create more programming assets for our distribution pipeline,” said Leslie Moonves, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Corporation. “Aaron is a talented and creative producer, a skilled program packager and a very smart businessperson. We’re excited to build this partnership together.”

“This venture enables Kapital to continue matching a creator’s vision to the broadcast, cable or streaming home best suited for their project. And we will continue to work with all of our valued studio partners in the process,” said Kaplan. “At the same time, I have the support of an incredible media company at CBS Corporation, led by Leslie Moonves, whose creative and business accomplishments are unmatched.”

The first new project in the partnership is the Dana Klein and Mark Feuerstein pilot “9J, 9K and 9L,” which is being co-produced by Kapital with CBS Television Studios for CBS.

Kapital is a prominent independent production company with current series such as “Santa Clarita Diet” (Netflix), “Divorce” (HBO), “American Housewife” (ABC), “Secrets and Lies” (ABC), “The Chi” (SHOWTIME) and “Life in Pieces” (CBS). For the upcoming television season, the company is currently producing seven pilots across broadcast and cable networks.

Top creative partnerships for Kapital include a joint venture with the London-based Merman, whose founder, Sharon Horgan, is one of the preeminent creative talents in Europe as a creator, writer, actor and director. The joint venture produces “Divorce” for HBO. Merman is the production company for the critically acclaimed series “Catastrophe” for Amazon.

Kapital also has recently formed production deals with Wendi Trilling’s TrillTV, which has landed the pilots “9J, 9K and 9L” and “Hannah Royce’s Questionable Choices,” both at CBS; and Tracy Katsky’s KatCo., whose projects include “Santa Clarita Diet” and the pilots “Brown Girls” (Freeform), “Linda from HR” (FOX) and the animated comedy “Rusted Justice” (FOX).

Kaplan’s team at Kapital includes accomplished creative executive Dana Honor, who joined the company recently after serving as Senior Vice President, Comedy Development for 20th Century Fox Television. At 20th, she developed series such as “The Last Man on Earth” (FOX), “Speechless,” “Fresh Off the Boat” and the Emmy Award-winning “Modern Family” (ABC).

Kaplan has operated Kapital as a self-funded company since 2009, building the company into a leading, independent supplier of content. Prior to Kapital, Aaron was head of scripted content at the William Morris Agency, where he also served on the board of directors.

NEW YORK – Mar. 25, 2021– CBS Sports and Lega Serie A today announced the details of a multi-platform agreement for exclusive U.S. rights to the Serie A Championship, the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana.

Paramount+, ViacomCBS’ subscription streaming service, will deliver more than 400 club matches live each season through 2024, featuring all 380 Serie A matches, at least 25 Coppa Italia matches including all contests from the fourth knockout round on, and the Supercoppa Italiana match each year between the winners of Serie A and Coppa Italia. Select matches will be televised each year on CBS Sports linear platforms including CBS Sports Network.

“We are building critical mass in soccer, and the addition of Serie A, Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana is another major step in the expansion of CBS Sports’ extensive lineup of live soccer coverage on Paramount+ and across our linear and digital platforms,” said Jeffrey Gerttula, Executive Vice President & General Manager, CBS Sports Digital. “Showcasing this historic league and some of the world’s biggest clubs is a tremendous opportunity to further grow the sport in the U.S. by delivering first-class coverage to a dedicated and passionate audience.”

“We express great satisfaction for the assignment of the audiovisual rights to Serie A and the Coppa Italia, for the three-year period 21/24, to a major network like CBS Sports,” said Lega Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo. “In a strategic area like the United States of America this agreement confirms the growth of the international image of the Serie A brand through an important partner like CBS Sports. Today it is not a point of arrival, but rather the beginning of a process of investments in human resources and editorial contents to support the continued growth of Serie A in the North America territory. This is the result of the work of the last 18 months and of the increasing number of American owners who have decided to invest in our teams.”

CBS Sports begins coverage in August with the start of the 2021-2022 Serie A season. Additional coverage details will be announced in the coming months in conjunction with the 2021-2022 Serie A and Coppa Italia schedules.

CBS Sports Digital will deliver additional coverage and original programming and feature highlights across social channels and CBS Sports HQ, the 24/7 streaming sports news network.

Paramount+, a leading destination for U.S. soccer fans, features more than a thousand live matches each year across an extensive portfolio of soccer properties, including UEFA club competitions, NWSL, Concacaf Men’s World Cup Qualifiers, Liga Profesional de Fútbol, and Serie A.

VIAC-IR

HOLLYWOOD- Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that the highly anticipated “INTERSTELLAR” from Christopher Nolan will be released in 70mm IMAX® film, 70mm film and 35mm film formats on Wednesday, November 5th, two days ahead of its nationwide release. The advance showings will play in select theaters in more than 225 locations across the U.S. and Canada.

“To see Christopher Nolan’s ‘INTERSTELLAR’ on the big screen is an unforgettable movie going experience,” said Rob Moore, Vice Chairman of Paramount Pictures. “From IMAX to traditional film and digital projection, we are pleased that audiences will have the opportunity to see this awe-inspiring film in a wide variety of formats and we are very excited to be making the film available 2-days early for moviegoers.”

“INTERSTELLAR” was shot using a combination of 35mm anamorphic film and 65mm IMAX film to maximize the crispness and clarity of the image and give the audience a truly cinematic and immersive experience. These advance engagements highlight those theaters presenting “INTERSTELLAR” in its native formats.

On Wednesday, November 5th, 2014, “INTERSTELLAR” opens in the following film formats:

– Select IMAX theaters will be offering The IMAX Experience® featuring 15 perf/70mm film projection which combines the brightest, clearest images at almost 10 times the resolution of standard projection formats, with powerful, laser-aligned digital sound and customized theatre geometry to create the world’s most immersive movie experience. Select sequences will expand to fill the entire screen and will deliver unprecedented crispness and clarity.

– INTERSTELLAR in the 70mm film format offers brighter, clearer image, with three times the resolution of standard projection formats, using the process of projecting light through celluloid to deliver clear images in rich analog color with state-of-the-art digital sound.

– The 35mm film presentations project light through the 35mm frame to deliver clear, high resolution images with rich analog color combined with state-of-the-art digital sound in most locations.

Tickets for these advance showings on November 5th are available today at https://interstellar.withgoogle.com and at participating theater box offices. Tickets are also available for the nationwide release on Friday, November 7th, 2014, when “INTERSTELLAR” opens in theaters everywhere including its digital engagements:

– IMAX digital projection uses dual projectors with sub-pixel alignment to produce clear, high contrast images with powerful, laser-aligned digital sound and customized theatre geometry, creating the world’s most immersive digital movie experience. Select sequences will expand to fill the entire screen.

– The film in 4K digital projection produces a clear, bright, high resolution image with absolute stability and cleanliness, combined with uncompressed digital sound for a powerful movie-going experience.

– Digital projection presents a clear, bright, stable image that never degrades in terms of cleanliness or fidelity and uses uncompressed digital sound for a powerful movie-going experience.

“INTERSTELLAR” stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Bill Irwin, Ellen Burstyn, John Lithgow and Michael Caine. With our time on Earth coming to an end, a team of explorers undertakes the most important mission in human history; traveling beyond this galaxy to discover whether mankind has a future among the stars. Directed by Christopher Nolan, written by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, and produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Lynda Obst.

About Paramount Pictures Corporation
Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA) (NASDAQ: VIAB), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. Paramount controls a collection of some of the most powerful brands in filmed entertainment, including Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV Films, and Nickelodeon Movies. PPC operations also include Paramount Famous Productions, Paramount Home Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures International, Paramount Licensing Inc., and Paramount Studio Group.

About Warner Bros. Pictures
Warner Bros. Pictures meets worldwide tastes and demands with a diverse mix of filmed entertainment and is a global leader in the marketing and distribution of feature films. The International Division operates offices in 24 countries and releases films in over 125 international territories, either directly to theaters or in conjunction with partner companies and co-ventures. Internationally, the Studio has been the market leader in six of the last 13 years, having surpassed $1 billion in grosses a total of 15 years, 12 of which were consecutive years, and crossed $2 billion five times, including 2004, 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

MONTRÉAL and SAN FRANCISCO, April 20, 2015 – Cirque du Soleil (“Cirque”), the world’s leading producer of high-quality live artistic entertainment, today announced an agreement under which TPG, a global private investment firm, will acquire a majority stake in Cirque du Soleil to fuel growth and take Cirque’s iconic blue and yellow big top to exciting new markets.

Cirque du Soleil’s Founder, Guy Laliberté, will maintain a stake in the business and will continue to provide strategic and creative input to the company. Fosun, one of China’s leading privately-owned investment groups, will acquire a minority stake in Cirque du Soleil via a fund under its management, and together the firms will work with the company to launch and expand in China. In addition, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (the “Caisse”) will also acquire a minority interest in the company. Québec businessman Mitch Garber, who has strong business ties to TPG, will also be part of the investor group. Mr. Garber will become Chairman of Cirque du Soleil, adding valuable expertise and a strong Montréal-community presence to the board of directors. No financial terms of the transaction were disclosed.

“After 30 years building the Cirque du Soleil brand, we have now found the right partners in TPG, Fosun and the Caisse to take Cirque du Soleil forward to the next stage in its evolution as a company founded on the conviction that the arts and business, together, can contribute to making a better world,” said Guy Laliberté. “Just as importantly, I am thrilled that the investors have demonstrated such a strong commitment to Cirque’s unique Québec cultural heritage and the creativity and imagination of our people.”

“We are excited about the opportunity to bring our global platform of resources and know-how to propel the growth of Cirque’s unique brand, content and capabilities around the world,” said David Trujillo, partner at TPG. “We are inspired by Guy Laliberté’s imagination and vision, and look forward to working with him and his talented team, as well as the vibrant Montréal creative community.”

Mitch Garber added, “Guy has built one of the most extraordinary companies in the world. I have worked with TPG for many years and know they are the perfect partners to take this business forward. Cirque is a great source of pride for all Québecers and we intend to continue to make them proud.”

Guo Guangchang, Chairman of Fosun said, “To date, Fosun has established a global prototype for platforms that capture lifestyle trends in China. Building on top of this model, we have an objective to become one of the global leaders in businesses driven by lifestyle needs, which are quickly taking root in China. The performances of Cirque are very attractive and are a standard bearer for the quality content expected by global citizens. We have known Cirque and TPG’s team for quite some time so we respect their cultural heritage. We envisage deeper cooperation with Cirque and are excited to have Cirque as a major new growth platform within our lifestyle services and content portfolio.”

Guy Laliberté and his team have grown Québec-based Cirque du Soleil into one of the world’s largest and most well-recognized entertainment brands, touching 150 million spectators worldwide. As part of the agreement, Cirque du Soleil’s talented team will remain in place and TPG has made binding commitments to ensure that the headquarters and the creative activities of Cirque du Soleil will remain in Montréal, a community that has always been at the heart of Cirque’s success. Daniel Lamarre will remain as Cirque’s President and CEO.

Michael Sabia, President and CEO of the Caisse, added: “This is an important moment in the history of the Cirque. Today, we are partnering with the company as it seeks to conquer new markets. We are confident that TPG, alongside Fosun, has all the expertise to expand the Cirque’s global presence. We are pleased that this new era of growth will be directed from Montréal, the Cirque’s decision-making and creative center, under the direction of Daniel Lamarre, CEO.”

“Our partners believe in Cirque du Soleil’s extraordinary artistic vision, and together, we will nurture that vision and take it to new heights,” said Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO of Cirque du Soleil. “TPG’s track record of helping legendary brands deliver powerful experiences, Fosun’s expertise in China and the Caisse’s homegrown financial strength are a powerful combination that will fuel new growth in our business.”

TPG is one of the world’s leading private investment firms, with its largest office in San Francisco. The firm has a successful track record of growing legendary brands that deliver unique consumer experiences, such as Beringer, Chobani, Ducati, Fender, J.Crew and Neiman Marcus. The firm’s focus on Internet and media investments, including Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Lynda.com, RentPath, STX Entertainment and Univision, amongst others, also enables TPG to leverage its digital ecosystem for the benefit of portfolio companies such as Cirque.

The combined expertise and resources of the TPG-led investor group offer compelling opportunities to broaden the creative reach of Cirque for the benefit of all stakeholders, including:

New revenue opportunities through TPG’s deep experience building iconic consumer brands and strong media and entertainment relationships;
Greater reach and access to large new audiences in China and other Asian markets for Cirque du Soleil’s shows; and
Expanded offerings with third-party intellectual property deals, increased licensing, digital media and ticket sales.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, and is expected to close in the third quarter 2015.

Commitments to Québec and Canada

As part of the transaction, the investors are committing to a comprehensive package of binding undertakings that will ensure that Montréal remains the creative and management international headquarters for Cirque du Soleil, including:

Ensure that Cirque’s headquarters in Montréal, Québec remain the centre for creative and artistic services for the business and locus of strategic decision-making;
Continuing to support the growth of Cirque du Soleil’s core business, while expanding job and training opportunities for employees based in Québec and across Canada;
Significant Québec and Canadian presence on the leadership team of Cirque du Soleil and its Board of Directors; and
Active support of the continued growth and vitality of Québec’s flourishing creative arts community through funding to cultural and community organizations, continued support of Cirque du Monde, and maintaining funding for the research activities of C:LAB, the creative laboratory of Cirque du Soleil.
Advisors

Goldman, Sachs & Co. acted as exclusive financial advisor to Cirque du Soleil. Norton Rose Fulbright acted as legal advisor to Cirque du Soleil. Ropes & Gray LLP and Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP acted as legal advisors to TPG. McCarthy Tétrault acted as legal advisor to Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec.

About Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil is primarily a creative content provider for a wide variety of unique projects. In addition to shows, the company, which has its International Headquarters in Montréal, extends its creative talent to other spheres of activity. While maintaining stringent standards of artistic quality and originality, Cirque du Soleil brings to innovative projects the same energy and spirit that characterize each of its shows.

Cirque du Soleil is a Québec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. Since its beginnings in 1984, almost 160 million spectators in over 330 cities and 48 countries have been thrilled by Cirque du Soleil. In 2015, 18 shows will simultaneously be presented around the world. Cirque du Soleil has been the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Emmy, Drama Desk, Bambi, ACE, Gémeaux, Félix and Rose d’Or de Montreux. For more information visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.

About TPG
TPG is a leading global private investment firm founded in 1992 with over $67 billion of assets under management and offices in San Francisco, Fort Worth, Austin, Dallas, Houston, New York, Beijing, Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Melbourne, Moscow, Mumbai, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo. TPG has extensive experience with global public and private investments executed through leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, spinouts, growth investments, joint ventures and restructurings. The firm has helped build many well-known consumer brands including J.Crew, Ducati, Neiman Marcus, Chobani, Fender, Petco and e.l.f. Cosmetics, and invested in premier media and entertainment companies including CAA, STX Entertainment and Univision. The firm also has a long track record of investing in Asia, with investments that include Chindex International, China Grand Auto, Masan Group, Shenzhen Development Bank, and Shriram Transport. For more information visit www.tpg.com.

About Fosun
Fosun was founded in 1992 in Shanghai. Fosun International Limited (00656.HK) was listed on the Main Board of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited on 16 July 2007. Fosun has been persistently taking roots in China and investing in China’s growth fundamentals. It has been actively implementing its investment model of “Combining China’s Growth Momentum with Global Resources”. Fosun is dedicated to making a major stride towards becoming a world-class investment group underpinned by the twin drivers of “insurance-oriented comprehensive financial capability” and “global industrial integration capability taking roots in China”. Today, Fosun’s businesses include two major parts, integrated finance and industrial operations. In 2014, Fosun focused more on investments in the healthcare and happy and fashionable lifestyle industries around the world, including cases like the privatization of Chindex, the acquisition of the entire Luz Saúde healthcare group of Portugal, the establishment of Studio 8 as a controlling shareholder, the privatization of Club Med and investment in Thomas Cook which have just been concluded in March of this year. For more information, please visit www.fosun.com.

About La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec
La Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec is a long-term institutional investor that manages funds primarily for public and parapublic pension and insurance plans. As at December 31, 2014, it held $226 billion in net assets. As one of Canada’s leading institutional fund managers, la Caisse invests globally in major financial markets, private equity, infrastructure and real estate. For more information: www.lacaisse.com.

New York – Today, Citi, proud retail bank partner of the 2014 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams, is unveiling a national advertising and marketing campaign ahead of the Sochi Olympic Winter Games. The campaign, featuring U.S. Olympic and Paralympic qualifiers, hopefuls and legends who compose Team Citi, includes broadcast, print, out-of-home, social media, and digital advertising, as well as special events, promotions and retail activations. The campaign is infused with Citi’s brand messaging and showcases many of Citi’s competitive and innovative banking products, including Citigold, the Citi Mobile app, and the Citi ThankYou® Preferred Visa card.

Citi is continuing its successful Every Step of the Way® program, first launched for the London 2012 Olympic Games, and bringing it to life through a comprehensive advertising and marketing campaign featuring the athletes of Team Citi – Julie Chu, Billy Demong, Erin Hamlin, Ted Ligety, Evan Lysacek, Dan Jansen, Picabo Street, Alana Nichols and Rico Roman. Citi has donated an additional $500,000 to the United States Olympic Committee and is encouraging fans to visit Citi.com/everystep to learn about each of the Team Citi athletes and the U.S. Olympic, Paralympic and community sport programs that inspired their journeys. With a single click, fans can choose a Team Citi athlete to support and help allocate a portion of Citi’s donation to their sport program.

“Citi is delighted to continue its support for Team USA, this time in their efforts at the 2014 Sochi Olympic Winter Games,” said Citi Chief Brand Officer Dermot Boden. “Building on the success of Citi’s inaugural Team USA sponsorship at the London 2012 Olympic Games, we are now pleased to launch a fully integrated campaign that will create an enhanced connection with our customers, our employees and fellow Olympic and Paralympic fans. Just as Citi aspires to help our clients on their journeys from ambition to achievement, we are proud to support our Team Citi athletes every step of the way as they work towards and reach their goals.”

Citi’s television campaign will kick off today with a spot featuring Nordic combined skier Billy Demong. Two additional broadcast spots airing later this month will feature alpine skier Ted Ligety and will focus on the way the Citi Mobile app allows consumers to bank from almost anywhere. The spot that begins airing today will focus on the Citi ThankYou® Preferred Visa card, which allows consumers to earn 2X points on dining and entertainment at no annual fee. Additional Information on the Citi ThankYou Preferred Visa card, including how to apply and pricing terms, can be found at www.citi.com/thankyoucards. To see what types of dining and entertainment purchases qualify, see the Card Terms and Conditions at www.citi.com/thankyoucards.

“Our customers want their bank to understand how they live and get them where they want to go – whether they are banking on their smart phone mountainside or earning points for music downloads purchased with their Citi ThankYou® Preferred Visa card,” said Elyssa Gray, Director of Creative and Media, North America Consumer Marketing, Citi. “We’re excited to introduce this advertising in which Team Citi athletes bring to life the stories of Citi’s banking products in a fun and engaging way.”

The deep and authentic connection between the athletes and their chosen sport programs drove the stories in the two remaining Citi television commercials, which feature members of two community sports programs and will begin airing immediately prior to the Sochi Games:

2010 Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek is featured alongside one of the current members of Figure Skating in Harlem (FSH), who has participated in the program for the last seven years. Since 2006, Lysacek has worked with FSH, a program that empowers young women in underserved New York City communities to achieve their dreams by combining the power of education with the discipline of figure skating.
Sled hockey player Rico Roman stars alongside members of the National Paralympic Sled Hockey Team to highlight Operation Comfort, an organization that provides rehabilitative therapeutic programs such as sled hockey, hand cycling and amputee surfing for wounded military servicemembers while they are recovering. Roman and other players featured in the spot were introduced to the sport of sled hockey by Operation Comfort after being injured in combat.
In addition to broadcast, print, digital, and out-of-home advertising, Citi’s campaign will be activated across a multitude of channels including live events, retail promotions and in-branch activations. In New York City, a portion of the Columbus Circle subway station will be taken over with ad units, as will The Grove in Los Angeles. CitiBike stations in New York City will also feature ad units. Nationwide, many of Citibank’s digital ads, branch signage, customer takeaways and ATM screens will connect the Citigold suite of banking products with Citi’s U.S. Olympic and Paralympic sponsorship under the theme “Go for the Gold.”

During the final week of the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Citi will create Team USA-themed experiences for clients, customers and employees at a dedicated event space in New York City. The venue will be programmed with athlete visits, competition viewing and interactive elements that will help ignite the unique Olympic spirit for fans here at home.

Following their broadcast debuts, Citi’s television advertisements will all be available for viewing at www.youtube.com/citi.

To mark its 200th anniversary, Citi was an official sponsor of Team USA in 2012 for the first time in the company’s history. Earlier this year Citi and the U.S. Olympic Committee announced that Citi renewed its sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams through 2016.

This Press Release is courtesy of Citigroup www.citigroup.com

PLANO, Texas, – Attention party people, Super Bowl XLIX is around the corner and it’s time to make your mark. Tostitos, the brand known for bringing the party, is headed to Arizona to celebrate its role as the official chip and dip sponsor of the NFL in a way only the Tostitos brand can – with the most unexpected, over-the-top Super Bowl party experience fans have ever seen. From Wednesday, Jan. 28 through Sunday, Feb. 1, party meets sport as the Tostitos brand challenges fans to complete a series of larger-than-life party games and other tailgating experiences for top party honors. So put your game face on, get your smack talk primed and be ready to dial up the good times – this isn’t your average tailgate.

“Tostitos Party Blvd.” will span two city blocks, establishing itself as one of the ultimate party destinations in downtown Phoenix, complete with Tostitos chips and dips for party-goers to enjoy. Fans also can test their speed, agility and humility as they tackle a variety of backyard party games, including:

Slingshot Blitz: A party game favorite reimagined as an arcade-style experience complete with surprising special effects.
Double Dipper Dunk: A twist on the classic dunk tank, this game invites participants to hit a target opposite them with a football, which results in being “dunked” into a massive bowl of Tostitos dip. Can you say, “yum?”
Mega-Mecha Cornhole: The biggest and baddest game of beanbag toss anyone could ever imagine – a true test of man vs. machine.
“All season long, we’ve challenged Tostitos fans to show us their party awesomeness – from the videos they’ve posted online, to our in-stadium tailgates throughout the season. Our fans proved time and again, they have what it takes to party like pros,” said Jeff Klein, vice president of marketing, Frito-Lay, North America. “With Tostitos Party Blvd. we’re wrapping up this NFL season with one final party for the ages – complete with awesome fans, over-the-top games, delicious snacks and two NFL greats to kick off the festivities. We can’t wait to see what our fans bring to Phoenix this week – game on.”

NFL GREATS JOIN THE PARTY
Joining the Tostitos brand for this one-of-a-kind experience will be Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Chip Kelly who earlier this year relinquished his unofficial title as the “Official Chip of the NFL” to Tostitos, the official “Official Chip and Dip Sponsor of the NFL” through a series of humorous digital shorts available online since early January.

Also joining for the fun will be NFL legend LaDainian Tomlinson, arguably one of the greatest players of the game and a guy who knows a thing or two about an awesome tailgate party. Tomlinson, who spent 11 successful seasons as an NFL running back playing for the San Diego Chargers and New York Jets, became the NFL MVP in 2006, was selected to five Pro Bowls, named an All-Pro three times, and won two rushing titles (2006 and 2007). Kelly and Tomlinson will be on hand, offering tips and coaching fans as they take turns testing their own skills on each party challenge.

DIALING UP HOMEGATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY
Fans who can’t make it to Arizona can still get in on the Tostitos Party Blvd. action. Follow @Tostitos to see the latest highlights.

And the party doesn’t stop there. Whether fans are throwing a tailgate of their own, or just hosting some friends to watch the game, the Tostitos brand has party-goers covered with a variety of chips and dips that will turn any gathering into a full-on celebration. This includes two new additions to the Tostitos portfolio: Tostitos Rolls! tortilla chips and Tostitos Dip-etizers dips.

NEW Tostitos Rolls! tortilla chips are made for dipping and dunking with a unique, tube-like shape and hearty crunch, sure to dial-up the fun factor of any gathering.
NEW Tostitos Dip-etizers dips come in two delicious flavors, Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke and Mexican Style Four Cheese Queso. Packaged in re-heatable, re-sealable bowls, they can go from pantry, to microwave, to party spread in minutes.
For more details on Tostitos Party Blvd., including information on how to participate, please visit www.Tostitos.com, follow @Tostitos and check us out at Facebook.com/Tostitos.

To check out the Tostitos brand ousting Chip Kelly as the “Official Chip of the NFL,” visit www.youtube.com/user/tostitos.

About Tostitos
The Tostitos brand is one of the many brands that make up Frito-Lay North America, the $13 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. In addition to Frito-Lay, PepsiCo business units include Pepsi-Cola, Quaker Foods, Gatorade and Tropicana. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate Web site, http://www.fritolay.com/, the Snack Chat blog, http://www.snacks.com/ and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/fritolay.

About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $66 billion in net revenue in 2013, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth in shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

HOLLYWOOD, FLA. – Coca-Cola marks its 36th year at “El Festival de la Calle Ocho” (Calle Ocho) with a musical blend of Bachata, Salsa and Latin Jazz. As a token to loyal festival goers the Company will offer exclusive opportunities to meet and greet a variety of famous musicians. Calle Ocho will take place onSunday, March 9 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“At Calle Ocho we bring together music fans with their favorite Coca-Cola brands and top artists to experience the “ahhh” moments in life,” said Melanie Jones, Vice President of Sales, South Florida Market Unit, Coca-Cola Refreshments. “These refreshing moments are made possible through our longstanding partnership with Festival organizers, Kiwanis Club of Little Havana, and our mutual commitment to support the Miami community.”

The Company plans to connect consumers to an all-star cast of Latin musicians at The Coca-Cola Music Stage located at 8th Street and 22nd Avenue in Miami. Award-nominees Leslie Grace and Frankie Negron will headline this year’s festival. Other performers include DLG, David Correy, Celia Cruz All-Stars, Alfredo de la Fe, El Valiente-T, Jay D’Amante and Gambino & Castro.

“Music is the thread that can unite generations,” said Leslie Grace, singer-songwriter and GRAMMY® award-nominee. “It brings me great joy to join Coca-Cola in an event like Calle Ocho that connects people to share happiness and music while honoring legends and celebrating our diverse culture.”

The Company will pay homage to the past with a performance from Celia Cruz All-Stars. The group will honor the 10th anniversary of Celia Cruz’s death with a tribute to the great Salsa legend. Following, 29-year-old Brazilian/American singer David Correy will give the crowd a nod to the future. As the voice of Coca-Cola’s song for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ campaign, Correy will perform his hit song “The World is Ours” at the Coca-Cola Calle Ocho Stage.

Customer Programs
To excite people about the Festival Coca-Cola is partnering with several South Florida retailers to bring Calle Ocho-themed programs to their stores. Exclusive promotions include opportunities to text and win VIP passes to the Coca-Cola Music Stage and a meet and greet with one of the many Calle Ocho performers. Media partners include Univision Radio, which will promote the in-store programs with live radio remotes and on-air advertising on WRTO-98.3 FM and WAMR-107.5 FM.

DASANI is bringing its “Drop Into DASANI” tour back to Calle Ocho. The “Drop Into DASANI” tour features a confetti filled bounce-house that captures digital photos of attendees having fun inside. The photos can be instantly shared with family and friends via email or uploaded to social media platforms. In addition, people will learn about DASANI’s sustainability efforts through their recycling game. As part of the game, people can launch empty DASANI bottles at a recycling-themed façade in exchange for prizes. DASANI will be located at 8th Street and 20th Avenue.

“Drop Into DASANI” is a 24-week tour that will visit college campuses, music festivals and theme parks throughout the country promoting the benefits of DASANI and recycling. At each tour stop, people also will have the chance to taste DASANI DROPS™ water flavor enhancers.

Supporting Carnaval Miami
For 36 years, Coca-Cola has been a valued partner of the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana; the organizer of Carnaval Miami. Carnaval Miami is a month-long celebration that features culinary competitions, an art and jazz festival, 5K and 10K run/walk, soccer tournament, and Calle Ocho.

In addition to Coca-Cola’s role in Calle Ocho, Cola Zero™ will be the presenting sponsor of Miss Carnaval Miami. This event celebrates South Florida’s most talented, brightest and beautiful young Hispanic women who will compete for a $2,500 college scholarship.

“Since the 1978, Coca-Cola continues to be one of Calle Ocho’s longest and strongest supporters. Their commitment to the local community is what makes Coca-Cola a household name very much appreciated by all of us,” said Antonio “Tony” Lorenzo, President of the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana.

El Festival de la Calle Ocho – Kiwanis Club of Little Havana
Calle Ocho is a production of The Kiwanis Club of Little Havana, a non-profit service organization formed in 1975, with the mission of changing the life of one child and one community at a time. Funds raised from Calle Ocho and the events of Carnaval Miami, allow the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana to sponsor projects and programs of great impact to the youth of South Florida; programs that begin at infancy and continue until college graduation.

This Press Release is courtesy of www.coca-colacompany.com

ATLANTA, – The largest marketing program in the history of The Coca-Cola Company invites the world to celebrate football as a force for social good. Through “The World’s Cup” campaign, Coca-Cola will create unrivalled access, participation, empowerment and conversation with the goal of delivering the most accessible and inclusive FIFA World Cup™ ever. “The World’s Cup” will be brought to life through a number of key elements:

“One World, One Game” television and digital film
“Where Will Happiness Strike Next” documentary-style short films
The official music anthem for the Coca-Cola 2014 FIFA World Cup™ campaign
The Happiness Flag – the largest photomosaic ever created featuring fan faces and messages
FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola
A uniquely Brazilian visual identity
“Just as Brasil is everyone’s country and Coca-Cola is everyone’s drink, the FIFA World Cup™ is everyone’s cup,” said Joseph Tripodi, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer, The Coca-Cola Company, about the brand’s new campaign for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™. “Through “The World’s Cup”, Coca-Cola wants to celebrate real people playing football, demonstrating how the game is a force for a more inclusive and connected world.”

The “One World, One Game” television and digital film goes live across the globe today and is the brand’s invitation to the world to join “The World’s Cup”. The film, created in partnership with Wieden + Kennedy Sao Paulo, brings to life the stories of four football teams from four different corners of the world who have each overcome life’s challenges through their love of the game. The film sees the teams share their stories of the happiness that football brings them as Coca-Cola surprises each team with invitations to Rio de Janeiro, to see the preparations for the 2014 FIFA World Cup™. The teams’ experience will culminate in attending the tournament this summer, where they will have the honor of carrying the national team flags onto the pitch at Germany vs. Portugal on June 16th.

In a series of poignant, documentary-style, short films entitled Where Will Happiness Strike Next captured during stops along the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour, Coca-Cola will share stories of passionate football fans that are using the game to help them triumph over adversity, in turn inspiring others to use the power of football to overcome difficulties. At each film’s climax, the stars are surprised by Coca-Cola and a special viewing of the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy.

“Coca-Cola prides itself on celebrating the power of football and the ability of the sport to bring the world together. Football is for everyone, regardless of geographical and social boundaries, that’s why this year we are launching “The World’s Cup”.” added Tripodi.

‘The World Is Ours’ is the official music anthem for the Coca-Cola 2014 FIFA World Cup™ campaign featuring vocals from Brazilian born David Correy and sounds from Monobloco – a Brazilian street band. As Correy travelled across the globe championing the song, local artists were encouraged to put their own spin on the track, giving it a truly global flavor.

In an unprecedented move, Coca-Cola is giving fans from across the globe the chance to be part of the largest flag mosaic ever created and show the power of football to bring people from different backgrounds and beliefs together. The Happiness Flag – constructed from photos and tweets submitted by fans from around the world – will be seen on-pitch prior to the Opening Match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ in Sao Paulo on June 12th.

Underpinning the entire campaign is the longest ever FIFA World Cup™ Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola. Starting in September 2013 Coca-Cola has taken the FIFA World Cup™ Trophy on a journey spanning more than 92,000 miles and visiting 90 countries to encapsulate the true spirit of the campaign – that the FIFA World Cup™ really is “The World’s Cup”.

The visual identity for “The World’s Cup” campaign will be featured on all brand communication during the tournament and represents happiness, togetherness and celebration. For the first time, the design was created in collaboration with a street artist, employing the unique style and talent of Brazilian artist Speto. It features the color and characteristic designs of Brazilian street art with the faces of four young people from Brazil reproduced in Speto’s signature graphic style.

The Coca-Cola Company has had a long-standing relationship with FIFA since 1974 and has been an official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup™ since 1978. Coca-Cola has had stadium advertising at every FIFA World Cup™ since 1950 and is a long-time supporter of football at all levels.

About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands, our Company’s portfolio features 17 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.9 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world’s top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com,

This news is courtesy of wwww.cocacolacompany.com

LONDON & NEW YORK & PHILADELPHIA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aug. 18, 2021– Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA) and ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC, VIACA) today announced a partnership to launch a new subscription video on demand (SVOD) service in more than 20 European territories encompassing 90 million homes. SkyShowtime will bring together decades of direct-to-consumer experience and the very best entertainment, movies, and original series from the NBCUniversal, Sky and ViacomCBS portfolio of brands, including titles from SHOWTIME, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Paramount+ Originals, Sky Studios, Universal Pictures, and Peacock. The service’s vast slate will span all genres and audience categories, including scripted dramas, kids and family, key franchises, premiere movies, local programming, documentaries/factual content, and more.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210818005282/en/

The new SVOD service is expected to launch in 2022, subject to regulatory approval. It will ultimately be available to consumers in Albania, Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Kosovo, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.

SkyShowtime will be home to 10,000+ hours of entertainment from some of the top creators and most beloved content from around the world. The new service will include first-run, new movies and TV seasons launching every month with a quality library of all-time favorites, classics, and family and kids programming.

“With the launch of SkyShowtime we are well positioned to utilize our global content engine to create a compelling streaming offering, quickly and at scale, with a smart strategic phased investment,” said Raffaele Annecchino, President & Chief Executive Officer of ViacomCBS Networks International. “As a complement to our recently announced Paramount+ partnership with Sky in the UK, Italy, and Germany, SkyShowtime represents a huge opportunity to accelerate our market expansion and build a leadership position in SVOD in Europe.”

“Our new streaming service, SkyShowtime, will combine the best of the US and Europe with iconic brands and world-class entertainment for millions of consumers in more than 20 new markets in Europe,” said Dana Strong, Group Chief Executive, Sky. “On the heels of Peacock coming to Sky, this partnership provides an innovative approach to quickly scale internationally and monetize content across Europe. Drawing on the strength of the incredible programming from NBCUniversal, Sky, and ViacomCBS, and powered by Peacock’s platform technology, SkyShowtime will provide a truly compelling lineup for the whole family and strong brand recognition across these regions.”

The partnership will be structured as a joint venture, with equal investment and joint control by ViacomCBS and Comcast. Further detail on the SkyShowtime service offering, including subscription price, will be announced at a later date.

About Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming with 57 million customer relationships across the United States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create, distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, multiple cable networks, Peacock, NBCUniversal News Group, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

About ViacomCBS

ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA) is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, its portfolio includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount+, Pluto TV and Simon & Schuster, among others. The company delivers the largest share of the U.S. television audience and boasts one of the industry’s most important and extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions.

For more information about ViacomCBS, please visit www.viacomcbs.com and follow @ViacomCBS on social platforms.

VIAC-IR

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210818005282/en/

Media Contacts:

Comcast
Jennifer Khoury (215) 286-7408
John Demming (215) 286-8011

Comcast today announced plans for its second annual Xfinity Watchathon Week, which brings together the hottest content from the biggest networks for free on Xfinity On Demand. Customers can watch the entire current season of hit shows like Bates Motel, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Chicago PD, Downton Abbey, The Mindy Project, Nashville, Suits and The Walking Dead and go back to the very beginning of acclaimed series like Black Sails, Game of Thrones, The Good Wife, House of Lies, Parks & Recreation and Parenthood.

In total, Xfinity TV customers will have access to over 40 percent more choices this year: 5,000+ episodes from more than 130 series from 48 premium, cable and broadcast networks, many of which are available across Xfinity On Demand platforms (TV, Xfinity.com/TV and the Xfinity TV Go app for tablets and smartphones).

“Watchathon Week is TV nirvana for every type of fan,” said Matt Strauss, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Video Services for Comcast Cable. “Whether our customers decide to catch-up on current shows their friends have been talking about all year, or see as many different past programs as possible, Watchathon is a free, all-you-can-watch feast for the binger in all of us.”

Xfinity TV customers can catch-up on hit shows like Awkward, Californication, Orphan Black and Veep before their new season premieres in April. At the same time, Watchathon is an opportunity to get current on programs like Archer, Da Vinci’s Demons, Hannibal, The Millers, Justified, and Trophy Wife before this year’s season finale.

Watchathon Week programming partners include premium networks: Cinemax, ENCORE, HBO, HBO Latino, SHOWTIME, and STARZ; cable networks: A&E, ABC Family, AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, Bravo, Comedy Central, Discovery, E!, El Rey Network, Esquire Network, Food Network, FOX Life, FX, FXX, H2, Hallmark, HGTV, History, Lifetime, MTV, mun2, MundoFox, NatGeo, Ovation, OWN, Oxygen, Sundance, Syfy, TLC, TNT, tr3s and USA Network; and broadcast networks: ABC, CBS, The CW, FOX, NBC, PBS, Telemundo, UniMás and Univision.

“Since last year’s event, we’ve steadily built our Xfinity On Demand platform with more of the season’s top shows and are able to make this year’s event bigger than ever,” added Strauss. “We can’t wait to hear how our customers choose to watch this year and see the fun they have doing it.”

Xfinity TV customers can visit the new Watchathon Headquarters site to get ready, plan their week and spread the word with their friends. Join the Watchathon Week conversation on facebook.com/xfinity and on twitter by using #Watchathon and following @XFINITY and @Comcast. Content availability will vary across Xfinity On Demand platforms (TV, Xfinity.com/TV and the Xfinity TV Go app), and in virtually all cases can be viewed regardless of customer’s subscription level.

About Comcast Cable:
Comcast Cable is the nation’s largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses. Comcast has invested in technology to build an advanced network that delivers among the fastest broadband speeds, and brings customers personalized video, communications and home management offerings. Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) is a global media and technology company.

This news is courtesy of www.comcast.com

SAN FRANCISCO– Comedy Central, the #1 brand in comedy, Superfly, the founders behind Bonnaroo, and Outside Lands co-producer Another Planet Entertainment, announced today the initial lineup for the return of Comedy Central Presents Clusterfest, a three-day comedy and music festival now in its third year. Clusterfest will feature its most diverse lineup to date with top-tier talent, more emerging comics, music and musical comedy, podcasts and live reads. Must-see performances include John Mulaney, Patton Oswalt, Issa Rae, Ilana Glazer, The Roots, Lovett or Leave It and My Favorite Murder, one of the most successful podcasts in the country. From Friday, June 21 to Sunday, June 23, Clusterfest will take place in the heart of San Francisco at Civic Center Plaza and Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Loyalty pre-sale tickets will be available to returning Clusterfest patrons Friday, March 8 at 10 a.m. PT. General admission three-day and VIP on-sale starts Monday, March 11 at 10 a.m. PT. All tickets are available exclusively at www.clusterfest.com.

Clusterfest is the place to see some of the biggest names in comedy, rising stars that are soon to be household names, and exclusive “first and only” fan experiences like live podcast recordings, immersive attractions from television’s most beloved comedy shows, and live reads like Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion: with drag queens Trixie Mattel, Katya, and Peaches Christ. As with previous years, fans can expect jaw-dropping surprises to be unveiled leading up to and at the three-day festival, including additional headliners and performances.
“We’re excited to share today’s lineup that reflects the diversity of comedy across stand up, podcasts and live reads, paired with musical performances,” said Jonas Larsen, Executive Vice President, Talent and Development for Comedy Central. “Clusterfest continues to deliver a one of a kind festival experience you can’t find anywhere else.”

“Clusterfest is about presenting the breadth of comedy and music in a way that easily lends itself to discovering something new and entertaining, and this year’s stacked lineup does just that,” said Chris Sampson, EVP of Programming, Superfly. “We’re beyond excited to return this year with more top-tier and emerging talent and can’t wait to unveil even more leading up to the festival weekend.”

Once again, Clusterfest has partnered with several local nonprofits, including America Scores, Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco (Tenderloin Clubhouse) and United Playaz. A portion of all festival ticket sales will be donated to each organization to help support their causes in the San Francisco community.

Clusterfest has also teamed up with the renowned SF Sketchfest as a programming partner for a select number of comedic performances.

Three-day general admission, VIP and Platinum tickets will be available Monday, March 11 at 10 a.m. PT exclusively via www.clusterfest.com. Three-day general admission starts at $219.50, VIP starts at $584.50 and Platinum, which is new for 2019, is $1,250. Single day tickets will be available Friday, March 15 at 10 a.m. PT. Single day admission starts at $89 and single day VIP starts at $224.50. Clusterfest is also offering a layaway payment plan for all ticket types that allows fans the option to purchase tickets now and pay later by splitting the purchase into multiple payments over time.

About Comedy Central
Comedy Central gives audiences access to a world of super funny, personally relatable, culturally relevant, and provocative comedy that tells the funny truths of life, every day and everywhere, wherever and whenever they want to laugh. With a global reach of more than 300 million households in over 150 countries, Comedy Central features award-winning late-night, sketch, scripted and animated series, along with stand-up specials and series Connecting with comedy fans through multiple touchpoints, Comedy Central also produces nationwide stand-up events and festivals, boasts a Grammy® Award-winning record label (Comedy Central Records), is a leading provider of comedy content for voice assistants, produces and curates a Global Podcast Network, and operates Comedy Central Radio on SiriusXM (Channel 95). In addition, Comedy Central’s category-leading branded gaming and licensing contribute to one of the most successful home entertainment divisions in the industry. For up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Comedy Central’s press site at press.cc.com and follow us on Twitter at @ComedyCentralPR for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

About Superfly
Superfly is on a mission to shape how the world plays and connects through shared experience. Founded in 1996, Superfly’s expertise is bringing people together at the intersection of culture and commerce through iconic live experiences like Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Outside Lands, Clusterfest, and Grandoozy as well as for some of the most recognized brands in the world. Superfly’s creative and strategic offering helps brands like Citi, Intel and Google establish and raise their profile and navigate the cultural marketing landscape through programming, design, digital, social and experiential platforms. Superfly is headquartered in New York, with offices in Chicago and San Francisco. Learn more at http://superf.ly/, and follow on Twitter @Superfly, Facebookwww.facebook.com/superfly and Instagram @superflypresents.

About Another Planet Entertainment
Since 2003, Another Planet Entertainment (APE) has produced and promoted thousands of events with artists as diverse as Radiohead, Neil Young, Chance the Rapper, Daft Punk, Adele, The Weeknd, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Lorde, Metallica, Bruno Mars, twenty one pilots, Bruce Springsteen, Mumford & Sons, Paul McCartney and Kanye West. Named the Top Independent Promoter (U.S.) by Billboard Magazine in 2015 and 2016 and Top Promoter (Worldwide) in 2017, APE is the exclusive promoter for the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, the Fox Theater in Oakland, the historic Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, The Independent in San Francisco, Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena at Harveys and operates a private events division, Another Planet Event Group. APE also produces three major annual festivals – Outside Lands (since 2008), Treasure Island Music Festival (since 2007) and Life Is Beautiful (since 2013) in Downtown Las Vegas. For more information, visit www.APEConcerts.com.

New York, – Comedy Central today has launched Discover Comedy Central on Snapchat as one of eleven select media partners, and the only comedy brand, at the launch of Snapchat’s Discover. Discover Comedy Central on Snapchat will provide a new avenue to be creative, build the Comedy Central brand, and reach new audiences by telling and sharing stories on a daily basis.

“Discover Comedy Central on Snapchat provides Snapchat’s audience with a window into the best Comedy Central programming every day. It is another example of how we give new and existing fans the ability to access our premium content wherever and whenever they want it,” said Michele Ganeless, president, Comedy Central.

Discover Comedy Central on Snapchat will provide five-six stories for each new edition, curated and produced by Comedy Central’s editorial team and updated daily. Stories will be created from existing franchises of the #1 brand in comedy including late-night series “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” “The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore,” and “@midnight with Chris Hardwick,” along with primetime series such as “Broad City,” “Inside Amy Schumer,” “Key & Peele,” “Kroll Show,” “Workaholics,” and more.

This new platform for Comedy Central solidifies its place as the leading comedy brand in digital where it boasts over 140 million fans for its collective franchises across digital and social platforms, with fans engagement registering over one million engagements on average per month.

Available on-air, online and on-the-go, Comedy Central (www.cc.com) is the #1 brand in comedy and is owned by, and is a registered trademark of, Comedy Partners, a wholly-owned unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA and VIAB). For up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs visit Comedy Central’s press Web site at press.cc.com and follow us on Twitter @ComedyCentralPR for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.

Viacom is home to premier global media brands that create compelling television programs, motion pictures, short-form video, apps, games, consumer products, social media and other entertainment content for audiences in more than 160 countries and territories. Viacom’s media networks, including MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, BET, CENTRIC, Nickelodeon, Nick Jr.,TeenNick, Nicktoons, Nick at Nite, Comedy Central, TV Land, SPIKE, Tr3s, Paramount Channel and VIVA, reach approximately 700 million television subscribers worldwide. Paramount Pictures, America’s oldest film studio, is a major global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. For more information about Viacom and its businesses, visit www.viacom.com. Keep up with Viacom news by following Viacom’s blog at blog.viacom.com and Twitter feed at www.twitter.com/Viacom.

Las Vegas, NV
For the second year in a row at CES® in Las Vegas, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)® Foundation will host a business pitch contest – sponsored by AARP Innovation Labs – to recognize sports, fitness and related innovations that can provide health solutions to help people stay in the game as they age.

Professional Football Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana will be the event moderator. AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins, CTA Foundation Executive Director Stephen Ewell, and P&G VP of Innovation Capability Julie Setser will join a panel of industry thought leaders as judges. The contest is on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020, at 1 p.m. PT at the startup stage in Eureka Park at the Sands – all CES 2020 attendees are invited to attend and help select the winner.

The eight companies invited to pitch are:

CareWear (Nevada, USA) – This is a wearable, wireless, FDA-registered LED light patches for athletes in all sports. CareWear Light Patches are designed to help reduce pain and accelerate recovery.

Naolu Brain Tech BrainUp (Beijing, China) – A brain-computer interface product KANG is like a gym but for the brain, designed to provide various practical applications such as 20 minutes deep sleep aid, brain and mental state examination, and brain training programs.

Rothem (Kyiv, Ukraine) – Smart bicycle backlight is a device invented to help predict collisions between a bicycle and a vehicle and warns the vehicle driver before the collision happens with a loud sound and flashes of the backlight.

SmartyPans (California, USA) – SmartyPans is a sensor-enabled cookware that automatically computes nutrition information of home cooked meals and allows users to create their own recipes, which are formatted by AI.

Strig (Gyeonggi-do, South Korea) – Strig is a massage tool with micro-current and micro-vibration that is designed to help relieve muscle pain and aid in faster recovery.

Triple W (California, USA) – DFree is a wearable device. Its purpose is to help predict when you need to go to the bathroom. Its sensor uses ultrasound to continuously monitor your bladder and sends notification to your phone when your bladder is almost full so you know when to go.

Yoganotch (New York, USA) – Yoganotch is an AI yoga coach in which people wear a few tiny Notch sensors designed to help them practice yoga more safely and efficiently with real-time personalized feedback on their technique.

Zibrio (Texas, USA) – The Zibrio SmartScale uses a highly sensitive algorithm to help measure a person’s postural stability and fall risk in a 60 second standing test.

“We had an incredible response from companies creating innovative solutions that can help to keep us active as we age,” said Stephen Ewell, executive director of the CTA Foundation, which links seniors and people with disabilities with technologies to enhance their lives. “I look forward to seeing them compete at CES 2020 and selecting a winner but, ultimately, calling attention to innovations in accessibility technology is a win for everyone.”

In the U.S., the connected solutions market for seniors is expected to reach nearly $30 billion by 2022, according to a recent study by CTA.

For more information on the CTA Foundation, this event, and all their CES 2020 activities, visit https://www.cta.tech/Who-We-Are/CTA-Foundation/CES-2020.

Munich. Carlos Sainz (ESP) and his co-driver Lucas Cruz (ESP) have won the Rally Dakar for the third time, having previously triumphed in 2010 and 2018. In doing so, they presented MINI with its fifth overall victory at the iconic endurance rally. For MINI and MINI Motorsport partner X-raid, this was the first success since their winning run together, which lasted from 2012 to 2015. The Spanish pair, in the MINI John Cooper Works Buggy, finished 6:21 minutes ahead of last year’s winner Nasser Al-Attiyah (QAT) after roughly 7,500 kilometres through Saudi Arabia, which was hosting the Dakar for the first time.

Dakar record winner Stéphane Peterhansel (FRA) and his co-driver Paulo Fiuza (POR) finished third, 9:58 minutes behind Sainz and Cruz, to round off an impressive performance from the two MINI JCW Buggies. The two MINI JCW Buggy crews each won four stages, while MINI vehicles went fastest on a total of nine of the twelve days. Vaidotas Zala (LTU) / Saulius Jurgelenas (LTU), in a MINI JCW Rally, won the very first Dakar stage on Arabian soil on the opening day.

Seven of the nine MINI crews that started the rally reached the finish in Al-Quiddia (KSA), four of them in the top ten. Orlando Terranova (ARG) and Bernardo ‘Ronnie’ Graue (ARG) finished in the top three on three days on their way to sixth place overall in the four-wheel drive MINI JCW Rally. Local favourite Yasir Seaidan (KSA) and his co-driver Alexey Kuzmich (RUS) were ninth and finished an excellent second on the closing stage. Jakub ‘Kuba’ Przygonski (POL) and co-driver Timo Gottschalk (GER) had their hopes of a top result dashed on the opening day when a technical issue resulted in them losing six hours. They eventually finished in 19th place, 8:35.18 seconds off the lead.

MINI vehicles topped the overall standings after every one of the twelve legs at the 40th staging of the Dakar Rally. Zala and Jurgelenas got the ball rolling with victory on the opening stage, after which Terranova and Graue took the overall lead on day two. Sainz and Cruz claimed their first stage win on the third leg. That victory took them to the top of the overall standings – a position they held right through to the finish.

Quotes from the 2020 Dakar Rally:

Carlos Sainz
“I am very, very happy. So much hard work, physical training and test work with the team has gone into getting this result. The race was fantastic for us drivers, but you had to work very hard, right from day one. It is hard to imagine, but it was a full-throttle rally from the word go. Right now, I just want to enjoy the success.”

Stéphane Peterhansel
“That was a bit of an odd Dakar for me. We decided at the last minute to change co-drivers, and then went straight into the race with Paulo Fiuza. I am happy with the result. We finished third, which was more than we would have expected at the start. The guys out in front were very quick and did not make any mistakes with the navigation. We did as well as we could have done.”

Bernd Körber – Head of MINI
“On behalf of the entire MINI family, I would like to congratulate Carlos Sainz, Lucas Cruz and the X-raid team on winning the 2020 Dakar Rally. At the same time, I also congratulate Stéphane Peterhansel and Paulo Fiuza on their podium finish. Unfortunately, this success is overshadowed by the tragic accidents involving Paulo Gonçalves and Edwin Straver, which have affected us all deeply. We wish the relatives every strength and Edwin Straver all the best for his recovery. Our drivers and the X-raid team performed superbly in Saudi Arabia, which was hosting the rally for the first time, and they were rewarded for the hard work they put in during preparations for the event. The MINI John Cooper Works Buggy proved to be fast and reliable on the very demanding and unfamiliar terrain. The fifth overall victory for MINI at the Dakar, and the first since 2015, is a very special moment for us all.”

Sven Quandt – CEO X-raid
“We are absolutely overwhelmed by this superb team result. We did not expect to finish first and third. It has been a fantastic race, with many battles for the lead. Carlos and Stéphane did an outstanding job. The performance of our MINI JCW fleet was absolutely top-notch. We are delighted to have finally won another Dakar with our MINIs after so many years of trying. To have four MINIs in the top ten and seven in the top 20 shows how reliable we are. Thank you to our staff and to everyone who has believed in us and supported us – particularly MINI and our partners.”

LONDON, Oct. 4, 2021 /CNW/ — With the group stage of the UEFA Women’s Champions League officially kicking off, global sports streaming platform and host broadcaster DAZN together with partner YouTube are thrilled to begin live broadcast coverage for fans around the world, marking the official start to the landmark multi-year deal announced earlier this year. From tomorrow 5 October through to the finals in May, all 61 matches will be available live on DAZN and free globally on DAZN’s new UEFA Women’s Champions League YouTube channel.

As it’s the first time UEFA has centralized all Women’s Champions League matches, through the partnership with DAZN and YouTube, fans for the first time will finally be able to follow every single match, throughout the entire season, all around the world, in one single place, for free – making the best women’s football monumentally easier to watch than ever before. This type of universal availability and exposure is long overdue and essential to grow the competition and ensure women’s football overall rises into the ubiquitous mainstream – where it belongs.

“I am thrilled about this partnership. For people to have access to our games wherever they are is a massive move in the right direction, which was long overdue in my eyes. And looking at the content DAZN is planning, to put the spotlight on players and stories across all places, will take things to the next level too,” said Ada Hegerberg, all-time highest scorer in the UEFA Women’s Champions League, Olympique Lyonnais superstar, and DAZN’s first ever season-long global women’s football ambassador who is eyeing a long-awaited comeback soon. “UEFA Women’s Champions League is coming close and I can’t wait for this season to start and show the world what we are made of!”

Building on a long-time commitment to women’s sport and long-term mission of growing the women’s game, DAZN has now also unveiled its initial content, broadcast coverage, talent, and social plans that will bring even more visibility to players, clubs, and the elite competition itself.

“We All Rise” Series – More In-Depth Storytelling

The debut content on DAZN’s UEFA Women’s Champions League YouTube channel was “We ALL Rise With More Eyes” – a campaign film conveying the brand’s unwavering belief in the ripple effect more visibility will have on taking the women’s competition to new heights. Building on this and a shared mission with UEFA and YouTube of turning more athletes into household names and inspiring the next generation of players, DAZN is unveiling the next installment of “We All Rise”: a special six-part series that will shine a light on women’s football in six influential European cities, from grassroots and local community to the professional game itself.

Each week of group stage play, DAZN will premiere a new short-form episode at halftime across all matches that features a diverse mix of locals from each city – including pro footballers, coaches, grassroots players, clubs, local officials, and more. Collectively, their unique voices and powerful experiences converge to tell the firsthand story of that city’s rich history of the game and revealing how – finally – women’s football is indeed on the rise.

The six-city tour will start in the UK, with the first episode “We All Rise: London” premiering tomorrow and featuring interviews with members of English club team Dulwich Hamlet, community girls football club Hackney Laces, Britain’s first female Muslim football referee JJ Roble, former manager of the Arsenal women’s team Vic Akers O.B.E., London Mayor Sadiq Khan, star players and legends including Katie Chapman, and more.

Next, the storytelling journey travels to France with “We All Rise: Paris”; this second episode will star freestyle footballer and Common Goal member Lisa Zimouche, PSG player Kadidiatou Diani, PSG Academy up-and-comer Laurina Fazer, PSG legend and Common Goal member Arianna Criscione, Muslim women’s football community collective Les Hijabeuses, inclusive amateur women’s football team Cacahuètes, and more. Following its broadcast premiere, each episode will also individually be available for fans to watch on both DAZN and YouTube.

Game of the Week – More All-Access Coverage

Continuing the showcase of the best of women’s football throughout the entire UEFA Women’s Champions League, DAZN will also travel to a different city each week for its official Game of The Week – giving viewers on DAZN and on YouTube an up close and personal look at all aspects of the game. The Game of the Week will be hosted by a rotating group of iconic faces from football and the wider sports and entertainment world and, beyond the live action itself, take viewers onto and beyond the pitch as well as behind-the-scenes with their favorite players.

The first Game of the Week will be Barcelona vs Arsenal on 5 October and the second will be Juventus vs Chelsea on 13 October, with both featuring a top-notch presentation team soon to be unveiled.

On-Air Talent Squad – More Expertise and Reach

Ahead of live broadcast kicking off tomorrow, DAZN is proud to have lined up the biggest on-air team ever assembled to cover women’s football for a single broadcaster – including dozens of professional commentators all over the world, from former players to the biggest names in football broadcasting across England, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Portugal, and Ukraine.

With this historic women’s football pundit squad in place, DAZN will guarantee every single match for the season to be available for global audiences in up to three languages: 1. home team language 2. away team language and 3. if not already covered, English. This marks a first in UEFA Women’s Champions League history, as matches have never consistently been available in this many languages before for fans worldwide, and thus is another major step towards increasing the potential fanbase and growing the competition overall.

DAZN’s new talent lineup includes such recognizable names as:

Pien Meulensteen (England): Seasoned sports broadcasting and women’s football pro currently working with Manchester United TV, Premier League Productions and BBC Radio.
Romain Balland (France): Long-established women’s football journalist and Eurosport women’s football presenter since 2014.
Sandra Riquelme (Spain): Former pro footballer and current commentator for Vamos on Movistar and presenter for dedicated women’s football channel El Patio on YouTube.
Pierluigi Pardo (Italy): Legendary broadcast vet universally considered “the” voice of football in Italy.
Verena Schweers (Germany): Former Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg star as well as German national team player.
Social – More Nonstop Football

Beyond broadcast, DAZN is also committed to keeping fans on the pulse of everything football with a steady stream of social content showcasing the breadth and depth of the women’s game:

On YouTube, fans can expect hundreds of pieces of non-live content annually, including nonstop highlights featuring all the players, clubs, and goals from the season. Additionally, an ever-growing library of content will include the new “We All Rise” series, Game of the Week clips, player interviews and profiles, team highlights and best-of goal reels, a new “This Is” series that will help fans get to know each team in the competition, and much more to come.
On both Instagram and Twitter, @DAZNfootball will bring a global football audience the best narratives, highlights, clips, moments, and reactions around the beautiful game, covering the best of football – period – with both women’s and men’s football equally showcased on one single channel on both platforms.
Closing The Women’s Sport Gap – More Industry Action

Underlining the vision and mission behind the UEFA Women’s Champions League deal and partnership plans is a new global research report published today by DAZN and The Female Quotient. Titled “The Coverage Gap,” it includes new data across eight countries including the UK, U.S., France, and Spain that uncover key findings around the lack of regular women’s sport coverage (coverage defined here as broadcast, news, and social), how that translates for consumers into ongoing barriers to viewership, and why more visibility is critical to narrow and close the gap.

The full report can be viewed and downloaded HERE. Key findings include:

64% of consumers say they don’t watch women’s sports because they don’t know enough about the athletes and teams, don’t have as many opportunities to watch, or aren’t aware of where they can catch the games that are available.
There is a 30% gap between sports fans that watch men’s sports (93%) vs. those that watch women’s sports (only 63%).
Minimal promotion for events, broadcast disparities, and lack of steady media and social coverage and storytelling creates a significant barrier to viewership.
To close the gap and further grow the sport, DAZN and partners UEFA and YouTube invite key industry stakeholders to join in committing to making it easier for fans to tune in and follow along consistently, by increasing the visibility and coverage of women’s football and women’s sport overall at the same breadth and depth as unfailingly seen in men’s sport.

Because more leads to more, and we all rise with more eyes.

With UEFA Women’s Champions League, it all begins tomorrow as the 16 top European contenders go head-to-head in pursuit of championship glory – live on DAZN and on YouTube. The full schedule is below (all times listed in CEST) and you can learn more about the entire competition HERE.

Matchday 1

Tuesday 5 October

Hoffenheim vs HB Køge (18:45), Häcken vs Lyon (18:45)
Barcelona vs Arsenal (21:00), Benfica vs Bayern München (21:00)
Wednesday 6 October

Servette vs Juventus (18:45), WFC Kharkiv vs Real Madrid (18:45)
Chelsea vs Wolfsburg (21:00), Breidablik vs Paris Saint-Germain (21:00)
Matchday 2

Wednesday 13 October

Wolfsburg vs Servette (18:45), Paris Saint-Germain vs WFC Kharkiv (18:45)
Juventus vs Chelsea (21:00), Real Madrid vs Breidablik (21:00)
Thursday 14 October

HB Køge vs Barcelona (18:45), Bayern München vs Häcken (18:45)
Arsenal vs Hoffenheim (21:00), Lyon vs Benfica (21:00)
Matchday 3

Tuesday 9 November

Servette vs Chelsea (18:45), WFC Kharkiv vs Breidablik (18:45)
Paris Saint-Germain vs Real Madrid (21:00), Juventus vs Wolfsburg (21:00)
Wednesday 10 November

Barcelona vs Hoffenheim (18:45), HB Køge vs Arsenal (18:45)
Benfica vs Häcken (21:00), Lyon vs Bayern München (21:00)
Matchday 4

Wednesday 17 November

Hoffenheim vs Barcelona (18:45), Häcken vs Benfica (18:45)
Bayern München vs Lyon (21:00), Arsenal vs HB Køge (21:00)
Thursday 18 November

Wolfsburg vs Juventus (18:45), Breidablik vs WFC Kharkiv (18:45)
Real Madrid vs Paris Saint-Germain (21:00), Chelsea vs Servette (21:00)
Matchday 5

Wednesday 8 December

Servette vs Wolfsburg (18:45), WFC Kharkiv vs Paris Saint-Germain (18:45)
Chelsea vs Juventus (21:00), Breidablik vs Real Madrid (21:00)
Thursday 9 December

HB Køge vs Hoffenheim (18:45), Häcken vs Bayern München (18:45)
Arsenal vs Barcelona (21:00), Benfica vs Lyon (21:00)
Matchday 6

Wednesday 15 December

Bayern München vs Benfica (18:45), Lyon vs Häcken (18:45)
Barcelona vs HB Køge (21:00), Hoffenheim vs Arsenal (21:00)
Thursday 16 December

Real Madrid vs WFC Kharkiv (18:45), Paris Saint-Germain vs Breidablik (18:45)
Juventus vs Servette (21:00), Wolfsburg vs Chelsea (21:00)
Following the group stage, quarterfinals will take place in March, semifinals in April, and the final championship match in May.

About DAZN Group

DAZN Group is one of the fastest growing sports media companies in the world. Headquartered in the UK and with employees in over 25 countries, our businesses touch every aspect of the way fans engage with sports; from production, through to content distribution and commercialization. DAZN Group is home to DAZN, the leading global sports streaming platform, DAZN News, the popular sports portal and DAZN Player, the proprietary sports VOD platform for publishers. DAZN is leading the charge to give sports fans around the world access to sport anytime, anywhere. DAZN guarantees affordable access on connected devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, streaming sticks, smartphones, tablets, PCs and game consoles. DAZN is now live in more than 200 countries and territories. Visit www.dazngroupl.com for more information.

About YouTube

Launched in May 2005, YouTube’s mission is to give everyone a voice and show them the world. We believe that everyone deserves to have a voice, and that the world is a better place when we listen, share and build community through our stories. YouTube is a Google company.

About UEFA

UEFA – the Union of European Football Associations – is the governing body of European football. It is an association of associations, a representative democracy, and is the umbrella organisation for 55 national football associations across Europe. Its objectives are, among other things, to deal with all questions relating to European football, to promote football in a spirit of unity, solidarity, peace, understanding and fair play, without any discrimination on the part of politics, race, religion, gender or any other reason, to safeguard the values of European football, promote and protect ethical standards and good governance in European football, maintain relations with all stakeholders involved in European football, and support and safeguard its member associations for the overall well-being of the European game.

About The Female Quotient (The FQ)

Changing the equation. Closing the gaps. Fueled by the ideas, ambitions, innovations and empathy of a network of 50,000 working women around the world, The FQ is a collaborative global effort to eliminate the gender gap. While led by women, engaged and inspired leaders join this collective enterprise. The FQ’s diverse mix of live events, online forums, custom research, media, and corporate advisory services identifies challenges, surfaces effective strategies, forges powerful networks, and ultimately sparks measurable progress. For more information, visit: www.thefemalequotient.com.

Video – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1651714/WeAllRiseWithMoreEyes.mp4
Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1097249/DAZN_Group_Logo.jpg

SOURCE DAZN

CONTACT: DAZN: Haiwen Lu, Haiwen.Lu@dazn.com, +1 917 855 7922, YouTube: Karl Ryan, ryankarl@google.com, UEFA: UEFA Media & Public Relations, media@uefa.ch

BURBANK, Calif. – Pajamas and a big bowl of sugary cereal is how many of us remember watching our favorite Saturday morning cartoons as kids. Beginning in May, DC Entertainment plans gives old fans and new the chance to relive (and extend) their childhoods with a new, modern lineup of comics based on some of Hanna-Barbera’s most popular cartoon characters, but reimagined in a fresh and contemporary fashion.

The initial lineup includes:

SCOOBY APOCALYPSE – Featuring character designs by veteran artist Jim Lee and an origin story by Jim Lee and Keith Giffen (JUSTICE LEAGUE 3001), artist Howard Porter (SUPERMAN) will provide his own unique take on Freddie, Velma, Daphne, Shaggy and Scooby-Doo. “Those meddling kids” and their Mystery Machine are at the center of a well-meaning experiment gone wrong and they’ll need to bring all of their mystery solving skills to bear (along with plenty of Scooby Snacks), to find a cure for a world full of mutated creatures infected by a nanite virus that enhances their fears, terrors and baser instincts. This time, the horrors are real in this apocalyptic near-future badland!

FUTURE QUEST – Writer Jeff Parker (AQUAMAN, JUSTICE LEAGUE UNITED, BATMAN ’66) and artist Evan “Doc” Shaner (JUSTICE LEAGUE DARKSEID WAR: GREEN LANTERN) join forces to bring fans new tales of adventure’s most iconic teenager, Jonny Quest, along with his sidekick Hadji. This series combines Team QUEST (Hadji, Race Bannon, Dr. Benton Quest and Jezebel Jade) with some of the most well-known action and adventure heroes ever created by Hanna-Barbera, including SPACE GHOST, THE HERCULOIDS, BIRDMAN, MIGHTOR and FRANKENSTEIN Jr., among others.

WACKY RACELAND – Take The Ant Hill Mob, Penelope Pitstop and Dick Dastardly, mix in a healthy dose of “Mad Max” and you get this dark and gritty take on Hanna-Barbera’s “Wacky Races,” courtesy of writer Ken Pontac (REBOOT, HAPPY TREE FRIENDS) and artist Leonardo Manco (HELLBLAZER), with vehicle designs by Mark Sexton (MAD MAX: FURY ROAD). A time of hope and innocence with Utopia at the finish line has given way to planetary Armageddon and a desert wasteland full of radioactive lakes, nanotech dust storms, and cannibalistic mutants. Against this backdrop, the Wacky Racers and their sentient vehicles continue their contest, but now the competition is for survival, and there can only be one winner when the checkered flag falls.

THE FLINTSTONES – Based on character designs by Amanda Conner (HARLEY QUINN, STARFIRE), writer Mark Russell (PREZ, GOD IS DISAPPOINTED IN YOU) provides his own unique perspective on everyone’s “modern stone age family.” Russell will use Bedrock’s most popular family to shine a light on humanity’s ancient customs and institutions in a funny origin story of human civilization. Fred is still the simple man, striving to be the king of his castle, Wilma is still the tolerant but not-indulging wife and Barney (with his wife Betty and infant son Bamm-Bamm) is still the original wingman, whose loyalty to Fred often outweighs his common sense.

“I can’t think of anyone that doesn’t look back at these characters with anything but fond memories,” said Dan DiDio, DC Entertainment Co-Publisher. “With this initial lineup of titles and talent, we’re excited for fans to experience the reimagining of these Saturday morning classics with a more modern and contemporary look and feel.”

For more information about Hanna-Barbera and DC Comics, visit the website at DCComics.com.

About DC Entertainment:
DC Entertainment, home to iconic brands DC Comics (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, The Flash), Vertigo (Sandman, Fables) and MAD, is the creative division charged with strategically integrating its content across Warner Bros. Entertainment and Time Warner. DC Entertainment works in concert with many key Warner Bros. divisions to unleash its stories and characters across all media, including but not limited to film, television, consumer products, home entertainment and interactive games. Publishing thousands of comic books, graphic novels and magazines each year, DC Entertainment is one of the largest English-language publishers of comics in the world.

PITTSBURGH, March 18, 2024 — DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) announced that DICK’S House of Sport is partnering with former NFL star and current CBS studio analyst, J.J. Watt. To celebrate the partnership, DICK’S House of Sport released a new digital ad spot starring Watt and produced by OBB branded, a division of OBB Media, titled, J.J.’s House.

DICK’S House of Sport Announces Partnership with Three-Time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt

J.J.’s House, which started running across digital, social, and streaming services today, is humorous, documentary-style content that shows Watt sneaking into a House of Sport store after-hours. Having hired his own film crew under the fake name of “Jim Jim Watkins,” Watt’s plan is to create a home video to convince his wife, Kealia, that their family should move into House of Sport, which he describes as “an athlete’s paradise.” In the ad, Watt pitches DICK’S House of Sport as the ultimate destination for sport as he highlights and demonstrates the unique experiences and products offered in-store.

“Sport has been a dominant part of my life – from growing up in a household full of competitive, multi-sport athletes to my professional career to now hitting the golf course in my free time,” said Watt. “When I am in a DICK’S House of Sport, I feel like a kid in a candy store. House of Sport has unrivaled gear, apparel and footwear, interactive experiences that are fun and allow you to try out product, and they let me spend the night. Fingers crossed I’ll be able to convince my wife to let us live here!”

“J.J.’s passion for sport and his commitment to the community make him the perfect fit for DICK’S House of Sport,” said Mark Rooks, VP Creative, Sponsorships and Entertainment at DICK’S Sporting Goods. “We’re still working out whether he and his family can actually live in the store, but we hear he has a little more work to do on that anyway. Hopefully this video helps him make his case!”

There are currently 12 DICK’S House of Sport locations across the country. Eight additional locations will open throughout 2024, including at the Prudential Center in Boston, as well as locations in Pittsburgh, Miami, and Tampa. DICK’S Sporting Goods anticipates opening 75 to 100 House of Sport stores by 2027.

DICK’S House of Sport is an approximately 100,000+ square foot store that provides customers with an incredible assortment of products along with in-store experiences including a climbing wall, multiple golf bays with TrackMan™ simulators, and HitTrax™ multi-sport cages that can be used for baseball, softball, and soccer. Each experience gives customers the opportunity to try product and the Trackman™ and HitTrax™ technology helps them to measure and track their performance. House of Sport stores also focus on deep integration with the local community through partnerships and events. Some locations have a field attached to the store that is used for open play, clinics, league space or in some locations, as an ice rink in the winter. For more information on House of Sport, please visit dicks.com/houseofsport

About DICK’S Sporting Goods
DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) creates confidence and excitement by inspiring, supporting and personally equipping all athletes to achieve their dreams. Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, the leading omnichannel retailer serves athletes and outdoor enthusiasts in more than 850 DICK’S Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, Public Lands, Going Going Gone! and Warehouse Sale stores, online, and through the DICK’S mobile app. DICK’S also owns and operates DICK’S House of Sport and Golf Galaxy Performance Center, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile platform for live streaming, scheduling, communications and scorekeeping.

Driven by its belief that sports have the power to change lives, DICK’S has been a longtime champion for youth sports and, together with its Foundation, has donated millions of dollars to support under-resourced teams and athletes through the Sports Matter program and other community-based initiatives. Additional information about DICK’S business, corporate giving, sustainability efforts and employment opportunities can be found on dicks.com, investors.dicks.com, sportsmatter.org, dickssportinggoods.jobs and on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.

BOSTON, DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) and the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced a multi-year partnership, making DICK’S the official retail sponsor of B.A.A. events, beginning with the 2023 Boston Marathon. DICK’S Sporting Goods will also become the presenting sponsor of the Boston Marathon Fan Fest, a three-day festival held in advance of the iconic race.

DICK’S Sporting Goods’ ode to Boston is part of the company’s “Sports Change Lives” campaign, which highlights the positive impact sports participation has on individuals and the ability of sport to bring together and inspire communities and the next generation of athletes.

In celebration of the 127th running of the Marathon on April 17, DICK’S unveiled a building-length “Sports Change Lives” banner featuring the tagline “Running Boston Changes You” on Boylston Street at the future location of DICK’S House of Sport Boston. Located just a short distance from the Boston Marathon finish line, the store will open in the Prudential Center in Spring 2024. DICK’S House of Sport Boston will be a 100,000+ square foot store that provides athletes with the latest gear for team sports; a broad selection of the hottest footwear; preferred athletic apparel brands; tour-level equipment, apparel, and footwear for the golfer; gear for outdoor adventures; and in-store experiences including a climbing wall, HitTrax batting cages, and golf bays with TrackMan simulators.

“We are honored to join forces with the Boston Athletic Association to support race participants and spectators,” said Mark Rooks, Vice President, Category Marketing & Partnerships, DICK’S Sporting Goods. “We believe in the power of sports to change lives and know that running the Boston Marathon can do just that.”

“At the core of the B.A.A.’s mission and vision is promoting healthy lifestyles through sport, especially running,” said Jack Fleming, B.A.A. President and Chief Executive Officer. “In partnering with DICK’S Sporting Goods, we look forward to bringing to life that mission and vision to even more people, especially along the Boston Marathon finish stretch at the DICK’S House of Sport Boston, which can be truly inspirational to so many throughout the year.”

As part of the sponsorship agreement, DICK’S will be the retail sponsor of all B.A.A. events, including the Boston Marathon, B.A.A. 5K, B.A.A. 10K, and the B.A.A. Half Marathon. DICK’S and the B.A.A. will also work together to develop community engagement initiatives year-round.

Media Contact
DICK’S Sporting Goods: press@dcsg.com
Boston Athletic Association: Chris Lotsbom, Director, B.A.A. Race Communications & Media, clotsbom@baa.org

About DICK’S Sporting Goods
DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) creates confidence and excitement by inspiring, supporting and personally equipping all athletes to achieve their dreams. Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, the leading omnichannel retailer serves athletes and outdoor enthusiasts in more than 850 DICK’S Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, Public Lands, Moosejaw, Going Going Gone! and Warehouse Sale stores, online, and through the DICK’S mobile app. DICK’S also owns and operates DICK’S House of Sport and Golf Galaxy Performance Center, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile app for scheduling, communications, live scorekeeping and video streaming.

Driven by its belief that sports have the power to change lives, DICK’S has been a longtime champion for youth sports and, together with its Foundation, has donated millions of dollars to support under-resourced teams and athletes through the Sports Matter program and other community-based initiatives. Additional information about DICK’S business, corporate giving, sustainability efforts and employment opportunities can be found on dicks.com, investors.dicks.com, sportsmatter.org, dickssportinggoods.jobs and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A. manages the Boston Marathon, and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round programming. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. Beginning in 2024, Bank of America will serve as the Presenting Partner of the Boston Marathon. The 127th Boston Marathon is scheduled to take place on Monday, April 17, 2023. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.

PITTSBURGH, April 5, 2021  — DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS), the largest U.S.-based, omni-channel sporting goods retailer, will expand its nationwide footprint with the grand opening of its first-ever DICK’S House of Sport, a new concept store, in Victor, NY on April 9, two Warehouse Sale locations and experiential Soccer Shops in select locations in April.

https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8858253-dicks-sporting-goods-grand-opening-house-of-sport-golf-galaxy/

This month, the retailer will also debut nine newly redesigned Golf Galaxy locations and expanded technology offerings in 62 additional Golf Galaxy locations in select cities across the country.

These new additions will bring approximately 260 collective jobs to communities through the hiring of full-time, part-time and temporary associates for the stores.

DICK’S House of Sport will explore the future of retail through multi-sport experiences inside and outside the store, broad integration with the community, elevated customer service that will rely on passionate and skilled employees and enhanced technology for ease of connection with the brand.  The store will feature a 17,000 sq. ft. outdoor turf field and running track, a rock-climbing wall, a batting cage with HitTrax™ technology, golf hitting bays with TrackMan™ simulators, a putting green, the company’s first-ever “House of Cleats” that will seasonally rotate product, a health and wellness destination to help customers with recovery and well-being, and a consolidated service area for breaking in gloves, stringing lacrosse sticks and building/repairing bikes.  Further, it will showcase best-in-class athletic and outdoor apparel brands, a vast selection of footwear, the latest gear for team sports and top-of-the-line equipment for golf and fitness. Later this year, the Company will open its second DICK’S House of Sport location in Knoxville, TN.

DICK’S Sporting Goods Warehouse Sale locations will offer deep discounts on customer-favorite footwear and apparel brands with hundreds of items 70% off or more.

The redesigned Golf Galaxy stores will offer golfers of all levels an immersive golf experience, providing access to industry-leading TrackMan™ and BioMech™ Golf technologies, state-of-the-art hitting bays, custom fittings, golf lessons from Class A Certified PGA and LPGA Professionals and the best equipment, apparel and footwear from top golf brands such as Callaway, TaylorMade, PING, Titleist, Nike, adidas, Under Armour, PUMA and more. The retailer will open additional remodeled locations later this year.

DICK’S Soccer Shops will offer a high level of service from in-store soccer experts who are specially trained to help customers find the equipment they need and the right fit for their cleats to excel at the game. The Soccer Shops will feature a variety of updated in-store elements including an elevated cleat shop, licensed jersey cubes and soccer trial cages in select locations. All Soccer Shops will open on April 5.

DICK’S House Sport, Golf Galaxy store locations and select Soccer Shops will host ribbon cutting ceremonies to kick off their opening weekend celebrations and customers will have the opportunity to win giveaways. Visit dicks.com/HouseOfSportROC and golfgalaxy.com for full details on the Grand Openings.

Following the store openings, DICK’S will have 730 DICK’S Sporting Goods stores nationwide in 47 states.

About DICK’S Sporting Goods, Inc. 
Founded in 1948, DICK’S Sporting Goods is a leading omni-channel sporting goods retailer offering an extensive assortment of authentic, high-quality sports equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories. As of January 30, 2021, the Company operated 728 DICK’S Sporting Goods locations across the United States, serving and inspiring athletes and outdoor enthusiasts to achieve their personal best through a combination of its dedicated teammates, in-store services and unique specialty shop-in-shops dedicated to Team Sports, Athletic Apparel, Golf, Outdoor, Fitness and Footwear.

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, DICK’S also owns and operates Golf Galaxy and Field & Stream specialty stores, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile app for scheduling, communications, live scorekeeping and video streaming. DICK’S offers its products through a dynamic eCommerce platform that is integrated with its store network and provides athletes with the convenience and expertise of a 24-hour storefront. For more information, visit the Investor Relations page at dicks.com.

About Golf Galaxy
Golf Galaxy, LLC is a specialty golf retailer offering a broad assortment of golf equipment, apparel and footwear from leading brands like Callaway, Taylormade, Titleist, Ping, Nike, Under Armour and more, and a complete range of golf services from PGA and LPGA professionals, certified fitting experts and club technicians. As of January 30, 2021, Golf Galaxy operated 98 stores. For more information, visit GolfGalaxy.com.

CONTACTS: DICK’S Sporting Goods, 724-273-5552, press@dcsg.com  
Category: Company

SOURCE DICK’S Sporting Goods

Related Links

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PITTSBURGH, July 23, 2024 — Today, DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS), Team USA and LA28 announced an exclusive partnership that designates DICK’S as the Official Sporting Goods Retail Provider. DICK’S will also serve as an Official Supporter of Team USA for Paris 2024, Milano Cortina 2026, and LA28, and kick off the celebration of Paris 2024 with ad placements during NBCUniversal’s coverage of the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games. DICK’S Sporting Goods first partnered with Team USA during Rio 2016 and PyeongChang 2018.

DICK’S Sporting Goods Announces Partnership with Team USA and
the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games

As an Official Supporter, DICK’S plans to bring customers closer to the Olympic and Paralympic Games by showing their support in stores across the country, and through original storytelling, advertising and social content that feature athletes and the iconic Team USA brand. While DICK’S will continue selling an exceptional array of Team USA licensed products, this deal unlocks an opportunity for the brand to co-create exclusive LA28-branded gear with LA28 licensees for sale through DICK’S in-store and online.

The partnership will also include travel and training apparel, using DICK’S owned brands, for 11 Team USA national governing bodies, beginning with USA Canoe/Kayak this summer.

“We are thrilled to be a part of Team USA’s journey for years to come and are looking forward to welcoming the Summer Games back to the U.S. for the first time in more than 30 years in Los Angeles,” said Mark Rooks, VP Creative, Sponsorships and Entertainment at DICK’S Sporting Goods. “As the Official Sporting Goods Retail Provider of LA28, we are exploring ways to engage the community, celebrate with fans across the country and further our investment in youth sports.”

“We couldn’t be happier to have DICK’S Sporting Goods back in the Olympic and Paralympic family,” said Chris Pepe, Chief Commercial Officer at United States Olympic and Paralympic Properties (USOPP). “LA28 is reimagining the way the Games serve the world, and sport is at the core of that. Additionally, DICK’s ongoing involvement in youth sports will inspire future athletes across the world, during and well after the Games conclude.”

To celebrate this partnership and pinnacle moment in sport, DICK’S also released a new marketing campaign titled, Big Moments. Through a :30 compilation of user generated sports content, Big Moments showcases that the biggest moments in sports don’t just happen in sold-out arenas, on national TV, or with a world record on the line; they happen every day in youth sports, anywhere and everywhere people play, and have a powerful impact on young athletes’ lives. Big Moments is an extension of DICK’S Sports Change Lives campaign which launched in March 2023.

“For young athletes, seemingly small moments can be extraordinary – whether it’s making the team, hitting a game winning shot, or scoring your very first goal,” said Kate Fedishen, VP Marketing at DICK’S Sporting Goods. “With our Big Moments campaign, we are taking these joyful, triumphant, real-world stories in youth sports and giving them the spotlight they deserve on the world’s biggest stage for sports.”

Today, Big Moments started running across social and streaming services, and will make its broadcast premiere during the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on NBC. The campaign will continue to run across NBC platforms throughout the remainder of the Games.

As part of the campaign, DICK’S Sporting Goods is asking fans to share their biggest sports moments on social, tagging @dickssportinggoods and using #BigMomentsEveryDay for an opportunity to be featured on the brand’s social channels. To further amplify this content, DICK’S is tapping Gabby Douglas, Tony Hawk, Dominique Dawes, Ezra Frech and more to share their own biggest moments and interact with fans.

Legends, a global premium experiences company, helped source the partnership between DICK’S Sporting Goods and LA28.

About DICK’S Sporting Goods
DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) creates confidence and excitement by inspiring, supporting and personally equipping all athletes to achieve their dreams. Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, the leading omnichannel retailer serves athletes and outdoor enthusiasts in more than 850 DICK’S Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, Public Lands, Going Going Gone! and Warehouse Sale stores, online, and through the DICK’S mobile app. DICK’S also owns and operates DICK’S House of Sport and Golf Galaxy Performance Center, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile platform for live streaming, scheduling, communications and scorekeeping.

Driven by its belief that sports have the power to change lives, DICK’S has been a longtime champion for youth sports and, together with its Foundation, has donated millions of dollars to support under-resourced teams and athletes through the Sports Matter program and other community-based initiatives. Additional information about DICK’S business, corporate giving, sustainability efforts and employment opportunities can be found on dicks.com, investors.dicks.com, sportsmatter.org, dickssportinggoods.jobs and on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.

About LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games
The LA28 Games will mark Los Angeles’ third time to host the Olympic Games, previously hosted in 1984 and 1932, and first time to host the Paralympic Games. Los Angeles will host the world’s most elite athletes in 2028 as it welcomes Paralympians and Olympians from around the world to compete on the biggest stage in sports. The LA28 Games are independently operated by a privately funded, non-profit organization with revenue from corporate partners, licensing agreements, hospitality and ticketing programs and a significant contribution from the International Olympic Committee.

About Team USA
Team USA is the world’s largest and most diverse team of athletes from across the United States who compete at the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games. The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, founded in 1894, serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and is responsible for protecting, supporting and empowering Team USA athletes. For more information, visit TeamUSA.org.

PITTSBURGH — DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS), the largest U.S.-based, full-line omni-channel sporting goods retailer, announced today it is making it more convenient than ever to experience “The Magic of Sport” this holiday season. DICK’S will offer many ways to shop meaningful, must-have gifts for the entire family with savings both in-store and online.

To help ensure a safe shopping experience this holiday season, DICK’S will be offering its Black Friday deals over a 10-day period, rather than concentrated on a single day. The Company has also hired more teammates to fulfill Ship From Store and one-hour Curbside Contactless Pickup orders, giving customers many ways to check things off their holiday shopping list.

In addition to the high standard of in-store sanitation DICK’S rolled out in March, the use of enhanced technology will help customers enjoy an efficient shopping experience — including mobile checkout and return stations, as well as the recently introduced DICK’S Shop/Click/Pay app in select stores. The Company has also rolled out detailed plans to manage lines at its more than 800 stores nationwide.

“We recognize the holiday shopping season is starting much earlier and will be a different experience this year for our customers,” said Lauren Hobart, President, DICK’S Sporting Goods. “For the first time, we are extending our deals and making it easier than ever for our customers to get the best gifts for everyone on their list with flexible pickup and fast shipping to help them alleviate unwanted stress and large crowds. We’ve doubled down on technology solutions to ensure customers get what they need quickly, safely and hassle-free.”

This holiday season, DICK’S will have an even bigger selection of gifts for everyone, including great items for the outdoor enthusiast, golfer, runner, team sports athlete and sports fan. Shoppers planning to upgrade a home gym space or looking to gift the latest trends in apparel, footwear and outerwear can take advantage of holiday deals and promotions.

Exclusive Holiday Deals and Promotions
Shoppers who want to get a jump start on their holiday shopping can take advantage of DICK’S first-ever 10 Days of Black Friday deals starting Wednesday, November 18. Deals will be valid online and in-store through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, November 28, with deals starting on November 18, week-long deals and 3-day deals. A sample of deals include:

Deals Starting November 18

Up to $1200 off SOLE Cardio Equipment, available from $999.99-$1599.99 (was $1799.99-$2799.99)
50% OFF Prince Tournament 6800 Indoor Table Tennis Table, available for $299.98 (was $599.99)
Up to $50 off Nishiki Pueblo Mountain Bikes found exclusively at DICK’S, available from $229.99-$279.99 (was $269.99-$329.99)
Up to $700 OFF Select In-Ground and Portable Basketball Hoops: $349.99-$799.99 (was $499.99-$1499.99)
Up to $200 off Schwinn Exercise Bikes, available from $549.99-$899.99 (was $699.99-$999.99)
Up to 40% off select golf equipment
$39.99 Select Tour Golf Balls, plus free personalization
Week-Long Deals Starting November 22

25% off select Nike, adidas, Champion, NFL and NCAA products
25% off select Nike and adidas athletic footwear
30% off The North Face
40% off DSG Men’s, Women’s and Kids’ Fleece
$100 off Men’s or Women’s Top-Flite Complete Sets, available for 199.98 (was 299.99)
$400 off Horizon Fitness T101 Treadmill, available for $599.98 (was $999.99)
3-Day Deals Starting November 26

The North Face men’s and women’s Alpz 2.0 Down Jacket and Vest found exclusively at DICK’S will be $109.98 and $69.98 (was $169.00 and $119.00)
Up to 25% off Men’s, Women’s and Youth Sorel Boots
DICK’S Sporting Goods will continue passing along savings to its customers by offering “Hot Holiday Deals” at dicks.com and in-store throughout the holiday season.

Best Retail Experience Delivering Safety and Convenience
Safety measures implemented in all DICK’S, Golf Galaxy and Field & Stream locations in March will be expanded this holiday season. Stores will offer convenience, flexibility and the best value in-store, online at dicks.com or through the DICK’S mobile app, with services including:

One-Hour Pick-up: DICK’S offers customers the option to purchase thousands of products online with easy one-hour curbside or in-store pickup. Exclusions may apply to certain items.
Ship to Home: If an item is sold out in-store or only sold online, associates can place an order for a customer and have it shipped directly to their homes.
Best Price Guarantee: Customers can continue to get the products they want at an unbeatable price this holiday season with DICK’S Best Price Guarantee. If a customer provides proof the same gift is available at another retailer for a lower price, DICK’S will match that price at the register.
The Gift That Always Fits: Customers can give the gift of a DICK’S gift card, available in-stores or online at dicks.com, for recipients to use at more than 800 DICK’S Sporting Goods, Field & Stream or Golf Galaxy locations or online at dicks.com, fieldandstreamshop.com or golfgalaxy.com. eGift cards can arrive within minutes.
ScoreCard: Earn one point for every $1 spent on qualified purchases. Get a $10 reward for every 300 points earned. ScoreCard Gold members can unlock access to members-only perks.
Deals at Your Fingertips: There are now TWO ways to get the best deals and latest launches delivered to your phone. Download DICK’S free mobile app on Apple or Android or visit dicks.com/text to learn more about DICK’S text alerts program.
All DICK’S Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy and Field & Stream store locations and the Company’s distribution centers will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, allowing teammates to spend the holiday with their families. Black Friday offers will be available on Thanksgiving Day at dicks.com, golfgalaxy.com and fieldandstreamshop.com with stores re-opening on Black Friday at 5 a.m. to serve customers nationwide.

Most DICK’S, Golf Galaxy and Field & Stream locations will offer extended shopping hours throughout the holiday season. Please check your local store website for more details. Store and curbside pickup hours may vary throughout the holiday shopping season.

To start shopping and saving early, visit dicks.com.

About DICK’S Sporting Goods, Inc.
Founded in 1948, DICK’S Sporting Goods, Inc. is a leading omni-channel sporting goods retailer offering an extensive assortment of authentic, high-quality sports equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories. As of October 31, 2020, the Company operated 732 DICK’S Sporting Goods locations across the United States, serving and inspiring athletes and outdoor enthusiasts to achieve their personal best through a blend of dedicated teammates, in-store services and unique specialty shop-in-shops dedicated to Team Sports, Athletic Apparel, Golf, Lodge/Outdoor, Fitness and Footwear.

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, DICK’S also owns and operates Golf Galaxy and Field & Stream specialty stores, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile app for scheduling, communications and live scorekeeping. DICK’S offers its products through a dynamic eCommerce platform that is integrated with its store network and provides customers with the convenience and expertise of a 24-hour storefront. For more information, visit the Investor Relations page at dicks.com.

PITTSBURGH and NEW YORK, – Today, DSG, a DICK’S Sporting Goods’ (NYSE: DKS) exclusive brand that provides performance clothing and gear for the entire family, and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced the launch of their girls’ apparel collection, marking the first-ever collaboration between the two brands.rnrnAs the Official Sporting Goods Retail Partner of the WNBA, DICK’S Sporting Goods is continuing its commitment to promote women’s sports, encourage youth participation, and increase visibility of the league, its teams, and players through this apparel collection. rnrnWhile DICK’S currently carries an assortment of authentic WNBA sports apparel and equipment, this is the first-time young girls will be able to enjoy an official WNBA lifestyle collection made just for them. To further build upon the commitment, DICK’S Sporting Goods will for the fourth year bring It’s Her Shot to select communities nationwide to help empower young female athletes take their place on the court with confidence.rnrnNow available for purchase in select DICK’S Sporting Goods stores across the nation and on dicks.com, the DSG collection includes girls’ tank tops, t-shirts, shorts and a jacket. rnrnThe unique apparel designs pay homage to the WNBA’s iconic orange and the league’s twelve teams’ colors.rnrn”When we entered into our partnership with the WNBA, our goal was to use our resources to drive change and bring more visibility to women and girls in sport,” said Melissa Christian, VP, Divisional Merchandise Manager – Youth Apparel at DICK’S Sporting Goods. “This collection is inspired by whitespace we saw in youth girls’ apparel and it provides young basketball fans with an opportunity to wear product that encourages them to show their love and fandom of the WNBA and express their passion for the game. rnrnThe WNBA has been a phenomenal partner throughout this process, and we are excited to have this product available for young athletes at a time when women’s sports, and basketball in particular, are on the rise.”rnrn”The WNBA is excited to partner with DICK’S Sporting Goods to bring this new collection of apparel to young girls,” said WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison. “The creation of this collection illustrates the commitment that DICK’S has to supporting women’s basketball and growing the sport for the next generation. rnrnWith momentum for the WNBA at an all-time high, we’re thrilled to bring this new set of apparel to our passionate fanbase.”rnrnContinuing their commitment to youth sports, the DSG x WNBA collection is a part of DSG’s giveback program which contributes 1% of every sale to The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation’s Sports Matter Program, benefitting under-resourced youth sports organizations nationwide. rnrnSince 2014, DICK’S and The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation have helped over 2 million kids in the game and committed over $100 million to support young athletes with equipment, registration fees, league costs and playing fields through its Sports Matter program.rnrnrnrnAbout DICK’S Sporting GoodsrnDICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) creates confidence and excitement by inspiring, supporting and personally equipping all athletes to achieve their dreams. Founded in 1948 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, the leading omnichannel retailer serves athletes and outdoor enthusiasts in more than 850 DICK’S Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy, Public Lands, Going Going Gone! and Warehouse Sale stores, online, and through the DICK’S mobile app. DICK’S also owns and operates DICK’S House of Sport and Golf Galaxy Performance Center, as well as GameChanger, a youth sports mobile platform for live streaming, scheduling, communications and scorekeeping.rnrnDriven by its belief that sports have the power to change lives, DICK’S has been a longtime champion for youth sports and, together with its Foundation, has donated millions of dollars to support under-resourced teams and athletes through the Sports Matter program and other community-based initiatives. Additional information about DICK’S business, corporate giving, sustainability efforts and employment opportunities can be found on dicks.com, investors.dicks.com, sportsmatter.org, dickssportinggoods.jobs and on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X.rnrnrnrnAbout the WNBArnThe WNBA is a bold, progressive basketball league that stands for the power of women. Featuring 12 teams and entering its 28th season in 2024, the W is a unique sports property that combines competition and entertainment with a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and social responsibility. Through its world-class athletes, the in-game fan experience, TV and digital broadcasts, digital and social content, and community and youth outreach programs, the league celebrates and elevates the game of basketball and the culture around it. In 2020, the WNBA and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) signed a groundbreaking eight-year CBA that has charted a new course for women’s basketball – and women’s sports overall – with a focus on increased player compensation, improvements to the player experience, expanded career development opportunities and resources specifically tailored to the female professional athlete. Key elements of the agreement are supported through the league’s partnership platform, the WNBA Changemakers Collective, with AT&T, the WNBA’s Marquee Partner and inaugural Changemaker, as well as fellow inaugural Changemakers Deloitte and NIKE, Inc., and subsequent additions Google, U.S. Bank and CarMax. During the 2020 season, the WNBA and WNBPA launched the WNBA Justice Movement forming the Social Justice Council with the mission of being a driving force of necessary change and continuing work regarding women’s and maternal health and voting rights, among other important societal issues.

ST. LOUIS & NEW YORK – On Nov. 26, a new float from Build-A-Bear, a global brand kids love and parents trust, will roll through Manhattan during the 89th Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®. The latest Build-A-Bear float in the annual spectacle will feature a variety of scenes and of course, bears – all with one mission in mind: Discover Adventure! A part of the Macy’s Parade family since 2002, this year’s latest floating wonder marks the third Build-A-Bear float for the Parade which is sure to delight the more than 3.5 million spectators lining the Parade route on Thanksgiving Day.

“Making memories and celebrating life’s moments are at the heart of everything we do, and countless memories are made every year when the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, one of America’s most anticipated events, takes place,” said Gina Collins, chief marketing officer, Build-A-Bear. “We worked closely with the talented team at Macy’s to create exciting scenes that evoke a sense of adventure and incorporate teddy bears – the icons of our brand – into one incredible new float.”

“For nearly 90 years, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has brought generations of families together to enjoy the wonder and magic of the official kick off to the holiday season,” said Amy Kule, executive producer, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. “Once again, we enthusiastically welcome Build-A-Bear and their new float to our glorious procession as together we celebrate the childlike spirit in everyone.”

The engineers and craftspeople at Macy’s Parade Studio began working with Build-A-Bear on the new concept in early 2015, and construction took approximately five months. The front view of the float begins with two bears playfully riding ocean waves, while a sailboat captained by a Sailor Bear rocks gently overhead. A castle featuring Build-A-Bear’s icon, Bearnard, serves as the centerpiece, complete with a friendly, smoke-breathing dragon climbing up to see a Princess Bear, who showers the crowds with confetti. The sides of the float feature different scenes of wonder and adventure including a classic teddy-bear tea party, as well as a trip to outer space on a rocket ship manned by an Astronaut Bear, who turns his head to gaze upon the world as he flies into the air with bouncing stars.

More than 50 million viewers tune in to watch the magic of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade each year. The latest design from Build-A-Bear is one of only five new floats that will take part in this year’s event.

“As we look ahead to our upcoming anniversary, we recently unveiled a fresh look and feel through our new Discovery concept stores, so it was important to reflect that into the design of our newest float in the Macy’s Parade,” added Collins. “On Thanksgiving Day, our float will allow millions to get a peek at the fresh face of Build-A-Bear.”

Build-A-Bear is a multi-generational brand that will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2017. Since the company was founded in 1997, more than 145 million furry friends have been made.

In addition to the Parade experience, this holiday season, Build-A-Bear is once again teaming up with Macy’s to offer shop-in-shops at seven Macy’s locations nationwide so that shoppers can take part in the full Build-A-Bear Workshop experience inside a Macy’s store.

Build-A-Bear Workshop will also bring its wildly popular Merry Mission story to life with the return of everyone’s favorite eight reindeer, along with a brand-new face, to stores this season. Glisten, the strongest, fastest reindeer of all time will light the night and help Santa and his team deliver toys to everyone on the nice list. Her special medallion unlocks the Merry Mission app and its features, and additional outfits and accessories are sold separately. Fans can download the updated Merry Mission app on iTunes and Google Play starting Nov. 1.

For more information, visit buildabear.com and follow the brand on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. The 89th annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade airs nationwide on NBC-TV, on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015, from 9 a.m. – noon; in all time zones.

About Build-A-Bear
Founded in St. Louis in 1997, Build-A-Bear, a global brand kids love and parents trust, seeks to add a little more heart to life. Build-A-Bear has approximately 400 stores worldwide where guests can create customizable furry friends, including company-owned stores in the United States, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom, and franchise stores in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Mexico and the Middle East. The company was named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for the seventh year in a row in 2015. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE:BBW) posted a total revenue of $392.4 million in fiscal 2014. For more information, visit the Investor Relations section of buildabear.com.

About the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
With more than 50 million viewers across the country and more than 3.5 million spectators that line up along the streets of New York City each year, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a national icon that has grown into a world-famous holiday event. For almost 90 years, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has marked the official start of the holiday season. Growing in size and scale, the Parade proudly marches down a more than 2-mile route in New York City with more than 8,000 participants in tow including Macy’s (NYSE:M) employees, their families, celebrities, athletes, clowns and dance groups spreading holiday cheer. The Parade also features America’s best marching bands, fabulous floats and Macy’s signature giant helium character balloons. For more information on the Macy’s Parade, please visit www.macys.com/parade or call the Parade hotline at (212) 494-4495.

MOSCOW, Russia – The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) has officially launched a new sustainable agriculture program in Russia to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by implementing more sustainable farming practices and healthier seed crops, which will also promote better food choices for consumers in Russia. As the Official Carbon Partner of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, this innovative project is part of the Company’s “Sustainable Future” program to mitigate the direct carbon footprint associated with the hosting of the Games by the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee.

Traditional farming practices include the use of heavy machinery for deep tilling of fields each year which consume fuel, cause long-term soil erosion and lead to substantial GHG emissions. Dow Seeds, a unit of Dow AgroSciences, is deploying leading technology in Russia and engaging with local farmers to encourage low-till agriculture and other sustainable farming solutions to reduce the negative impact on the environment, while also enabling the production of healthier crops.

Dow is partnering with Farmer’s Edge (a world leader in precision agronomy) and ADVAG (a leader in Russian Agriculture Management) to work with five large farms: “Shatsk Zolotaya Niva” LLC (AgroTerra), KFH “Baigora”, “VAPC” LLC, SKPSSK “Izmalkovskiy” and “ADVAG – Baltic Farms” LLC. The program will provide access to state-of-the-art precision agriculture and advanced expertise to optimize farm productivity of Nexera™ hybrid canola seeds while focusing on more sustainable practices, such as reduced tillage, optimized use of nutrients and variable rate application of fertilizer.

The partnership is set to last for two years, and has the potential to eliminate up to 100,000 metric tons of GHG emissions at these five farms combined over a 10-year span. The emissions reductions will count toward the mitigation of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games’ direct carbon footprint, estimated to be up to 360,000 MT.

“The project will demonstrate to the Russian Agricultural Industry how yields can be increased and optimized using more sustainable farming practices,” explains Dr. Nicoletta Piccolrovazzi, Sustainability and Technology Director, Dow Olympic Operations. “Advancing sustainability while enabling increased production of healthier oils is a very significant way to connect Dow’s ‘Sustainable Future’ program with the very values of the Olympic Movement, which combine the environment with the promotion of healthier lifestyles.”

Holistic Approach, Amplified Results

In addition to minimizing emissions, low -till farming has positive effects on the entire ecosystem, keeping existing carbon based materials in the soil rather than emitting them into the atmosphere. Maintaining higher carbon content in soil improves water retention, reduces the need for additional irrigation and decreases soil erosion. By increasing soil resilience, crops become stronger and better able to resist weeds and pests, therefore reducing the need for additional pesticide and herbicide applications. Avoiding overuse of fertilizers also decreases the emissions of nitrogen oxides, or gases with extremely high global warming potential. A resulting healthier ecosystem will lead to higher crop yields, ultimately benefitting the local economy.

This program also improves the quality of crops produced. Dow is focusing on rapeseed (canola), aiming to reduce Russia’s dependency on oil imports in the long term and promoting the use Omega-9 canola oils, which are low saturated fat oils for healthier food production. The seeds to be introduced by Dow are bred to work particularly well with reduced tillage practices, producing higher yields and, therefore, more efficient farms.

Training for farmers is another key component of the program, which focuses on mastering low-tillage practices to achieve higher crop yields, and using water and fertilizers in an optimized way. The training programs started in December of 2013, and a technological map and special guidelines will be developed for each farm to support the implementation in early 2014.

“Innovation and sustainability are part of our core as a Company. We feel these specific training programs have the potential to bring lasting, positive change to Russia’s environment, agricultural sector, and overall economy,” said Igor Savinskiy, country leader for Dow Seeds in Russia. “Enabling greenhouse gas emissions reductions that will support the climate goals of Sochi 2014 is a very special way to celebrate our 40 years presence in Russia.”

Contributing to more sustainable Olympic Games

As The Official Carbon Partner of the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, supporting sustainable agricultural practices is just one piece of Dow’s “Sustainable Future” program, a unique and innovative program to mitigate the direct carbon footprint associated with hosting the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. Dow is collaborating with partners and customers in Russia to implement energy-efficient and low-carbon technologies that will result in a net decrease of GHG emissions in the key areas of infrastructure, industry and agriculture. All projects will be implemented in-country, generating benefits to the Russian economy by targeting upgrades in building infrastructures, farming practices and industrial processes.

“As The Official Chemistry Company of the Olympic Movement, we are in a unique position to advance sustainability beyond the Games and catalyze change globally through the excitement generated by the Olympics,” said George Hamilton, vice president, Dow Olympic Operations. “GHG emission reductions are happening in Russia as we speak, thanks to the low carbon and energy efficient technologies introduced through this unique sustainability program tailor-made by Dow for Sochi 2014.”

This Press Release is courtesy of www.dow.com

GLENDALE, Calif. & NEW YORK, – DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA) and Hearst Corporation announced today that Hearst has acquired a 25 percent interest in AwesomenessTV (“ATV”), a leading multi-platform media company serving the global teen community, for a purchase price of $81.25 million and will partner with DreamWorks to grow ATV. Brian Robbins, ATV founder, and Brett Bouttier, president, will continue to lead the company.

“Few companies have built the global audience of millennial females as quickly as AwesomenessTV,” said Steven R. Swartz, president and CEO of Hearst Corporation. “For us, it’s very important to make a bet on the future of how content is created. Together, in partnership with DreamWorks, we see great opportunity in supporting the consumer media franchise that AwesomenessTV continues to build.”

DreamWorks and Hearst plan to work together to support ATV’s efforts to enter into new content channels, broaden its audience and expand its geographic reach. Under the agreement, ATV will gain immediate access to Hearst’s subscription video on demand (SVOD) technology, which will rapidly accelerate ATV’s ability to offer content directly to consumers across all types of formats.

“This is an extremely exciting partnership for AwesomenessTV and DreamWorks as we continue to implement our long-term strategy to maximize the value of our content and properties through multiple distribution platforms,” said Jeffrey Katzenberg, CEO of DreamWorks Animation. “We’re delighted with the opportunity to partner with Hearst, in part because it has outstanding global brands, a very valuable international presence and industry-leading technology, and also because of its demonstrated track record of successfully partnering with media companies and supporting their growth trajectories.”

In just two years, AwesomenessTV has grown into one of the Web’s biggest multi-channel networks for emerging online talent, with an average of nearly 800 million monthly views and a subscriber base that now totals over 114 million. Its top YouTube channels—including Cimorelli, Miss Glamorazzi, Tyler Oakley, Cameron Dallas and Nash Grier—have created overnight YouTube stars and are watched each week by millions of viewers in the digitally-engaged, millennial demographic. Big Frame, a leading talent management company; Awesomeness Consumer Products; Awesomeness Music and Awesomeness Ink are also under the AwesomenessTV umbrella.

“Brian Robbins and Brett Bouttier are democratizing media by enabling young talent to create their own content, be discovered by their peers and then be showcased across AwesomenessTV’s network of channels, as well as television shows and even movies,” said Neeraj Khemlani, co-president of Hearst Entertainment & Syndication and president of Hearst Digital Studios. “It’s socially-driven content by teens for teens across every platform.”

“Hearst has a strong track record of identifying emerging media companies and trends which will be invaluable as we enter into our next phase of growth and look to solidify our position as a leading, next-generation media brand,” said Brian Robbins, ATV founder and CEO. “With this new partnership, we will benefit from Hearst’s deep industry and creative experience as we continue our strong and productive relationship with DreamWorks.”

About DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series and live entertainment properties, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques. DreamWorks Animation has been named one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For” by FORTUNE® Magazine for five consecutive years. In 2013, DreamWorks Animation ranked No. 12 on the list. All of DreamWorks Animation’s feature films are produced in 3D. The Company has theatrically released a total of 30 animated feature films, including the franchise properties of Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, Puss In Boots and The Croods.

About Hearst Corporation
Hearst Corporation (www.hearst.com) is one of the nation’s largest diversified media and information companies. Its major interests include ownership of 15 daily and 34 weekly newspapers, including the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News and Albany Times Union; hundreds of magazines around the world, including Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, ELLE and O, The Oprah Magazine; 29 television stations, which reach a combined 18 percent of U.S. viewers; ownership in leading cable networks, including Lifetime, A&E, HISTORY and ESPN; significant holdings in automotive, electronic and medical/pharmaceutical business information companies; a 50 percent stake in global ratings agency Fitch Group; Internet and marketing services businesses; television production; newspaper features distribution; and real estate. Follow us on Twitter @HearstCorp and subscribe to Hearstlink.

About AwesomenessTV
AwesomenessTV, a next generation multi-platform media company serving the global teen audience and one of the most subscribed to teen destinations on YouTube, is a majority-owned subsidiary of DreamWorks Animation (Nasdaq:DWA). Included under the AwesomenessTV banner are AwesomenessTV, a channel featuring scripted and reality series including IMO, The Daily Report, Awesomeness Hollywood, Cheerleaders, The Jenn and Andrea Show!, Side Effects and Runaways; the ATV Network, a community based MCN focused on discovering and supporting the next generation of YouTube stars, Awesomeness Music and Big Frame. Beyond the YouTube platform, AwesomenessTV produced and distributed the feature film Mindless Behavior: All Around the World, Expelled and The SMOSH Movie as well as the AwesomenessTV series and Terry the Tomboy movie on Nickelodeon and Richie Rich on Netflix. AwesomenessTV was founded by Brian Robbins (Smallville, Varsity Blues, All That) and Joe Davola (In Living Color, Smallville, MTV Networks).

Beverly Hills, Calif., — Netflix, the world’s leading Internet TV network, will exclusively launch worldwide in 2017 the new comedy series Santa Clarita Diet, from writer Victor Fresco (Better Off Ted, Andy Richter Controls the Universe).

Said executive producer/showrunner Victor Fresco: “The genius of casting Timothy and Drew, combined with my comedic… oh wait, that’s Cindy’s quote. I agree with what Cindy is about to say.”

“The genius casting of Timothy and Drew combined with Victor’s unique comedic sensibility will delight, and definitely surprise, our members around the world,” said Cindy Holland, Netflix vice president of original content.

In the single-camera series, Joel (Timothy Olyphant, Justified) and Sheila (Drew Barrymore, Blended) are husband and wife realtors leading vaguely discontented lives in the L.A. suburb of Santa Clarita, until Sheila goes through a dramatic change sending both their lives down a road of death and destruction…but in a good way.

Showrunner Victor Fresco, Drew Barrymore, Timothy Olyphant, Aaron Kaplan, Tracy Katsky, Chris Miller and Ember Truesdell are executive producers on the series. Nancy Juvonen is a producer.

Santa Clarita Diet is a Netflix production.

Timothy Olyphant is known for his poignant roles in both dramas and comedies. For the last six seasons, Timothy starred in and produced the critically acclaimed FX drama series Justified, which is based on Elmore Leonard’s short story Fire in the Hole. Olyphant was nominated for an Emmy for his role as “US Marshal Raylan Givens.”

Last year, he recurred on the new FOX comedy series The Grinder opposite Rob Lowe, which earned him the award for “Guest Actor in a Comedy Series” at the 2016 Critics Choice Awards. He has guest starred on comedy series such as The Office, The Mindy Project, FX’s The League, My Name Is Earl, and Sex and the City.

Timothy is known for his roles in cult classics such as playing a porn producer in Fox’s The Girl Next Door, a drug dealer in Doug Liman’s GO and the town Sheriff “Seth Bullock” in David Milch’s HBO series Deadwood (Screen Actors Guild nominee).

Olyphant can next be seen in theaters co-starring in Gary Marshall’s Mother’s Day opposite Jennifer Aniston and Oliver Stone’s Snowden opposite Joseph Gordon Levitt. Open Road is releasing both films in April and September respectively.

Timothy is currently starring in Kenneth Lonergan’s off-Broadway play Hold on to Me Darling, which is being directed by Neil Pepe for the Atlantic Theater Company.

Drew Barrymore was born in Culver City, California, into a revered acting family that includes, among many others, her grandfather John Barrymore and grand-uncle Lionel Barrymore, she started performing in commercials before her first birthday. At age six she was chosen by director Steven Spielberg to co-star as ‘Gertie’ in E.T.: The Extraterrestrial. Once the film was released to overall acclaim in 1982, the young actress had instantly become a movie star.

Much in demand as a child performer, she starred in such well-received films as Firestarter, Irreconcilable Differences, See You in the Morning and Cat’s Eye.

As she became an adult, she continued her prolific output of work by starring in the popular motion pictures Bad Girls, Boys on the Side, Mad Love, Batman Forever, director Woody Allen’s Everyone Says I Love You and the blockbuster Scream.

In 1995, she set out to become involved in films as a producer, creating Flower Films with partner Nancy Juvonen. Their first production was the 1999 comedy Never Been Kissed, followed by the box office hit Charlie’s Angels in 2000. Firmly established as a production powerhouse, Flower Films subsequently produced the features 50 First Dates, cult favorite Donnie Darko, Duplex, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, Music and Lyrics, Fever Pitch, He’s Just Not That Into You and Whip It (which she directed and appeared in).

Drew won a 2009 Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award for her role as fallen heiress Edith Bouvier Beale in the lauded HBO production of Grey Gardens. Last fall Drew starred in Miss You Already with Toni Collette and also published a book of essays, Wildflower, which was a five week New York Times Best Seller. Most recently she executive produced this springs comedy How to be Single for Warner Bros.

About Netflix
Netflix is the world’s leading Internet television network with over 75 million members in over 190 countries enjoying more than 125 million hours of TV shows and movies per day, including original series, documentaries and feature films. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.

WILMINGTON, Del., – Today DuPont and The Grand Opera House announced the signing of an agreement for The Grand, a local live arts and entertainment leader, to purchase the DuPont Theatre business, its related assets and lease of the building. The transaction is expected to close on January 20, 2015. Terms of the agreement are confidential.

The Playhouse on Rodney Square The Playhouse on Rodney Square
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“The DuPont Theatre represents an important piece of the company’s history and a symbol of the thriving arts and entertainment community in Wilmington for over 100 years,” said DuPont Chair and CEO Ellen Kullman. “This agreement represents a strategic and mutually beneficial business decision for DuPont and The Grand, and we are confident it will continue the Theatre’s legacy and provide an even greater entertainment experience for the community.”

“We are thrilled by the opportunity to take over operation of this respected Wilmington arts institution,” said Skip Pennella, chairman of The Grand’s Board of Directors, “and we strongly believe that we can enhance its already impressive history for a new generation of audiences.”

DuPont will continue to manage the theatre until the transaction closes, after which, the theatre will be renamed The Playhouse on Rodney Square. The sale will have no impact on the remainder of the 2014-2015 Broadway Season, theatre subscription packages or ticket prices. Tickets for upcoming performances can still be purchased by calling the DuPont Theatre box office at 302-656-4401 or 800-338-0881. Information also is available at www.DupontTheatre.com. Once the transition is complete, The Grand will communicate directly to all subscribers and patrons.

The DuPont Theatre is the oldest continually operating legitimate theatre in the nation since it opened in 1913. Known as “Delaware’s Broadway Experience,” the theatre has provided years of professional Broadway shows, an acclaimed Children’s Series and many special events.

Built in 1871, The Grand Opera House has served as a touring theatre, vaudeville house, and movie palace before it was mostly shuttered in the late 1960s. A band of arts enthusiasts restored the theatre to its Victorian elegance in the 1970s, and since then The Grand has become the preeminent regional venue for music, comedy, and family programs, complementing the theatrical focus of the DuPont Theatre.

“The Playhouse on Rodney Square and The Grand Opera House – programmed, managed, and marketed together – will bring together the grand traditions of Broadway with the wide variety of musical and other artists featured at The Grand. We will truly be able to offer the best of both entertainment worlds,” said Mark Fields, executive director of The Grand.

Celebrated Delaware arts philanthropist Tatiana Copeland, who helped facilitate the discussions between DuPont and The Grand, also sees the promise of these two cultural institutions combined under one management. “I see greater strength for both The Grand and The Playhouse through this consolidation,” said Mrs. Copeland, “and I hope it serves as an inspiration for even greater partnership in the future, between arts groups and also with the private sector and all levels of government. Thriving arts create thriving cities. We should all want that for Wilmington.”

DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit http://www.dupont.com.

RENO, Nev. & LAS VEGAS– Eldorado Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ: ERI) (“Eldorado,” “ERI,” or “the Company”) and Caesars Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: CZR) (“Caesars”) announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement to create the largest U.S. gaming company. The proposed transaction will combine two leading gaming companies with complementary national operating platforms, strong brands, strategic industry alliances, and a collective commitment to enhancing guest service and shareholder value. The combined company will provide its guests with access to approximately 60 domestic casino–resorts and gaming facilities across 16 states. The transaction is transformational for each company’s shareholders, employees and customers, combining Eldorado’s operational expertise with Caesars industry-leading loyalty program, regional network and Las Vegas assets.

Summary of Caesars Transaction
Eldorado will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Caesars for a total value of $12.75 per share, consisting of $8.40 per share in cash consideration and 0.0899 shares of Eldorado common stock for each Caesars share of common stock based on Eldorado’s 30-calendar day volume weighted average price per share as of May 23, 2019, reflecting total consideration of approximately $17.3 billion, comprised of $7.2 billion in cash, approximately 77 million Eldorado common shares and the assumption of Caesars outstanding net debt (excluding face value of the existing convertible note). Caesars shareholders will be offered a consideration election mechanism that is subject to proration pursuant to the definitive merger agreement. Giving effect to the transaction, Eldorado and Caesars shareholders will hold approximately 51% and 49% of the combined company’s outstanding shares, respectively.

Upon completion of the transaction the combined company will retain the Caesars name to capitalize on the value of the iconic global brand and its legacy of leadership in the global gaming industry. The new company will continue to trade on the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

Strategic Rationale of Caesars Combination
Largest and Most Diversified Domestic Footprint and Scale: Unrivaled domestic footprint of approximately 60 owned, operated and managed casino–resorts across 16 states, creating nation’s preeminent diversified gaming and entertainment company

Best-in-Class Leadership: Eldorado’s proven decentralized operating model combined with its history of completing successful, value-building transactions through effective financial management to drive improved margins and create value for both shareholders and guests

Iconic Brands and New Gaming Opportunities Will Enhance Customer Experience: Combines iconic global brands and industry-leading Caesars Rewards loyalty program with proven guest service focus to drive value across the expanded regional network, including access to attractive properties in Las Vegas and other gaming markets around the country
Completion of Las Vegas Strip Room Remodels in 2021: Caesars Las Vegas asset portfolio has recently undergone $1.2 billion of enhancements and room remodels that positions the portfolio for improved operating performance in the near-term

Significant Identified Synergies: Eldorado management has a demonstrated track record of successfully integrating acquired companies and achieving stated synergy targets and expects to achieve approximately $500 million of synergies in the first year following closing. Additionally, Eldorado sees long-term cost and revenue synergy upside opportunities
Summary of $3.2 Billion Strategic Transaction with VICI

VICI Properties, Inc. (NYSE: VICI) (“VICI”) and Eldorado have entered into a master transaction agreement in connection with the acquisition of the real estate of three assets and amendment of existing leases and right of first refusals. Furthermore, in connection with the transaction, the parties have agreed to the following:

VICI will acquire the real estate associated with Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City, Harrah’s Laughlin Hotel & Casino, and Harrah’s New Orleans Hotel & Casino for approximately $1.8 billion. The properties will be added to an existing master lease and will have an initial annual rent of approximately $154 million. The proceeds from this transaction represent a rent multiple of 11.75x;
An amendment to the terms of the existing CPLV and HLV single asset leases, following closing of the transaction, which will result in a combination of these existing leases into a new Las Vegas master lease and an increase in the annual rent payment on the Las Vegas master lease of $98.5 million, resulting in proceeds of approximately $1.4 billion. The proceeds represent a rent multiple of 14.25x;
A put/call option on Caesars Centaur assets at a 12.5x put rent multiple / 13.0x call rent multiple, exercisable between January 2022 and December 2024; and,
VICI granted right of first refusals for whole asset sale or sale-leaseback transactions on two Las Vegas Strip properties and Horseshoe Casino Baltimore
Optimized Lease Structure and Balance Sheet

Win-Win Transaction with VICI: Strategic transaction with VICI encompassing amendments to existing leases and acquisition of the real estate of three properties generates $3.2 billion of gross proceeds to immediately strengthen the combined company’s balance sheet, while providing growth for VICI
Attractive Financial Profile: Materially enhanced financial scale and flexibility with additional growth and stability driven by the world’s largest gaming customer database
Commitment to a Strong Balance Sheet: Transaction expected to be immediately accretive to free cash flow with significant cash flows from the combined company to be allocated to leverage reduction

Tom Reeg, Chief Executive Officer of Eldorado, commented, “Eldorado’s combination with Caesars will create the largest owner and operator of U.S. gaming assets and is a strategically, financially and operationally compelling opportunity that brings immediate and long-term value to stakeholders of both companies. Together, we will have an extremely powerful suite of iconic gaming and entertainment brands, as well as valuable strategic alliances with industry leaders in sports betting and online gaming. The combined entity will serve customers in essentially every major U.S. gaming market and will marry best-of-breed practices from both entities to ensure high levels of customer satisfaction and significant shareholder returns.

“As with our past transactions, we have a detailed plan for significant synergy realization. Relative to our prior acquisitions, the combination with Caesars presents attractive incremental revenue synergy opportunities as we plan to strengthen Caesars Rewards, the industry’s leading player loyalty and CMS database, and combine it with Eldorado’s to market to over 65 million rewards customers nationally. Additionally, the transaction bears benefits beyond the strategic merits of the combination with Caesars in isolation. Our agreement with VICI favorably positions both platforms by enhancing the value of our combined company’s assets and further solidifies the growth profile of VICI.

“Eldorado’s history of completing successful, value-enhancing transactions has focused on prioritizing operating discipline with the goal of delivering best-in-class gaming and entertainment experiences and amenities to customers, unlocking the long-term value of acquired companies and assets through effective financial management, and completing return-focused investments in our properties that elevate the guest experience as well as our competitive position and overall returns. We intend to allocate the significant free cash flow from the combined company to reduce leverage while investing to improve the customer experience across the platform. We could not be more excited about the future as we bring together two industry leaders that will generate significant opportunities for our employees, customers, partners and shareholders.”

Jim Hunt, Chairman of Caesars, said, “This announcement is the culmination of a thorough evaluation by the Caesars Board of Directors. The Board unanimously concluded that the combination of these two companies creating an even stronger entity is a decision for our shareholders’ consideration and vote for immediate and ongoing value.”

Tony Rodio, Chief Executive Officer of Caesars, added, “We believe this combination will build on the accomplishments and best-in-class operating practices of both companies. I’m familiar with Eldorado and its management team, having worked with them on a previous transaction, and I look forward to collaborating with them to bring our companies together. We are excited to integrate Caesars Rewards with the combined portfolio. The incorporation of Caesars Rewards has produced strong results at the recently acquired Centaur properties. By joining forces, we believe the new Caesars will be well-positioned to compete in our dynamic industry.”

Ed Pitoniak, Chief Executive Officer of VICI, said, “VICI is honored and excited to be integrally involved with Eldorado in this transformative transaction. As a REIT, we seek to partner with operators who have the most powerful, valuable and enduring relationships with the end users of our real estate. Under Tom Reeg’s leadership and front-line focus, the combination of Eldorado and Caesars will yield the most compelling guest experiences and network effect in American gaming.”

Governance and Timing
The combined company’s Board of Directors will consist of 11 members, six of whom will come from Eldorado’s Board of Directors and five of whom will come from Caesars Board of Directors
The transactions have been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of Eldorado, Caesars and VICI. The Caesars transaction is subject to approval of the stockholders of Eldorado and Caesars, the approval of applicable gaming authorities, the expiration of the applicable Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period and other customary closing conditions, and is expected to be consummated in the first half of 2020
Advisors

J.P. Morgan, Credit Suisse and Macquarie Capital are serving as financial advisors to Eldorado. Milbank LLP and Latham & Watkins LLP are serving as Eldorado’s legal counsel. PJT Partners LP is serving as financial advisor to Caesars. Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is serving as Caesars legal counsel.

About Eldorado
Eldorado is a leading casino entertainment company that owns and operates twenty-six properties in twelve states, including Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, and Ohio. In aggregate, Eldorado’s properties feature approximately 23,000 slot machines and VLTs and approximately 650 table games, and over 12,000 hotel rooms. For more information, please visit www.eldoradoresorts.com.

About Caesars
Caesars is the world’s most geographically diversified casino-entertainment company. Since its beginning in Reno, Nevada, in 1937, Caesars has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions, and now operates casinos on three continents. The company’s resorts operate primarily under the Harrah’s®, Caesars® and Horseshoe® brand names. Caesars also owns the London Clubs International family of casinos. Caesars currently owns and operates 34 casinos and resorts in Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada and New Jersey. Domestically, Caesars properties feature approximately 48,000 slot machines and VLTs and approximately 3,000 table games, and over 39,000 hotel rooms. The company is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. To learn more about Caesars, please visit www.caesars.com.

NEW YORK- The BET “HIP HOP AWARDS” has remained the most prominent hip hop showcase on television for ten years with its powerful performances, iconic hip hop honorees and much-anticipated cyphers. Multi-platinum artist, mega-producer and ‘Anthem King’ DJ Khaled will take the reins as host of the BET “Hip Hop Awards” 2016.

The “I Am Hip Hop” Award returns to honor entertainment icon and legendary rapper Snoop Dogg. Highly respected with more than 20 years in the industry, Snoop continues to set trends and pave the way for both new and established artists. Snoop defines hip-hop history. He is undoubtedly one of the most recognized and respected entertainers of all time. Hailing from Long Beach, CA, Snoop began his career under the guidance of Dr. Dre and became a multi-platinum artist who set records with his seminal album Doggystyle, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and sold over 800,000 copies in the first week. Throughout his career, Snoop’s produced chart-topping hits including “Gin & Juice,” “Who Am I? (What’s My Name?),” “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang,” “Next Episode,” “Beautiful,” “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” “Signs,” “Sensual Seduction” and “I Wanna Rock.” He garnered chart topping success with his first album, Doggystyle (1993), which climbed its way to the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s hip-hop and Top 200 charts. His sophomore album, Tha Doggfather (1996), also achieved chart topping success. He continued to top the hip-hop charts with his next two albums: Da Game Is To Be Sold, Not To Be Told (1998) and No Limit Top Dogg (1999). Most recently, the West Coast Rapper released his 14th studio album COOLAID, featuring the hit single “Kush Ups” with Wiz Khalifa. Snoop’s career has transcended industry lines with award-winning and multi-platinum albums and songs, as well as critically acclaimed films and television shows, including his weekly “GGN News” series on his WestFestTV YouTube channel. His philanthropic efforts are also well documented and his pioneering ventures, “Leafs by Snoop,” a cannabis product line and MERRYJANE.COM, a media platform, are already business and tech industry leaders.

And the hottest night in Hip Hop is only getting started as the “King of the South” T.I. is confirmed to perform; Atlanta’s own Gucci Mane marks his long awaited return to the stage; Travis Scott will bring another hot performance; as well as performances by Young Thug and Desiigner. The list of confirmed performers doesn’t stop there; also bringing the heat for this year’s BET “HIP HOP AWARDS” is Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, 21 Savage, Dae Dae, Big Baby D.R.A.M. and Isaiah Rashad. Presenters for the BET “HIP HOP AWARDS” 2016 include the star of Empire and BET’s The New Edition Story, Bryshere Y. Gray and rapper and actor Shameik Moore.

The BET “Hip Hop Awards” will be night of electrifying cyphers, powerful performances and legendary tributes! The BET “Hip Hop Awards” 2016 will tape on Saturday, September 17, 2016 at its new venue, The Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, GA, and will premiere on Tuesday, October 4, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment, will serve as Executive Producer of The BET Hip Hop Awards along with Stephen G. Hill, BET’s President of Programming, Connie Orlando, BET’s Senior Vice President of Music and Specials and Lynne Harris Taylor, BET’s Vice President of Specials.

BET.com/HipHopAwards is the official site for the BET “HIP HOP AWARDS” 2016 where fans can visit to get up-to-date info on this year’s show and take a look back on past BET Hip Hop Awards. In the coming weeks, BET.com will launch a series of interactive timelines; exclusive video content games and quizzes leading up to the show.

BET “HIP HOP AWARDS” is fresh, legendary and, as always, a memorable night that you don’t want to miss!

ABOUT BET NETWORKS:
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIA.B), is the nation’s leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 90 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and sub-Saharan Africa. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of business extensions: BET.com, a leading Internet destination for Black entertainment, music, culture, and news; CENTRIC, a 24-hour entertainment network targeting the 25- to 54-year-old African-American audience; BET Digital Networks – BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe; BET Mobile, which provides ringtones, games and video content for wireless devices; and BET International, which operates BET in the United Kingdom and oversees the extension of BET network programming for global distribution.

ABOUT BET “HIP HOP AWARDS”:
BET “Hip Hop Awards” is an annual celebration that pays homage to a culture that changed the world while highlighting the best in hip hop music. Year after year, BET Networks delivers the best in hip-hop for an unforgettable night of performances, cyphers and tributes honoring hip-hop legends that have and continue to make hip-hop culture a global force.

ABOUT SNOOP DOGG:
Snoop Dogg has sold more than 35 million albums worldwide, and has reigned for more than two decades as an unparalleled musical force who has raised the bar as an entertainer and globally recognized innovator. Since 1993, he has released fourteen albums and collaborated with artists across all genres of music. Snoop defines hip-hop history. As a trendsetter of pop culture, Snoop’s ventures include: (a) multiple music/film/TV deals, (b) his WestFestTV YouTube channel, where his wildly popular “GGN News” series appears weekly and (c), most recently, being at the forefront of the global cannabis revolution with businesses such as the ‘Leafs By Snoop’ product line, MERRYJANE.COM, and Casa Verde Capital.

ABOUT JESSE COLLINS ENTERTAINMENT:
Jesse Collins Entertainment is a full service television and film production company founded by entertainment industry veteran Jesse Collins. For more than a decade, Collins, the company’s CEO, has played an integral role in producing some of television’s most memorable moments in music entertainment. Formerly Executive Producer/EVP of Cossette Productions, Collins has produced ground-breaking and award winning television programming including the BET Awards, the GRAMMY Awards, BET Honors, The UNCF Evening of Stars and the BET Hip Hop Awards. Collins currently Exec. Produces “The Real Husbands of Hollywood,” (now going into its 4th hit season) alongside industry Icons Stan Lathan and Ralph Farquhar; and has worked with superstar talent such as Will Smith, Chris Rock, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Prince, Mariah Carey and many more.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. & BURBANK, Calif.–In the weeks immediately following the announcement of their groundbreaking, multi-year distribution deal, DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ:DISH) and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) today announced the availability of WATCH ABC, WATCH ABC Family, WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney XD and WatchESPN, enabling DISH’s 14 million video subscribers to access live and on-demand news, entertainment and sports programming on computers, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles and connected devices. Access to WATCH Disney Junior as well as authenticated services from SEC ESPN Network and Longhorn Network will launch later this year.

DISH customers can now conveniently watch live programming from ABC Family, Disney Channel and Disney XD as well as live network streams of ABC, which are currently available in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Houston, Fresno, Philadelphia and Raleigh-Durham. Additionally, live events and programming from ESPN networks – including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, ESPNEWS and ESPN Deportes – are now accessible. ESPN Goal Line and ESPN Buzzer Beater will also be available on WatchESPN when those channels are in season. Video subscribers will need to log in with their DISH online IDs and passwords to access all services.

In addition to live streaming, DISH video subscribers can watch the most current episodes of ABC and ABC Family original series the day after they air online at ABC.com and ABCFamily.com or on smartphones and tablets via the WATCH ABC and WATCH ABC Family apps, which are available free to download in the App Store, Google Play Store, Amazon Appstore and Windows Store. WATCH ABC is also accessible on Apple TV.

DISH customers can access live and popular on-demand programming from Disney Channel and Disney XD online at WATCHDisneyChannel.com and WATCHDisneyXD.com. The WATCH Disney Channel and WATCH Disney XD apps are free to download in the App Store and Amazon Appstore. The networks are also accessible on Apple TV and Roku.

For WatchESPN, DISH video subscribers can visit WatchESPN.com on their computers for live access to ESPN networks. Customers with a supported smartphone or tablet can also download the free WatchESPN app by visiting the App Store, Google Play Store, Amazon Appstore or Windows Store. The app features access to live content and on-demand video clips. WatchESPN live programming and on-demand clips are also available on Xbox 360, Xbox One, Apple TV and Roku.

About DISH
DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH), through its subsidiary DISH Network L.L.C., provides approximately 14.057 million satellite TV customers, as of Dec. 31, 2013, with the highest quality programming and technology with the most choices at the best value. Subscribers enjoy a high definition line-up with more than 200 national HD channels, the most international channels, and award-winning HD and DVR technology. DISH Network Corporation is a Fortune 200 company. Visit www.dish.com.

About The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international entertainment and media enterprise with five business segments: media networks, parks and resorts, studio entertainment, consumer products and interactive. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of $45 billion in its Fiscal Year 2013.

This news is courtesy of www.dish.com

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) and the Esports World Cup Foundation have agreed an all-encompassing partnership that will see extensive coverage of the innovative multi-genre esports competition appear on some of the biggest platforms and channels in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Harnessing the breadth of Warner Bros. Discovery’s global network, the partnership will lean on the business’ expertise via its Eurosport and CNN brands to help the Esports World Cup reach new audiences across the globe through a multi-platform approach that will include a host of innovations to help elevate esports coverage for mainstream audiences.

From Esports shows to brand new social media formats to a dedicated section on the Eurosport website, Warner Bros. Discovery will ensure every major story is told in full throughout the eight-week event.

Mike Rich, Head of Warner Bros. Discovery, Sports & Lifestyle International Brand Partnerships, said: “Esports World Cup is a competition where sport meets entertainment which aligns neatly with Warner Bros. Discovery’s ambition for our streaming services to become the premier sports and entertainment destination for consumers.

“With the popularity of esports continuing to grow, partnering with the Esports World Cup affords Warner Bros. Discovery a unique opportunity to reach new audiences and celebrate its fandom.”

Ralf Reichert, CEO Esports World Cup Foundation, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Warner Bros. to bring the excitement and drama of the Esports World Cup to an even broader global audience. This collaboration allows us to leverage their extensive network and expertise across Eurosport, CNN, and other platforms to create amazing content and reach new fans in ways we never could before. We’re confident that this partnership will not only elevate the visibility of the Esports World Cup but also reignite passion for competitive gaming worldwide.”

The Esports World Cup is a global celebration of competitive excellence and esports fandom. The competition features a unique cross-game structure that will pit the world’s top esports teams and athletes against one another for the largest-ever prize pool. Debuting in the summer of 2024, gamers, publishers, and fans from around the globe will come together in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to crown the world’s first Esports World Cup Club Champion. https://esportsworldcup.com/en

Kicking off on July 3, the Esports World Cup is an eight-week celebration of competitive excellence and esports fandom that will draw the world’s top Clubs together to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The world’s best esports Clubs will compete in 22 competitions featuring the world’s top 21 games, in a global esports spectacle that will ultimately find and crown the first World Cup Club Champion. The qualified Clubs are competing for over $60 million in prize money.

Max and discovery+* will also offer viewers live streaming of selected sessions from the Esports World Cup.

*Max is available across France, the Nordics, Iberia, Central and Eastern Europe; HBO Max is WBD’s streaming platform in Belgium and the Netherlands; discovery+ is the streaming platform for Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom. They will be the only places to watch every moment of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 live.

MENLO PARK, Calif., Facebook today announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Oculus VR, Inc., the leader in immersive virtual reality technology, for a total of approximately $2 billion. This includes $400 million in cash and 23.1 million shares of Facebook common stock (valued at $1.6 billion based on the average closing price of the 20 trading days preceding March 21, 2014 of $69.35 per share). The agreement also provides for an additional $300 million earn-out in cash and stock based on the achievement of certain milestones.

Oculus is the leader in immersive virtual reality technology and has already built strong interest among developers, having received more than 75,000 orders for development kits for the company’s virtual reality headset, the Oculus Rift. While the applications for virtual reality technology beyond gaming are in their nascent stages, several industries are already experimenting with the technology, and Facebook plans to extend Oculus’ existing advantage in gaming to new verticals, including communications, media and entertainment, education and other areas. Given these broad potential applications, virtual reality technology is a strong candidate to emerge as the next social and communications platform.

“Mobile is the platform of today, and now we’re also getting ready for the platforms of tomorrow,” said Facebook founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. “Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play and communicate.”

“We are excited to work with Mark and the Facebook team to deliver the very best virtual reality platform in the world,” said Brendan Iribe, co-founder and CEO of Oculus VR. “We believe virtual reality will be heavily defined by social experiences that connect people in magical, new ways. It is a transformative and disruptive technology, that enables the world to experience the impossible, and it’s only just the beginning.”

Oculus will maintain its headquarters in Irvine, CA, and will continue development of the Oculus Rift, its ground-breaking virtual reality platform.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2014.

About Facebook
Facebook’s mission is to give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected. People use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what’s going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them.

About Oculus
Founded in 2012, Oculus VR, Inc. is building a next-generation consumer virtual reality platform. The company’s first product, the Oculus Rift, is a virtual reality headset that allows you to step inside a digital environment and feel as though you are truly there. The Oculus Rift provides an immersive, stereoscopic 3D view with an ultra-wide field of view and low latency head tracking that lets you look around naturally in 360 degrees. For more information, please visit oculus.com.

CULVER CITY, Calif., Aug. 5, 2014 — With over 3000 entries from 61 countries, the 2014 Festival del film Locarno team took an innovative approach to organize film submissions, help programmers review films efficiently, and streamline some of their onsite production workflows. Requiring a solution that could handle a wide range of films and formats as well as an easy-to-use environment for effective film critique, the Festival’s operations team utilized Sony Media Cloud Services’ Ci cloud-based video platform to test the upload of film submissions and establish a secure way for the Festival Committee to review films. Ci will also assist in the production workflow of the coverage of this year’s Festival with the intent to extend Ci’s capabilities throughout Festival operations in the years to come.

“We are constantly looking to discover new ways to innovate our Festival – both for our spectators and behind the scenes. With world premieres, shorts, and experimental cinema from all over the world, we wanted a forward-thinking solution that could support every professional format, our Festival artistic direction, and our operations team,” said Mario Timbal, chief operating officer, Festival del film Locarno. “Ci’s collaborative platform delivered on all fronts. It’s been incredibly easy to use, has given our programmers more time to accurately assess each film, and will help us in the future as we further the use of Ci’s technology to add more capability to our operations.”

Celebrated alongside Cannes, Sundance, San Sebastian, Berlin and Toronto as one of the top six film festivals in the world, the Festival del Film Locarno represents films from more than 45 countries and attracts an annual audience of more than 160,000 people and during the 67th Film Festival more than 260 films will be shown. Sony Media Cloud Services’ Ci digital production workspace allows creative professionals and next generation filmmakers to upload footage or dailies from camera to cloud, utilize collaborative apps with virtual teams worldwide, share cuts securely with permission settings, and create team or project-based workspaces.

“Throughout its history, the Festival del film Locarno has occupied a unique position in the landscape of the major film festivals for its innovative and diverse programming,” said Naomi Climer, president, Sony Media Cloud Services. “We designed Ci for every generation and genre of cinema, and are thrilled to partner with Locarno for their submission, review, and workflow process and look forward to playing a significant role in the Festival for years to come.”

The Festival del film Locarno joins the growing roster of innovative media entities integrating cloud technologies from Sony Media Cloud Services into their production workflows. Ci is offered in a variety of subscriptions and packages to suit all production budgets and workflow requirements with personal, team, and company workspaces available online at https://www.sonymcs.com.

About Sony Media Cloud Services LLC:
Sony Media Cloud Services, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, revolutionizes media and entertainment production workflows with Ci, a media-centric cloud platform with innovative applications that empower creative professionals and the next generation of filmmakers to create, share, and collaborate with high-value media. Utilized by large-scale productions, independently produced films, television shows, universities, advertising agencies, sports and news companies, videographers, editors, and prosumers, Ci’s browser-based Software-as-a-Service platform connects people, content, and devices from any location in the world to make the creative process more streamlined, collaborative, and cost effective. For more information, please visit www.sonymcs.com.

About Festival del film Locarno:
Throughout its 67-year history, the Festival del film Locarno has occupied a unique position in the landscape of the major film festivals. Every August, for eleven days the Swiss-Italian town of Locarno, right in the heart of Europe, becomes the world capital of auteur cinema.

Thousands of film fans and industry professionals meet here every summer to share their thirst for new discoveries and a passion for cinema in all its diversity. At Locarno they find a quality programme, rich, eclectic, surprising, and where emerging talent rubs shoulders with prestigious guests. The audience is the soul of the Festival, as exemplified in the famous evenings on the Piazza Grande, whose magical setting can accommodate up to 8,000 filmgoers every night. Geographically located at the crossroads of three great European regions, (Italian, German and French), Locarno is, precisely because of its enormous and multi-cultural audience, a unique launch platform for new films from all over the world. For more information, please visit http://www.pardolive.ch/

QINGDAO, China, Oct. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced on October 20 that Hisense, a global technology leader, will be the official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. He said, “With Hisense’s premium products and cutting-edge technologies, we expect to jointly create an immersive and unforgettable football viewing experience for fans worldwide via technological innovation.” By successively sponsoring the Europe and World Cups, Hisense has stood out as the only Chinese company to sponsor world-class events for four years in a row.

Major global sports events have always provided an unprecedented opportunity for the demonstration and promotion of disruptive display and broadcasting technologies. In April 2017, for the first time, Hisense and FIFA formed a partnership, whereby FIFA appointed Hisense to broadcast the sports events live and develop advanced display products. The viewing experience was significantly enhanced for football fans worldwide with the roll out of Hisense’s official World Cup TV, a unit that had been customized through the application of a number of advanced technologies, including Motion Estimation and Motion Compensation (MEMC), the sports mode, facial recognition to identify football players, and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered interactive image search. “FIFA and Hisense will join forces to create a more immersive viewing experience for fans worldwide through technology and innovation,” stated Mr. Infantino.

FIFA and Hisense had already collaborated during the 2018 Russia World Cup. They will work even more closely during the 2022 World Cup in an effort that will involve more products and stakeholders than had been the case during the event in Russia. “FIFA understands that Hisense has always attached great importance to energy conservation, environmental protection and sustainable recycling, an ongoing commitment which is fully reflected in its research and development, production, sales and recycling of products as the two entities continue deepening the collaboration,” indicated Mr. Infantino. “The laser TV developed by Hisense reduces power consumption by more than 50 per cent compared with traditional LCD TVs, a factor that will have a significant impact on consumers’ buying decisions.”

“We are about one year away from hosting the 2022 Qatar World Cup, an event which is expected to deliver an unforgettable experience for both the host country and football fans everywhere,” added Mr. Infantino. FIFA has been committed to promoting the advancement of science and technology through the power of football so as to exert a positive influence on society. With the support of Hisense, the Qatar World Cup expects to create a visual feast that will be remembered as a truly iconic sports event.

SOURCE Hisense

CONTACT: Shuo Chen, +86-15621008071

Related Links
www.hisense.com

Geneva – FIFA and WHO have agreed to extend their collaboration and to continue to use the power of football to promote healthy lifestyles and equal access to health services worldwide.

During the Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and FIFA President Gianni Infantino signed a four-year extension to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which has been in place since 4 October 2019.

“Health and football are perfect teammates. Promoting healthy lifestyles, safe stadiums and the physical and mental benefits of physical activity are among the many health goals WHO is proud to keep scoring with FIFA for the next four years,” said Dr Tedros. “WHO’s partnership with FIFA has already succeeded to share evidence-based messages to help people of all ages lead healthier and safer lives through the power of football and sport. WHO looks forward to continuing this journey.”

“We are proud to have signed and renewed the Memorandum of Understanding with the World Health Organization – we are proud to continue our relationship to pass important physical and mental health messages through our global football audience,” Gianni Infantino said. “I extend my gratitude to Dr Tedros, to his wonderful team, to everyone that helps in the healthcare sector – from doctors to nurses to healthcare professionals and health ministers – and to everyone who contributes to make our lives better.”

Reflecting on the past four years, he added: “Both Dr Tedros and I felt that in a world that is more and more divided, maybe if the World Health Organization and FIFA join forces, we can achieve something, we can have even just a little impact to make our lives a little bit better. Since 2019, we have worked together with our colleagues at the World Health Organization to try to use the impact of football, that helps drive health for one and all.”

During the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, FIFA and WHO launched the Football Unites the World campaign. Supported by Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Hassan Al-Haydos, Karim Benzema, Lucy Bronze, Giulia Gwinn, Kaká, Robert Lewandowski, Carli Lloyd, Édouard Mendy and Emmanuel Petit as well as by two of the WHO’s Goodwill Ambassadors for Sport and Health, namely Alisson Becker and Didier Drogba, it illustrated football’s unrivalled ability to bring people together.

The support of the Qatar Ministry of Public Health, FIFA and WHO collaborated on a number of initiatives to promote the importance of access to physical and mental health for all. Health and well-being were prioritized through the staging of the tournament, and included several initiatives such as:

the implementation of mass gathering and surveillance strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases;
enhanced policies to protect people from the harms of tobacco, including making stadium seating areas smoke-free; and
healthy food options at all 64 matches with healthy and vegetarian food reaching a 30% quota across all FIFA World Cup 2022 stadiums, thus showing that healthy, sustainable and high-quality food environments are possible at major sport events.
Since 2020, the two organizations have joined forces on various digital campaigns and initiatives to address a range of health-related issues. These, include (#ReachOut), domestic violence (#SafeHome), an appreciation of the work of health professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic (#HumanitysHeroes), equitable access to vaccinations and vaccines, diagnostics, oxygen and other life-saving tools (#ACTogether) and “Pass the message to kick out coronavirus campaign”, where FIFA Legends called on people around the world to take five steps to stop the spread of the disease. Several of these initiatives have also received active support from other institutions such as the African Union, Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Commission to help spread the message to a global audience.

For three years, the two organizations have also championed the need to #BeActive to promote regular physical activity. WHO recommends that healthy adults do a minimum of 30 minutes physical activity per day, while children should do a minimum of 60 minutes daily. However, current WHO data has reported that 80% of adolescents are not getting enough daily exercise.