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BELLEVUE, Wash. and NEW YORK, – Outerwall Inc. (“Outerwall” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: OUTR) today announced that it has entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with affiliates of certain funds (the “Apollo Funds”) managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, LLC (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, “Apollo”) (NYSE: APO), a leading global alternative investment manager, pursuant to which the Apollo Funds will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Outerwall common stock for $52.00 per share in cash.

The purchase price represents a premium of approximately 51 percent over Outerwall’s closing stock price on March 14, 2016, immediately prior to the announcement that the Company’s Board of Directors initiated a thorough and comprehensive process to explore strategic and financial alternatives to maximize shareholder value. The transaction, which was unanimously approved by Outerwall’s Board of Directors, has a total enterprise value of approximately $1.6 billion, including net debt.

“Outerwall’s Board of Directors has undertaken a comprehensive review of a wide range of strategic and financial alternatives to maximize value for all Outerwall shareholders. We are pleased to reach this agreement, which follows a robust process and provides an immediate and substantial cash premium to our shareholders,” said Erik E. Prusch, Outerwall’s Chief Executive Officer. “Apollo is an ideal partner to support Outerwall’s efforts to continue serving our millions of loyal customers and dedicated retail partners through our unrivaled network of kiosks and automated retail offerings. We look forward to working closely with Apollo as we continue to strengthen our businesses and execute on our strategic plan.”

“We are extremely excited for our funds to acquire Outerwall,” said David Sambur, Partner at Apollo. “Outerwall is a dynamic customer-focused business that delivers superior kiosk experiences that delight consumers and generate value for its retailer partners. We look forward to working with Outerwall’s talented and dedicated team to continue the business’s strong heritage of growth and innovation.”

Transaction Details
The transaction will be completed through an all-cash tender offer. The Outerwall Board of Directors unanimously recommends that Outerwall shareholders tender their shares in the offer.

The transaction is conditioned upon satisfaction of the minimum tender condition, which requires that shares representing more than 50 percent of the Company’s common shares be tendered and the receipt of certain regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The transaction is currently expected to close during the third quarter of 2016. Following the transaction, Outerwall will become a privately held company and Outerwall’s common shares will no longer be listed on any public market.

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC is serving as financial advisor to Outerwall and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Perkins Coie LLP are serving as legal counsel. LionTree Advisors, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Barclays, Credit Suisse and Jefferies LLC are acting as M&A advisors to Apollo and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is acting as legal advisor to Apollo.

Financing is being provided by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Jefferies Finance LLC, Barclays and Credit Suisse.
Outerwall plans to release its second quarter earnings after market close on Thursday, July 28 and does not intend to hold a conference call to discuss earnings given the announced sale of the Company.

Dividend
In addition, on July 24, 2016, the Outerwall Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.60 per share of common stock. The dividend is expected to be paid on September 6, 2016, to stockholders of record at the close of business on August 23, 2016.

About Outerwall
Outerwall Inc. (Nasdaq: OUTR) has more than 20 years of experience creating some of the most profitable spaces for their retail partners. The company delivers breakthrough kiosk experiences that delight consumers and generate revenue for retailers. As the company that brought consumers Redbox® entertainment, Coinstar® money services, and ecoATM® electronics recycling kiosks, Outerwall is leading the next generation of automated retail and paving the way for inventive, scalable businesses. Outerwall™ kiosks are in neighborhood grocery stores, drug stores, mass merchants, malls, and other retail locations in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Learn more at www.outerwall.com.

About Apollo Global Management
Apollo (NYSE: APO) is a leading global alternative investment manager with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, Bethesda, Toronto, London, Frankfurt, Madrid, Luxembourg, Singapore, Mumbai, Delhi, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Apollo had assets under management of approximately $173 billion as of March 31, 2016, in private equity, credit and real estate funds invested across a core group of nine industries where Apollo has considerable knowledge and resources. For more information about Apollo, please visit www.agm.com.

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.

After three successful world-record drives with the same Touareg, Rainer Zietlow and his team were keen to put themselves to the test again: this time, they were looking for a new challenge on the Eurasian continent and, in just six and a half days, drove from the eastern Russian town of Magadan to the Portuguese capital Lisbon. As a result, Zietlow and his team secured another world record with their Touareg V6 TDI (1). This vehicle has so far seen the team travel from Tierra del Fuego to Alaska in 11 days, 17 hours along the “Panamerica”, from Melbourne to St Petersburg (“Russtralia”) in 17 days, 11 hours, and from South Africa to Norway (“Cape to Cape 2.0”) in 9 days, 4 hours.

This time, the trip against the clock took the team comprising Rainer Zietlow, cameraman Marius Biela and Russian journalist Petr Bakanov, in an east-west direction through Russia and Europe. They set off on 1 July 2016 at 6.20 in the morning from Magadan, a port on the Sea of Okhotsk in Magadan Oblast. It is the most easterly town in Russia still connected to the road network.

The first 3,000 kilometres were in fact also the most difficult of the entire tour and took the team over the Kolyma Highway, parts of which are unsurfaced. This section of the route is notorious for its unpredictable weather and road conditions – or as the locals say: “Anything may happen or then again perhaps nothing.”

The tour led Zietlow’s team via Yakutsk, Ulan-Ude, along Lake Baikal and over the Urals to Minsk, from where they continued their record-breaking drive in Europe after somewhat more than 4 days.

A little more than one day was all the record-breakers then needed for the remaining section through Poland, Germany, France, Spain and Portugal, arriving in Lisbon at precisely six o’clock on the morning of 7 July 2016. This meant that Zietlow had needed six days and nine hours for the entire distance of 15,145 kilometres and had thus not only set up a new world record but also beaten the previous best mark by more than two days.
Rainer Zietlow’s Volkswagen Touareg V6 TDI is a production vehicle which had of course been prepared for such extreme demands. For instance, two additional tanks were installed, allowing a range of up to 3,000 kilometres. To compensate for the increased weight, the suspension was reinforced and all-terrain tyres fitted. Furthermore, several additional headlights provided the necessary illumination during the night stages.

During the record drive, the team posted daily reports on their experiences at the website www.touareg-eurasia.com, and a blog also provided information about each day’s stage with photos and a brief video. The current position of the Touareg was also shown on a virtual map that was updated every thirty minutes.

As is the case with all of his projects involving Volkswagen vehicles since 2005, Rainer Zietlow also made a donation to the international charitable organisation SOS Children’s Villages. Ten euro cents for each kilometre travelled – making a total of 1,515 euros – went to the SOS Children’s Village “Marina Gorka” near Minsk, to which Zietlow paid a personal visit during his scout tour in June 2016.

San Francisco, Calif., June 27, 2016 – Fox Digital Entertainment and Kongregate, a leading publisher of mobile and web games and wholly-owned subsidiary of GameStop Corporation, today announced Animation Throwdown: The Quest for Cards, a new collectible-card mobile game incorporating five Twentieth Century Fox Television animated comedies: American Dad!, Bob’s Burgers, Family Guy, Futurama, and King of the Hill.

Animation Throwdown: The Quest for Cards will give fans the unique ability to play as their favorite characters from each series as they set out to create the ultimate show-themed deck and compete against friends and other players in epic battles.

“We are thrilled to bring together these five animated comedies for the first time in Animation Throwdown: The Quest for Cards.” said Emily Greer, president and co-founder of Kongregate. “We are looking forward to integrating characters from these hit series in a unique and exciting way that fans of all the shows will really love.”

Kongregate is leading the game design and management and is co-developing the title with Chicago-based Synapse Games (developer of Tyrant Unleashed, Global Assault, and Spellstone) and San Francisco-based Chinzilla Games (developer of Little Alchemist). Synapse and Chinzilla have deep experience creating card battle games that appeal to both casual and core gamers. Animation Throwdown draws inspiration by combining the most popular gameplay elements of their titles into a single franchise.

“In Animation Throwdown, Peter Griffin will duke it out with Bob Belcher, or Leela, or even Hank Hill. Fans get to select their all-star lineup in this inventive, genre-bending game,” said Rick Phillips, Executive Vice–President, Fox Digital Entertainment.

Kongregate will market the game to its global audience of millions of gamers who visit the Kongregate.com website each month. The company will also promote the game across its portfolio of mobile applications; through GameStop’s 4,200 U.S. store locations, 40 million PowerUp Rewards members, and across the GameStop web and mobile properties. Fox Digital Entertainment will use its various marketing platforms to promote the game as well.

Animation Throwdown: The Quest for Cards is currently scheduled for release in Q3, and will initially be available on iOS and Android devices. The game will eventually be released on other platforms includingkongregate.com.

About Kongregate
Kongregate is a leading mobile game publisher and web gaming portal. Kongregate’s mobile publishing focuses on free to play mid- and hard-core titles. Working closely with mobile game developers Kongregate provides consulting, analytics, marketing, launch support, and game features such as cross promotion, guilds, and chat. Kongregate’s mobile games have been downloaded tens of millions of times and have hundreds of millions of gameplays. Kongregate’s web portal features over 100,000 free games played by tens of millions of gamers per month. Kongregate is a wholly-owned subsidiary of GameStop Corporation and is based in San Francisco. The company was founded in 2006 by brother-and-sister team Jim and Emily Greer.

About Fox Digital Entertainment
Fox Digital Entertainment (FDE) is the Twentieth Century Fox division dedicated to fostering new and innovative mobile content and apps in emerging distribution channels. FDE develops and produces original videos, apps and games based on new concepts and extensions of existing Fox brands. The group has produced a number of award-winning products, among them ANGRY BIRDS™ RIO, ICE AGE VILLAGE™, THE SIMPSONS™ TAPPED OUT, FAMILY GUY: THE QUEST FOR STUFF and many others.

About American Dad!
AMERICAN DAD! follows staunch GOP supporter and CIA agent STAN SMITH (Seth MacFarlane) and the misadventures of his unconventional family in Langley Falls, Virginia. Stan’s blissfully unaware wife, FRANCINE (Wendy Schaal), has an unfaltering loyalty that allows her to turn a blind eye toward Stan’s unabashed arrogance. Meanwhile, Stan constantly butts heads with his 18-year-old, left-wing activist daughter HAYLEY (Rachael MacFarlane), who knows just how to push her father’s buttons, whether it’s by helping the homeless, demanding women’s rights or advocating gun control. Hayley’s 14-year-old brother is the geeky yet cocky STEVE (Scott Grimes), a kid who spends his time playing video games and obsessing about the opposite sex. The Smith cabinet is rounded out by two rather unconventional members. There’s the sassy and sarcastic space alien ROGER (Seth MacFarlane), who lives in the attic, loves to play dress-up and ran for U.S. President in 2012; and KLAUS (Dee Bradley Baker), an attention-starved goldfish with the brain of a German man who always throws in his two cents regardless of whether anyone is listening. This screwball family full of radically different personalities is just trying to figure out how to love and trust one another in a bi-partisan world. And with a guy like Stan in charge of national security, it’s guaranteed to be one wacky ride. AMERICAN DAD! is a 20th Century Fox Television production. The series was co-created by Seth MacFarlane, Mike Barker and Matt Weitzman, and is executive produced by MacFarlane, Matt Weitzman and Brian Boyle. Kara Vallow serves as producer. AMERICAN DAD! is distributed by 20th Century Fox Television Distribution.

About Bob’s Burgers
BOB’S BURGERS follows BOB (H. Jon Benjamin), who runs Bob’s Burgers with the help of his wife and their three kids. Bob has big ideas about burgers, but the rest of the clan falls short on service. Despite the greasy counters and lousy location, the Belchers are determined to make every “Grand Re-Re-Re-opening” a success. Bob’s wife LINDA (John Roberts) stands by her man and often does so by bursting into song. Their eldest daughter, 13-year-old TINA (Dan Mintz), has a slight obsession with boys and zombies. Middle child GENE (Eugene Mirman) is an aspiring musician with a thirst for life. LOUISE (Kristen Schaal) is the bunny ears-wearing youngest daughter with an off-kilter sense of humor that makes her somewhat of a liability in the kitchen – and with the public. A 20th Century Fox Television production, BOB’S BURGERS was created by Loren Bouchard (“Home Movies”). Bouchard and Jim Dauterive (“King of the Hill”) serve as executive producers and writers, with animation produced by Bento Box Entertainment. BOB’S BURGERS is distributed by 20th Century Fox Television Distribution.

About Family Guy
FAMILY GUY follows the adventures of an endearingly ignorant dad, PETER GRIFFIN (Seth MacFarlane), and his hilariously odd family of middle-class New Englanders in Quahog, RI. LOIS (Alex Borstein) is Peter’s wife, a stay-at-home mom with no patience for her family’s antics. Then there are their kids: 18-year-old MEG (Mila Kunis) is an outcast at school and the Griffin family punching bag; 13-year-old CHRIS (Seth Green) is a socially awkward teen who doesn’t have a clue about the opposite sex; and one-year-old STEWIE (MacFarlane) is a diabolically clever baby. Rounding out the Griffin household is BRIAN (MacFarlane), the family dog and a ladies man. FAMILY GUY is a 20th Century Fox Television production. Seth MacFarlane is creator/executive producer. Rich Appel and Steve Callaghan serve as executive producers/co-showrunners, while Danny Smith and Kara Vallow are executive producers. FAMILY GUY is distributed by 20th Century Fox Television Distribution.

About Futurama
FUTURAMA focuses on the life of PHILIP J. FRY (Billy West), a 25-year-old pizza delivery boy who accidentally freezes himself on December 31, 1999 and wakes up 1,000 years later with a fresh start at life at Planet Express, an intergalactic delivery company. There, he meets a cast of characters, including love interest LEELA (Katey Sagal), a sexy cyclops with anger management issues, best friend BENDER (John DiMaggio), a beer-powered kleptomaniac robot, PROFESSOR FARNSWORTH (Billy West), a brilliant yet forgetful scientist and intrepid inventor, HERMES (Phil LaMarr), the company’s detail-oriented bureaucrat, AMY (Lauren Tom), an intern who is as cute as she is klutzy, and ZOIDBERG (Billy West), a lobster-like, self-proclaimed expert on humans. Throughout their adventures, the team encounters MOM (Tress MacNeille), the foul-mouthed owner of MomCorp, ZAPP BRANNIGAN (Billy West), the vain, self-absorbed captain of the starship Nimbus, and many others. Just as it is today, life in the future is a complex mix of the wonderful and horrible, where things are still laughable no matter how wild and crazy they get. Fry’s introduction to life in New New York includes a visit to The Head Museum, where the heads of humanity’s most renowned and influential people live on. Against a backdrop of pesky aliens, exasperating robots, and malfunctioning gadgets, Fry finds that people still struggle with the same daily anxieties of life and love. FUTURAMA, the Emmy Award-winning series created by Matt Groening, is produced by Twentieth Century Fox Television in association with The Curiosity Company, with Rough Draft Studios, Inc. providing the animation. Groening, David X. Cohen, and Ken Keeler serve as executive producers. FUTURAMA is distributed by 20th Century Fox Television Distribution.

About King of the Hill
KING OF THE HILL depicts the life and times of HANK HILL (Mike Judge), his family and their neighbors in the fictional suburb of Arlen, Texas. A hard-working, loyal family man and proud Texan, Hank is assistant manager of Strickland Propane. He’s a blue-collar man of all trades who sees himself as the voice of common sense and reason in a world of incompetent sales clerks, meddling bureaucrats and do-good liberals. Hank’s better half is his wife, PEGGY (Kathy Najimy). Peggy sees herself as a woman of many talents: realtor, substitute Spanish teacher, fast-pitch softball hurler, local Boggle champion and notary public. Hank and Peggy’s pride and joy is their 13-year-old son, BOBBY (Pamela Adlon). The family is completed by Hank’s 18-year-old niece, LUANNE (Brittany Murphy). Hank can often be found around a barbeque with his beer guzzling neighborhood buddies, DALE (Johnny Hardwick), BILL (Stephen Root) and BOOMHAUER (Mike Judge). Dale’s an exterminator who never met a conspiracy he didn’t like, Bill’s a lonely-hearted Army barber with low self-esteem, and Boomhauer is a cool, rockabilly, muscle-car-driving ladies’ man who speaks unintelligible English. Mike Judge and Greg Daniels are co-creators/executive producers and John Altschuler, Dave Krinsky, Jim Dauterive, Garland Testa, Howard Klein and Michael Rotenberg are executive producers for KING OF THE HILL, which is a Twentieth Century Fox Television production in association with Deedle-Dee Productions, Judgemental Films and 3 Arts Entertainment. KING OF THE HILL is distributed by Twentieth Century Fox Television Distribution.

Sky is launching a major new commitment to Virtual Reality (VR) content, bringing its expertise in storytelling to the creation of immersive experiences that will put the viewer right at the heart of the action. Over the coming months, Sky will transport fans of sports, movies, news and entertainment to locations around the world, offering a truly unique perspective on major events.

To step up the production of VR content across all its markets, Sky has created Sky VR Studio, a dedicated in-house VR production unit. The first pieces of fully immersive VR content to be produced by the unit will be released on Friday – two unprecedented films shot during Formula 1 testing in Barcelona, which will transport viewers to the pit lane, into the team garages, and out onto the track.

The two F1 VR experiences, which were produced in conjunction with Formula One Management and Williams Martini Racing, will be made available via the Facebook 360 Video platform. The full VR experience will also be available on the Oculus platform, and viewable on the Samsung Gear VR and Oculus Rift headsets. Later in the year, Sky will look to distribute content through a dedicated Sky VR app.

Over the coming year, Sky VR Studio will drive the creation of cinematic, fully immersive VR content, producing more than 20 individual films, across a unique range of Sky content – from major cultural events in news to some of the biggest sporting events on the planet.

The team, which is led by Executive Producer Neil Graham, includes production staff with rare and valuable experience in VR film making. It will be bolstered with the addition of award-winning VR director Richard Nockles, who directed Sky VR Studio’s F1 film, and is behind a wide range of VR projects for a number of global brands.

Sky has been building its expertise in VR for a number of years. In 2013, the company invested in Jaunt, a US-based company pioneering cinematic virtual reality. Since then, Sky has been carrying out testing across a range of events. Already, the Sky News team has produced ‘360’ videos, taking viewers to the centre of the migrant crisis with footage from the refugee landing beach in Lesbos, and the refugee camp in Calais. Sky Movies also trialled the technology at the recent premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, giving a unique view of the red carpet.

In the coming months, Sky VR Studio will create brand new, exclusive VR content across all genres, including:

•A unique perspective on heavyweight boxing, taking viewers inside the ring as Anthony Joshua bids for a world title
•Following Team Sky as they set their sights on retaining their Tour de France crown
•Plus further exclusive VR content across a range of news, arts and entertainment programming

Gary Davey, Managing Director, Content at Sky, commented: “The Sky VR Studio allows us to add a new dimension to storytelling, taking viewers to extraordinary places and offering a unique perspective on a whole host of events. The development of VR technology is moving at an incredible pace and excitement is building about its potential. Our expertise across a wide range of video content, from original drama to live sport, gives us a unique ability to bring VR to life for customers. This is just the start and we’re looking forward to creating more amazing VR content and exploring the possibilities with our tech and content partners.”

About Sky
Sky is Europe’s leading entertainment company, serving 21 million customers across five countries: UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy. We offer the best and broadest range of content, deliver market-leading customer service and use innovative new technology to give customers a better TV experience, whenever and wherever they choose.

Sky has annual revenues of over £11 billion and is Europe’s leading investor in television content with a combined programming budget of £4.9 billion. The group employs 30,000 people and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (SKY).

BURBANK, Calif.– Nickelodeon announced today that it has greenlit a 14-episode second season of its new animated series, ​The Loud House, rising to the top as the number-one animated kids’ show on TV since its May 2 launch. The Loud House follows Lincoln Loud and his 10 sisters for an inside look at what it takes to survive the chaos of growing up in a huge family. Season two will continue to take inspiration from creator and executive producer Chris Savino’s life growing up in a family of 10 kids. The series airs weekdays at 5p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.

The Loud House series is currently the number-one kids’ animated show on TV, posting high double-digit gains over last year. Launch to date (5/2/16-5/20/16), the series is averaging a 3.3/981K among Kids 2-11 (up +57% over last year); 3.2/565K with Kids 6-11 (+68%); and delivering almost 2 million total viewers (1.8MM; +41%).

“The fun, chaotic world of The Loud House is connecting with our audience, and we are very happy to bring even more stories about Lincoln and his family to them,” ​said James Stephenson, SVP, Animation and Games, Nickelodeon. “Nickelodeon is also thrilled to add the action-comedy ​Glitch Techs ​to our pipeline of original content. ​The series comes from a stellar creative team, who has given us great characters, an exciting world and a truly innovative take on connecting games with storytelling through a show we think kids will love.”

Glitch Techs (working title) has been picked-up for 20-episodes set to debut in 2018. ​Glitch Techs ​is an adventure-comedy following ​two ​newly recruited kids as they battle ​video game monsters that come to life in the real world. The brand-new series comes from Eric Robles (Fanboy & Chum Chum) and Dan Milano (Greg the Bunny, Warren the Ape), both hailing from Nickelodeon’s Artist Collective, ​an internal artist-led ​development program. The series will be produced ​at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Burbank, Calif.

In season two of The Loud House, Lincoln remains the man with the plan, navigating his way through the chaos of living in a family with 11 kids. The heart and comedy-filled adventures defining The Loud House will continue through a deeper dive into the unique personalities of Lincoln’s sisters, as well as a spooky themed episode, a half-hour holiday special and more.

The Loud House voice cast includes: Grant Palmer as Lincoln Loud; Caleel Harris as Clyde McBride; Catherine Taber as Lori; Liliana Mumy as Leni; Nika Futterman as Luna; Cristina Pucelli as Luan; Jessica DiCicco as Lynn and Lucy; Grey Griffin as Lola, Lana and Lily; and Lara Jill Miller as Lisa.

The Loud House is based on an animated short of the same name from Nickelodeon’s annual Animated Shorts Program. It is the first series to be greenlit out of the global program which is designed to mine and cultivate a new generation of creative talent. Created and executive produced by Chris Savino (Rocko’s Modern Life, The Powerpuff Girls), the series is produced at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Burbank, Calif. The new series debuted Monday, May 2, at 5:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.

About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 37th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 90 ​million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 20 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ:VIA, VIAB).

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.

PURCHASE, N.Y. and New York, N.Y. – MasterCard and Major League Baseball (MLB) today announced an extension of their longstanding partnership agreement. The two organizations have come together to deliver extraordinary consumer experiences for nearly 20 years dating back to the first Priceless ad spot in 1997 featuring a father and son at the ballpark that aired during the World Series. The expanded partnership agreement provides MasterCard the presenting sponsorship role beginning with the 2016 All-Star Game, as well as increased opportunity to deliver advanced payment technologies to baseball fans.

“MLB is one of our longest-tenured partners and during this time we’ve significantly expanded our relationship by taking it far beyond a traditional sponsorship,” said Raja Rajamannar, Chief Marketing Officer, MasterCard. “Baseball is a passion for many and through our partnership we’ve been able to deliver not only access for fans, but have incorporated new payment options, driven fan engagement around Priceless Causes and delivered truly memorable moments.”

“We are looking forward to creating exciting and innovative elements with MasterCard over the next several years in connection to the All-Star Game presented by MasterCard,” said Noah Garden, MLB Executive Vice President, Business. “Major League Baseball games and Jewel Events like the All-Star Game provide MasterCard with high-profile opportunities to showcase its evolutionary payment technologies to our fans.”

MLB All-Star Game Presented by MasterCard

Under the agreement, each year MasterCard will be the presenting sponsor of this marquee MLB event which provides additional media rights, access to Priceless experiential assets and enhanced branding. This includes:

All-Star Week on-field Priceless experiences and events
Expanded on-site brand presence at point-of-sale at key All-Star events
Presenting sponsor of MLB.com SHOP at MLB FanFest during All-Star Week and satellite MLB.com SHOP locations on-site during All-Star Events
Cardholder benefits leading up to MLB All-Star Week, including All-Star FanFest ticket discount, an exclusive All-Star Week Ticket Strip presale and MLB.com Shop discount offers.
Delivering the Latest Payment Technologies to Baseball Fans

MasterCard has long leveraged its MLB partnership to provide baseball fans access to the latest in payment technology at the ballpark and online, delivering an enhanced payment experience. MLB integrated MasterPass, MasterCard’s digital commerce solution, as a way to pay at MLB.com Shop, MLB & select Club ticketing pages and MLB.tv. Fans that have a MasterPass account can make a secure purchase online at MLB.com or within the MLB mobile app without having to enter their payment card credentials. Additionally, MasterCard has previously worked with MLB to enable contactless payments at All-Star Week events, as well as during the post-season.

MasterCard also holds individual relationships with four MLB Clubs including the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, with whom MasterCard just recently extended its partnership.

The 2016 All-Star Game presented by MasterCard will be played at Petco Park on Tuesday, July 12th. The 87th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports; in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS; and worldwide by partners in more than 160 countries. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage of the All-Star Game presented by MasterCard. MLB Network, MLB.com and Sirius XM also will provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

About MasterCard
MasterCard, www.MasterCard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.

INDIANAPOLIS – The NCAA today announced an eight-year extension of its multimedia rights agreement with CBS Sports and Turner, a division of Time Warner, for the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. The new contract extends the agreement through 2032 and ensures that one of the premier American sports events will be telecast by two of the world’s preeminent media companies for almost two more decades.

Through the terms of the new deal, Turner and CBS Sports will provide live coverage of all NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship games across any platform within their respective portfolios, including those to be created over the life of the agreement.

CBS Sports and Turner will continue to manage and collaborate on the NCAA’s corporate marketing program. Additionally, Turner will continue to manage March Madness Live and NCAA.com, along with major events surrounding NCAA championships, including the NCAA March Madness Fan Fest and Music Festival.

The extension covers an eight-year period for a total rights fee of $8.8 billion. As with the current and previous contract, more than 90 percent of the revenue generated from this extension will be used to benefit college athletes through programs, services or direct distribution to member conferences and schools. Further, the agreement ensures student-athletes across all three NCAA divisions will continue to be supported through a broad range of championship opportunities, access to funds for personal and educational needs, and through scholarships in Divisions I and II.

Under the original contract with Turner and CBS, every March Madness game was, for the first time, presented live in its entirety on national television and across digital platforms. The unprecedented partnership delivered seamless and unified programming, production, sales and marketing efforts, with both media organizations finding innovative approaches to investing in and growing the tournament. Since 2011, the new television format has been universally praised, with all games televised across four networks (TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV). The offerings on March Madness Live also continued to grow, and the Team Stream coverage introduced in 2014 allows basketball fans to watch the Final Four from three distinct vantage points.

The tournament has delivered significant audiences across all platforms throughout the six-year partnership between Turner and CBS. Television coverage across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV has averaged more than 10.2 million total viewers in its respective game telecast windows over the last six years. NCAA March Madness Live has more than doubled the number of its live video streams and live hours of consumption since 2011.

“The extension of our current agreement will allow our more than 1,100 NCAA member colleges and universities to continue to support student-athletes on 19,000 teams across 24 sports,” said NCAA President Mark Emmert.

“We have a diverse membership with varying resource levels, and this extension will assist our campuses as they provide pathways to opportunity in higher education and beyond for nearly a half a million young men and women each year.”

“The NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship has been a cornerstone of CBS Sports for more than three decades, and we are very pleased to extend our successful partnership with the NCAA and Turner under the same terms that have worked so well for us these past several years,” said CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus. “This spectacular tournament continues to solidify CBS’s position as a leading broadcaster of signature championship events, delivering an unparalleled opportunity to present one of our nation’s most popular sports franchises. Best of all, this historic extension positions CBS for a profitable future as we fully maximize the value and exposure of this great event across all assets of our corporation, both current platforms and those created during the lifetime of the deal.”

“Our partnership with CBS and the NCAA has exceeded all of our expectations, and this new long-term agreement continues to align Turner with one of the premier sports properties that generates unrivaled fan engagement for more than three weeks every year,” said Turner President David Levy. “Our expansive rights provide us with a tremendous opportunity to build and pursue new business extensions while developing an even deeper connection with our fans across existing platforms, as well as those to be created in the future. As we pursue all of these opportunities, Turner is uniquely positioned to monetize these broad rights across every aspect of our business.”

“CBS Sports and Turner are great partners for the NCAA and its membership” remarked Joseph R. Castiglione, director of athletics at the University of Oklahoma and current chair of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee, “Having their long-term commitment ensures that March Madness will remain one of the preeminent television sports properties.”

Under the new agreement, all opening-, first- and second-round games will continue to be shown across TBS, CBS, TNT and truTV with Turner and CBS splitting coverage of the regional semifinals and regional finals each year. Live coverage of the Final Four national semifinals and national championship will continue to alternate between CBS and Turner each year, with CBS broadcasting the games in 2017 and TBS televising them in 2018.

Turner and CBS Sports will maintain the existing sales partnership surrounding the NCAA Corporate Champion and Partner program. This program has grown from nine to 17 members since the previous deal was announced in 2010.

“This extension provides certainty to our diverse membership during a time when the television media landscape is experiencing rapid change,” said Mark Lewis, NCAA executive vice president of championships and alliances. “Providing a level of resource stability is something we felt important to accomplish for our membership.”

About Turner Sports
Turner Sports, a division of Turner, is an industry leader in the delivery of premium sports content across all multimedia screens. Turner Sports’ television coverage includes the NBA, Major League Baseball, NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, ELEAGUE, boxing and professional golf. The company also manages some of the most popular sports destinations across broadband and mobile platforms including Bleacher Report and its top-rated Team Stream app, NCAA.com and the critically acclaimed NCAA March Madness Live suite of products, PGA.com and the Sports Emmy Award-winning PGA Championship LIVE, as well as an accompanying collection of mobile sites and connected device apps. Turner Sports and the NBA also jointly manage NBA Digital, a robust collection of offerings including NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA Mobile, the NBA App, NBADLEAGUE.com and WNBA.com.

About CBS Sports
CBS Sports, a year-round leader in television sports, broadcasts a portfolio of events on the CBS Television Network, including THE NFL ON CBS; “Thursday Night Football;” college basketball, including the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship; golf, including The Masters®, PGA Championship and PGA TOUR; college football, including the SEC ON CBS; and CBS SPORTS SPECTACULAR. In addition, the division includes CBS SPORTS NETWORK, the 24-hour home of CBS Sports; produces INSIDE THE NFL for SHOWTIME; and partners with CBS SPORTS RADIO and CBSSports.com in creating recognized leaders in sports radio and digital.

About the NCAA
The NCAA is a diverse association of more than 1,100 member colleges and universities that prioritize academics, well-being and fairness to create greater opportunities for nearly a half a million student-athletes each year. The NCAA provides a pathway to higher education and beyond for student-athletes pursuing academic goals and competing in NCAA sports. More than 54,000 student-athletes experience the pinnacle of intercollegiate athletics by competing in NCAA championships each year. Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association and the corporate partnerships that support the NCAA and its student-athletes. The NCAA is proud to have the elite companies AT&T, Capital One and Coca-Cola as official Corporate Champions, and the following elite companies as official Corporate Partners: Allstate, Amazon Echo, Bing (Microsoft), Buffalo Wild Wings, Buick, Enterprise, Infiniti, LG, Lowe’s, Nabisco, Northwestern Mutual, Reese’s, Unilever and UPS.

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.

STAMFORD, Conn.– Tribute Portfolio, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT), today announced a new way for consumers to “Stay Independent” through a new partnership with Pitchfork, the most trusted voice in music. From Palm Springs to Paris, and London in between, Tribute Portfolio and Pitchfork will spotlight both emerging artists and established pioneers who apply a true independent mindset to their musical craft regardless of genre. The partnership will feature three exclusive pop-up events at Tribute Portfolio properties during key music festivals, with programming curated by Pitchfork. Kicking off during Coachella Music Festival (April 15-17), Pitchfork’s popular P4K Radio will broadcast live from The Riviera Palm Springs, a Tribute Portfolio Resort, with on-air guests such as Tyler Pope from LCD Soundsystem, Shamir, No Age, Courtney Barnett, DJ Mustard, Deafheaven, No Age, Nosaj Thing, Bad Bad Not Good, and Girlpool.

“Since our brand’s inception a year ago, Tribute Portfolio has brought some of the best indie talent to our guests in an effort to capture their desire to ‘stay independent,’” said Dave Marr, Global Brand Leader for Tribute Portfolio. “Our new partnership with Pitchfork, one of the most trusted voices in independent music, will allow us to continue highlighting artists who truly embody our brand’s indie spirit, as well as provide our Starwood Preferred Guest® (SPG®) Members access to exclusive festivals and music events across the globe.”

The Indie Essential Mix
Having debuted last year, Pitchfork’s P4K Radio is a streaming, free form, live Internet radio station programmed with exclusive interviews, intimate live performances, deep cuts from rare vinyl collections and a playlist curated by Pitchfork’s influential music editors. The Riviera Palm Springs’ pool, set against the stunning backdrop of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains, is the perfect spot for guests to kick back and chill in the desert sun with some of the best indie artists, musicians and DJs. In addition to the radio pop-up, the resort will host an exclusive High Tide pool party and other live events throughout the weekend, including on-air guests Shamir on Friday, Tyler Pope of LCD Soundsystem on Saturday, and No Age and Girl Pool on Sunday, among many others.

The partnership between Tribute Portfolio and Pitchfork will continue beyond Palm Springs, with additional activations later this year in London during Field Day Festival in June, and in Paris, during Pitchfork Music Festival in October.

Marching to the Beat of Its Own Drum
An answer to both guests’ and owners’ desire to Stay Independent, Tribute Portfolio launched in April 2015 with its first hotel, the Royal Palm South Beach Miami. In addition to Miami, guests can enjoy Tribute Portfolio properties in London, UK; Las Vegas, NV; Palm Springs, CA; Jakarta, Indonesia; Paris, France; Costa Mesa, CA; and Hokkaido, Japan. The brand will soon open new hotels in Quebec City, Canada; Ft. Lauderdale, FL; Denver, CO; Coral Gables, FL; Asheville, NC; Nashville, TN; Savannah, GA; and Charleston, SC. Firmly anchored in the upper upscale category, Tribute Portfolio allows owners of distinct properties to maintain their independent spirit, while benefiting from Starwood’s powerful distribution, loyalty and sales platforms.

To stream Pitchfork’s P4K Radio live from April 15-17, visit http://pitchfork.com/radio. RSVP to the High Tide pool party by visiting pitchfork.com/hightide.

Consumers can stay in the loop by following @TributePortfolio on Instagram and tracking #independentmoments and #P4kRadio. For a full list of Tribute Portfolio’s #independentmoments, visit http://www.tributeportfolio.tumblr.com.

About Tribute Portfolio
Launched in April 2015 as Starwood’s 10th brand and second collection of independent hotels, Tribute Portfolio is comprised of exceptional independent hotels around the globe, offering guests and owners the ability to “Stay Independent.” From boutique resorts to urban destination properties, guests can enjoy access to outstanding upper upscale hotels with an indie spirit while benefitting from the award-winning Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) program. For more information on Tribute Portfolio, please visit www.tributeportfolio.com. Follow along to Stay Independent: @TributePortfolio on Instagram, @TributePRTFLO on Twitter, tumblr.com/TributePortfolio and www.facebook.com/TributePortfolio.

About Pitchfork
Pitchfork is the most trusted voice in music. Over the last 20 years, Pitchfork’s online magazine has defined how music is covered in the digital era, leading The New York Times to call it “the most prominent brand in online music journalism” and TIME Magazine to recognize it as one of the world’s 50 best websites. In addition to setting a new standard in music coverage, Pitchfork has developed a global reputation for its expertly curated, human-scale music festivals. Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival has been held every year since 2006, and in 2011, Pitchfork launched Pitchfork Music Festival Paris, bringing its vision of the live music experience to Europe. In 2015, Pitchfork was acquired by Condé Nast, joining a family of brands that includes The New Yorker, Wired, and GQ, among many others, enabling growth in the U.S. and beyond.

The National Football League (NFL) announced today that it has selected Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) as its exclusive partner to deliver a live OTT digital stream of Thursday Night Football to a global audience across devices and for free during the course of the 2016 NFL Regular Season. Twitter will stream the 10 Thursday Night Football games broadcast by NBC and CBS, which will also be simulcast on NFL Network, securing the league’s “Tri-Cast” distribution model of broadcast (NBC/CBS), cable (NFL Network), and digital (Twitter).

Partners since 2013 through the Twitter Amplify program, the NFL and Twitter will provide free, live streaming video of Thursday Night Football without authentication to the over 800 Million registered and non-registered users worldwide on the Twitter platform on mobile phones, tablets, PCs and connected TVs.

In addition to live streaming video of NFL action, the partnership includes in-game highlights from TNF as well as pre-game Periscope broadcasts from players and teams, giving fans an immersive experience before, during and after games.

With this partnership, the NFL has again extended its digital presence, making the most valuable content in sports and entertainment available across multiple digital platforms free for all users.

“Twitter is where live events unfold and is the right partner for the NFL as we take the latest step in serving fans around the world live NFL football”, said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “There is a massive amount of NFL-related conversation happening on Twitter during our games and tapping into that audience, in addition to our viewers on broadcast and cable, will ensure Thursday Night Football is seen on an unprecedented number of platforms this season. This agreement also provides additional reach for those brands advertising with our broadcast partners.”

“This is about transforming the fan experience with football. People watch NFL games with Twitter today,” said Jack Dorsey, Twitter CEO. “Now they’ll be able to watch right on Twitter Thursday nights.”

Last season, the NFL broke new digital ground in a partnership with Yahoo! to deliver a free, global live stream of a regular season NFL game, the first time users could access the NFL’s premium content worldwide, without authentication.

When the Buffalo Bills faced off against the Jacksonville Jaguars from London’s Wembley Stadium on October 25, 2015, football fans streamed over 480 million minutes of the game, with 33% of streams coming in internationally, across 185 countries worldwide.

About Thursday Night Football
Thursday Night Football started in 2006 with an eight game schedule exclusively on NFL Network. By 2012, Thursday Night Football had grown to a 13-game schedule exclusively on NFL Network, where it remained through the 2013 season. For both the 2014 and 2015 seasons, CBS partnered with NFL Network to present an expanded 16-game Thursday Night Football schedule.

In February of 2016, the NFL announced that both CBS and NBC will broadcast five Thursday Night Football games, growing the package to 10 broadcast games in 2016 and 2017 from eight in 2014 and 2015. All Thursday Night Football broadcast games will continue to be simulcast on NFL Network. NFL Network will also exclusively televise an eight-game schedule of regular season games comprised of Thursday Night Football, late-season games on Saturday, and additional games to be determined.

Both CBS and NBC will produce Thursday Night Football with their lead broadcasters and production teams with CBS and NFL Network televising the first half of the TNF schedule and NBC and NFL Network televising the second half.

For the 16 games of the 2015 schedule, Thursday Night Football on CBS and NFL Network (and over-the-air stations) averaged a 7.9 HH rating and 13.0M viewers, up +59% and +61% respectively from 2013 when the games were solely on NFL Network. The 2015 season was the most-watched and highest-rated Thursday Night Football season ever.

Popularity of NFL Games
NFL content has never been more popular across the media landscape. According to the Nielsen Company, 199 million people tuned into the 2015 NFL regular season representing 78 percent of all television homes and 67 percent of potential viewers in the U.S. NFL games accounted for the top 25 and 46 of the 50 most-watched TV shows among all programming in 2015

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–BET Networks, a division of Viacom (Nasdaq:VIAB, VIA), today announced it has acquired Soul Train from InterMedia Partners and The Yucaipa Companies. The acquisition, which brings together two quintessential African American brands, represents an investment in an iconic franchise that uniquely lends itself to providing fans with a wide range of experiences across multiple platforms, beyond the television programs that audiences have enjoyed for decades. The transaction serves to further strengthen BET’s investment in content and underlines the network’s leadership in music-related content.

Owning Soul Train’s intellectual property will allow BET to further build on the success of the Soul Train Awards, which BET re-launched in 2009, and strengthens the network’s commitment to original content. The assets acquired include one of the largest libraries of African American, music-oriented content in the world, including over 1,100 television episodes and 40 television specials. Beyond television, BET will grow the ways in which audiences of all ages are able to interact with this iconic brand, creating a host of ancillary revenue opportunities ranging from live events to consumer products.

“BET Networks is honored to have acquired a brand with such a rich history and unique content that is forever relevant to all segments of our audience,” commented Richard Gay, Executive Vice President, Strategy and Operations at BET Networks. “With a Broadway play and a concert tour as examples of opportunities in the works, we look forward to finding engaging and smart ways to grow the brand while preserving its heritage and legacy in music, dance and fashion.”

About BET Networks
BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: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.

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.

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.

NEW YORK– Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA) has initiated a process to explore opportunities for a significant strategic minority equity investment in Paramount Pictures. The announcement was made today by Philippe Dauman, Viacom’s Executive Chairman, President and CEO, at the Jefferies Media & Communications Conference in New York City.

“We have received indications of interest from potential partners seeking a strategic investment in Paramount Pictures and I have decided to pursue discussions with a select group of potential investors,” Mr. Dauman said. “In this time of change and enormous opportunity in our industry, a partnership will bring significant benefit to Paramount and Viacom, both strategically and financially, provide new opportunities for Paramount’s employees and talent, and enhance long-term value for all Viacom shareholders.”

“Paramount Pictures has been a leading motion picture studio for more than a century and is among a select few that has significant reach and scale, a deep library, a robust pipeline with proven global franchises, and a high potential television production operation,” Mr. Dauman added. “In addition, the value of motion picture content continues to increase with the explosion of screens and the rapid expansion of the global theatrical market. This is the perfect time to explore new strategies to capitalize on Paramount’s content expertise and global platform, maximize opportunities for its continued growth, and unlock the value of the business for the benefit of shareholders.”

Viacom has retained PJT Partners as its financial advisor to assist with the process.

About Viacom
Viacom is home to premier global media brands that create compelling television programs, motion pictures, short-form content, apps, games, consumer products, social media experiences, and other entertainment content for audiences in 180 countries. Viacom’s media networks, including Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, Spike, BET, CMT, TV Land, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., Channel 5 (UK), Logo, Nicktoons, TeenNick and Paramount Channel, reach over 3.5 billion cumulative television subscribers worldwide. Paramount Pictures 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.

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.

Burbank, Calif. – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, TT Games, The LEGO Group and Lucasfilm today announced LEGO® Star Wars™: The Force Awakens™, marking the triumphant return of the No. 1 LEGO videogame franchise, allowing players to relive the epic action from the blockbuster film in a fun-filled, humorous way that only a LEGO game can offer. Launching on June 28, 2016, the game will introduce brand new gameplay mechanics to build, battle and fly through the galaxy like never before, as well as new story content exploring the time between Star Wars: Return of the Jedi and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, providing additional insight about the new movie and its characters.

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, developed by TT Games and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, will be available for PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®3 computer entertainment systems, PlayStation®Vita handheld entertainment system, Xbox One, Xbox 360, the Wii U™ system from Nintendo, the Nintendo 3DS™ family of systems and Windows PC.

“We’re extremely proud of the LEGO Star Wars videogames, truly an incredible franchise that has sold more than 33 million copies and helped ignite a passion for numerous fun-filled LEGO games enjoyed by countless gamers around the world,” said Tom Stone, Managing Director, TT Games. “LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens will be pushing the series forward with innovative new gameplay mechanics, while also exploring new parts of the universe that are sure to excite and delight both LEGO and Star Wars fans, as well as newcomers to our games.”

“We are thrilled to be bringing back the LEGO Star Wars videogame franchise, which kicked off such a beloved series of LEGO titles more than a decade ago,” said Ada Duan, Vice President, Digital Business & Franchise Management, Lucasfilm. “LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens allows players to experience the new film in a unique way that only TT Games can provide, combining signature humor with epic Star Wars action. With previously untold story content exploring new details about the movie and its characters, it’s a perfect fit for fans of all ages.”

“We are delighted to return to the Star Wars Universe and continue the journey with the franchise that started it all for LEGO videogames,” said Niels Jørgensen, Vice President, Digital Games for the LEGO Group. “LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens will offer an amazing gaming experience covering not only the movie but also exclusive content with all the fun and humor you would expect from a LEGO game, while delivering the epic Star Wars adventure fans expect.”

LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens takes players deeper into the new film than any other game with all of the heroic characters from the movie, including Rey, Finn, Poe Dameron, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and BB-8, as well as Kylo Ren, General Hux and Captain Phasma, while also exploring iconic Star Wars locales, such as Jakku and Starkiller Base.

This action-packed adventure introduces new gameplay features, including the enhanced “Multi-Builds” system, where players can choose from multiple building options to advance the game. Gamers will be able to engage in intense new Blaster Battles for the first time, utilizing surrounding environments to drive back the First Order. Fans can also experience the thrill of high-speed flight gameplay through arena-based battles and dogfights in space, while utilizing a multitude of vehicles along the way, including the legendary Millennium Falcon.

PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 players will have access to exclusive downloadable content, the Droid Character Pack and the Phantom Limb Level Pack. For information on LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens, visit the PlayStation Blog.

Follow LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LEGOStarWarsGame
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LSWGame (@LSWGAME)
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/LEGOStarWarsGame

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc., is a premier worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distributor of entertainment content for the interactive space across all platforms, including console, handheld, mobile and PC-based gaming for both internal and third party game titles.

About TT Games
TT Games (www.ttgames.com) is the combined publishing and development group behind the hit LEGO videogame franchises such as LEGO® Star Wars™, LEGO® Indiana Jones™, LEGO® Batman™, and LEGO® Harry Potter™. Incorporating renowned UK developer Traveller’s Tales, TT Games has a distinctive focus on console, handheld, mobile and PC games of the highest quality, aimed at young gamers and their families.

About The LEGO Group
The LEGO Group is a privately held, family-owned company with headquarters in Billund, Denmark, and main offices in Enfield, USA, London, UK., Shanghai, China, and Singapore. Founded in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, and based on the iconic LEGO® brick, it is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of play materials. Guided by the company spirit: “Only the best is good enough”, the company is committed to the development of children and aims to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through creative play and learning. LEGO products are sold worldwide and can be virtually explored at www.LEGO.com.

About Lucasfilm Ltd.
Lucasfilm Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is a global leader in film, television and digital entertainment production. In addition to its motion-picture and television production, the company’s activities include visual effects and audio post-production, cutting-edge digital animation, interactive entertainment software, and the management of the global merchandising activities for its entertainment properties including the legendary STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES franchises. Lucasfilm Ltd. is headquartered in northern California.

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.

PURCHASE, N.Y.,- Today, Mountain Dew® announced its plans as an official NBA partner to deliver a damn good time throughout NBA All-Star 2016, including “Court Vision: An Interactive Virtual Reality Art Experience” and “Make An Introduction,” a television spot airing in the U.S. and Canada featuring DEW® athletes and 2016 NBA All-Stars Russell Westbrook and Jimmy Butler, and rising star Julius Randle.

In 2015, PepsiCo and the NBA announced a multi-year marketing partnership to unite the passionate fans of the NBA with the power of PepsiCo’s food and beverage brands, including Mountain Dew, Aquafina, Brisk and Ruffles. Mountain Dew serves as the lead brand in North America for the partnership, joining longtime PepsiCo brand Gatorade, which has been an NBA partner since 1984.

“The Mountain Dew brand is all about finding and delivering awesome, one-of-a-kind experiences to DEW Nation,” said Greg Lyons, senior vice president of marketing, Mountain Dew. “The NBA partnership has been a natural fit for us, and we’re pumped to help deliver an immersive All-Star experience to hoops fans – one that symbolizes how the game starts on the court, but lives everywhere.”

Mountain Dew plans to unleash a number of interactive and energizing events in and outside of Toronto during NBA All-Star 2016, including:

Court Vision: An Interactive Virtual Reality Art Experience
Hosted by Mountain Dew at Artscape Sandbox in downtown Toronto, convenient to both the Air Canada Centre and Ricoh Coliseum, this highly interactive fan event will feature Tilt Brush, Google’s virtual reality application which lets you paint in three-dimensional space with endless possibilities. In collaboration with PepsiCo Creator, the company’s marketing innovation team that co-creates never-before-seen, culturally-relevant programs for consumers, the event will showcase emerging artists from Toronto and the U.S. who will create basketball-inspired 3D artwork with Tilt Brush.

Fans on-site will also be able to demo Tilt Brush and create artwork while sampling DEW products and enjoying the sounds of live DJs, as well as experience live appearances from Mountain Dew athletes and NBA All-Stars throughout the weekend. Visit www.mountaindew.com/nba for event details. Fans beyond Toronto can follow the excitement via the Mountain Dew social channels to get all-access coverage throughout the weekend using #DEWxNBA.

“Make An Introduction” TV Commercial Launch
Mountain Dew is excited to debut a new TV commercial titled “Make An Introduction” featuring NBA All-Stars Russell Westbrook and Jimmy Butler, as well as rising star Julius Randle. The commercial will demonstrate how the game starts on the court, but the lifestyle around the game lives everywhere. It will air for the first time in the U.S. and Canada during NBA All-Star, extending the reach of the Mountain Dew All-Star experience outside of Toronto. Fans can view the digital version here to check out the very first DEWxNBA TV commercial.

Painting Union Station Green
Mountain Dew is going to make an NBA All-Star Weekend splash throughout several high traffic areas around Union Station in Toronto with a major out-of-home advertising installation. From wall murals and door decals to floor and column wraps, the artwork showcases how DEW athletes charge the game both on and off the court, and celebrates the vibrant personalities and unique styles of the NBA’s biggest stars.

DEW All-Star DJs
Mountain Dew is charging the DJs throughout NBA All-Star by bringing top NBA DJs to various NBA events around Toronto. Fans everywhere can visit www.nba.com/dewwarmup starting Thursday, Feb.11 at 12 p.m. ET to vote to choose their favorite East Conference and West Conference team warm-up songs to be played live while NBA players get warmed-up for the 2016 NBA All-Star Game.

NBA All-Star Celebrity Game Presented by Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew is the presenting sponsor of this year’s NBA All-Star Celebrity Game on Friday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. ET, on ESPN in the U.S. and TSN and SportsNet 1 in Canada, which will feature some of the hottest celebrities from film, TV and music, along with top NBA & WNBA Legends taking their skills to Ricoh Coliseum for a fun and entertaining basketball game. The game will pit Canada vs. the U.S., with DEW athlete and 2016 NBA All-Star Isaiah Thomas as an assistant coach on the U.S. team.

About Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew, a product of PepsiCo Americas Beverages, is the No. 1 flavored carbonated soft drink in the U.S. With its one-of-a-kind citrus taste, Mountain Dew exhilarates and quenches with every sip. In addition to original Mountain Dew® and Diet Mountain Dew®, the permanent DEW product line includes Mountain Dew Code Red®, Mountain Dew LiveWire®, Mountain Dew Throwback®, Mountain Dew Voltage® and Mountain Dew White Out®. For more information, check out www.mountaindew.com, www.facebook.com/mountaindew or follow on Twitter @mountaindew.

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 2014, 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 vision to deliver financial performance over the long term by integrating sustainability into its business strategy, leaving a positive imprint on society and the environment. We do this in part by offering a wide range of products; increasing the number of our nutritious foods and beverages; reducing our environmental impacts; and supporting our employees and the communities where we do business; all of which will help position the company for long-term sustainable growth. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

CUPERTINO, California — Apple® today announced a new addition and a major update to its family of music-making apps for iOS that make it easy for people to tap into their musical potential and create incredible music no matter where they are. An all-new app called Music Memos lets musicians and songwriters quickly capture, organize and develop their musical ideas right on their iPhone®. And a major update to GarageBand® for iOS introduces multiple new features, including Live Loops, a fun way for anyone to make music like a DJ using only their iPhone or iPad®.

“Musicians around the world, from the biggest artists to aspiring students, use Apple devices to create amazing music; the innovative new Music Memos app will help them quickly capture their ideas on iPhone and iPad whenever inspiration strikes,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “GarageBand is the most popular music creation app in the world, and this update helps everyone easily tap into their musical talent with the powerful new Live Loops and Drummer features, and adds support for the larger iPad Pro screen and 3D Touch on iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.”

“Sometimes ideas come faster than I can get them into my notebook so I’ve used Voice Memos and Notes to quickly capture songs before they’re lost. Music Memos is like if those two apps came together to form some kind of superpower for songs,” said Ryan Adams, critically acclaimed singer-songwriter and producer. “It quite literally blew my mind how Music Memos could transform a single guitar idea into a whole composition with a virtual drummer loose enough that it felt like you were having your mind read by some A.I. musician and a choice of stand-up or electric bass accompaniments.”

“I recorded my first album using GarageBand and I continue to use it in my music today,” said T-Pain, Grammy Award-winning artist and producer. “I love how the new Live Loops in GarageBand lets me quickly build tracks and beats, and even perform effects like a musical instrument. It’ll change the way an entire generation makes music.”

Musicians and songwriters around the world have used the Voice Memos app on their iPhone to quickly record ideas, and many hit songs first started as Voice Memos. The new Music Memos app is inspired by Voice Memos and takes the functionality even further by adding musician-friendly features designed specifically for songwriting and developing musical ideas. With Music Memos, you can record any musical instrument through the iPhone’s built-in microphone in a high-quality, uncompressed format, then name, tag and rate it to start building a library of your ideas. The app can analyze rhythm and chords of acoustic guitar and piano recordings, and instantly add drums and a bass line to provide a virtual, customizable backing band that plays along to match the feel of your song. Music Memos can even provide basic notation that displays the chords that were played. With iCloud® your Music Memos are automatically available across all your Apple devices so you can open them in GarageBand or Logic Pro X℠ to further develop your songs. Musicians can easily share their ideas via email or with their fans through Apple Music™ Connect. For more information about the new Music Memos app, visit, www.apple.com/music-memos.

GarageBand for iOS is the world’s most popular mobile music creation app, and the new GarageBand 2.1 update introduces Live Loops, an entirely new and intuitive way to create amazing music. Inspired by DJ hardware controllers and drum machines, Live Loops makes it easy for anyone to create music by simply tapping cells and columns in a highly visual grid to trigger different looped instruments and samples. The loops can be performed, arranged and remixed live, and GarageBand automatically keeps all the beats in sync with perfect time and pitch. To get you started, Live Loops comes with a library of Apple-designed loop templates in a variety of genres including EDM, Hip Hop, Dubstep and Rock, or you can create your own loops from scratch.

GarageBand 2.1 for iOS also includes the new Drummer feature with nine EDM and acoustic virtual session drummers that provide their own signature sound, as well as an expanded selection of amps for bass players. Advanced GarageBand users can now create even more dynamic and polished sounding songs using new automation features, controls recording and a new simple EQ. GarageBand 2.1 looks stunning on the expansive 12.9-inch Retina® display on the new iPad Pro™ and gives you access to even more controls and room to play. And on iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, the app now supports 3D Touch, allowing you to play with more expression. For more information about the new GarageBand for iOS, visit, www.apple.com/ios/garageband.

Pricing & Availability
Music Memos is available for free on the App Store® and is compatible with iPhone 4s and later, and iPad 2 and later. GarageBand 2.1 for iOS is bundled free with new iOS devices 32GB and larger, is available as a free upgrade for existing users with compatible iOS 9 devices or later, and is available to everyone else for $4.99 via the App Store.

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, OS X, 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.