AT&T Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

AT&T CFO John Stephens masked up and went to the movie theater to enjoy Warner Bros.’ “Tenet,” the Christopher Nolan film currently dominating both the box office and industry buzz.“I couldn’t have imagined being able to see that and enjoy it in the same way here in my home,” the telecom and entertainment company senior executive vice president said on Wednesday.“We understand the distribution model is going to evolve,” Stephens said at the Bank of America Media, Communications & Entertainment

With chatter about a potential AT&T sale of pay TV unit DirecTV having returned in recent days, Wall Street analysts are revisiting the potential deal – with different conclusions. "The idea has been floated repeatedly over the past year or so," MoffettNathanson analyst Craig Moffett wrote in a Monday note to investors.

Dade Hayes Finance EditorAT&T, which entered the second half of 2020 with $152 billion in net debt, is said to be shopping its Xandr advertising unit.The sale talks were first reported Tuesday by the Wall Street Journal. The company declined to comment when reached by Deadline.The detachment of Xandr from the company would mark a dramatic reversal of the company’s strategy and undercut a key element related to the $81 billion acquisition of Time Warner in 2018.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorDebt-laden AT&T is considering a possible sale of the digital-advertising assets it assembled as it prepared to acquire the former Time Warner for around $85 billion in 2018, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal, a sign of diminishing ambitions in that particular arena.AT&T in 2017 launched a separate unit devoted to assembling data, analytics and advertising opportunities, mainly using consumer information from its massive DirecTV

Bruce Haring pmc-editorial-managerShe’s normally seen pushing iPhones and 5G. But actress Milana Vayntrub, who portrays Lily Adams in those ubiquitous AT&T commericals, claims she’s been harassed online for other assets.Vayntrub, who was the AT&T spokesman from 2013 to 2016, returned this year with a new set of commercials touting working from home and video chatting.

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorAT&T and Dish Network shares rose in after-hours trading Friday following a report that AT&T is again talking to prospective buyers for DirecTV.The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that AT&T has resumed conversations with private equity firms that have expressed interest in the satellite TV provider that has struggled with a steady and increasing stream of subscriber losses in the era of cord-cutting and the rise of streaming alternatives.

Jill Goldsmith Co-Business EditorWarnerMedia parent AT&T is looking to sell a chunk of satellite broadcaster DirecTV to private equity investors, according to the Wall Street Journal, as the the heavily indebted wireless giant pivots to media.Suitors include Apollo Global Management, which is said to have expressed interest last year, and Platinum Equity.AT&T declined to comment.AT&T acquired DirecTV in 2015 for $49 billion.

Actress Milana Vayntrub, best known for her role as Lily on the AT&T commercials, revealed she's been dealing with a slew of upsetting and inappropriate comments online. In an Instagram Live with her over 740,000 followers, Vayntrub addressed the sexual harassment.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorSorry, football fans: AT&T said it is not changing the restrictions for the NFL Sunday Ticket out-of-market games package for the upcoming season.To purchase Sunday Ticket, you must still be either a DirecTV subscriber, or — if you don’t subscribe to the satellite TV service — you may be eligible to get the streaming version of the service if you live in “select areas within various metropolitan cities,” can’t get satellite TV, or you’re a college student.A report

Dade Hayes Finance EditorNFL Sunday Ticket, for more than 25 years a major driver of subscriptions to DirecTV, is now being offered by AT&T for streaming by non-subscribers.The availability is a first for the package on a broad national scale, but it applies only for viewers in certain ZIP codes in 29 U.S. markets, mostly corresponding with where NFL teams are based.

Crunchryoll to Sony and is asking as much as $1.5 billion for the platform, The Information reported on Wednesday.According three unnamed individuals, Sony is negotiating to buy Crunchyroll as a complement to its competing Funimation anime distribution platform.The potential $1.5 billion price tag is “well above recent values for other niche streaming services,” The Information reported, noting that Sony has “balked” at paying that much for a service catering exclusively to anime fans.A

A reorganization, including major layoffs, at WarnerMedia is designed to allow the AT&T entertainment unit to refocus on streaming as a key growth opportunity, CFO John Stephens told an investor conference on Tuesday.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorThe broad restructuring at WarnerMedia is a “natural progression” for the media conglomerate to hone its focus on HBO Max, according to John Stephens, AT&T’s chief financial officer.WarnerMedia laid off hundreds of employees Monday across Warner Bros., HBO and DC Entertainment. That came after a major management shakeup under new CEO Jason Kilar, under which HBO Max content leaders Robert Greenblatt and Kevin Reilly were let go and Warner Bros.

Dade Hayes Finance EditorAT&T CFO John Stephens said the layoffs currently affecting WarnerMedia should not be seen as a course correction after the May launch of HBO Max, but rather as a “refocusing” of the company.The executive discussed the reductions of about 600 WarnerMedia staffers and many other topics during an online appearance Tuesday at the Oppenheimer Technology, Internet & Communications Conference.Starting Friday and continuing into this week, the restructuring was punctuated by

Jill Goldsmith Co-Business EditorAMC Networks has filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission accusing AT&T of penalizing the The Walking Dead broadcaster in favor of its own competing channels like HBO and TNT by insisting on “discriminatory” terms to renew its affiliation agreement.AT&T called AMC Networks’ complaint “without merit.” In a statement it said, “We treat all programmers fairly and will continue to work with AMC Networks to provide its content at a price that is

Gene Maddaus Senior Media WriterAMC Networks has filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission accusing AT&T of abusing its market power in order to unfairly advantage its own networks, HBO and TNT.Though much of the complaint is redacted, AMC appears to be complaining that AT&T is seeking to limit AMC’s ability to make its content available on digital platforms, such as Hulu and Amazon Prime.

Telecom giant AT&T on Thursday reported its second-quarter financials, the first set of results fully affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic. It detailed a roughly $830 million hit to quarterly earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization and a roughly $2.8 billion revenue impact after in the first quarter having mentioned a $433 million earnings and a $600 million revenue hit.

AT&T's quarterly earnings conference call on Thursday morning also provided updates about the film release strategy of the telecom giant's film studio Warner Bros., which will be of interest to Hollywood insiders. John Stankey, the former CEO of AT&T's entertainment unit WarnerMedia who recently was promoted to the role of CEO of the parent company, was asked on the call about how the novel coronavirus pandemic has been affecting the film business and distribution strategies.

Dade Hayes Finance EditorHBO Max had a “flawless” launch in May, according to AT&T CEO John Stankey, who offered investors a few details about the streaming rollout during a conference call with Wall Street analysts on Thursday.The call followed the release of the company’s second-quarter financial results, which saw the company exceed profit forecasts despite significant headwinds due to COVID-19.About 4.1 million overall subscribers have signed up for Max, including about one million wholesale

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorWarner Bros.

Also Read: AT&T Tops Tempered Q2 Earnings Expectations but Misses on Revenue as Warner Bros, Turner Feel COVID Impact“I think I said last quarter that I fully expected coming out of COVID that I would be surprised if the industry as a whole didn’t see some adjustment in the theatrical construct,” the AT&T CEO said. “And I also made the point that, look, I think theatrical still has an absolute important role moving forward.

Dade Hayes Finance EditorJohn Stankey, CEO of WarnerMedia parent AT&T, put to rest a scenario increasingly floated by movie fans hankering for Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, saying the film won’t stream before it plays in theaters.The CEO was asked during a conference call with analysts Thursday about the feasibility of releasing major titles like Tenet on HBO Max and eliminating their theatrical runs.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorAT&T said sales for the second quarter of 2020 were lower across all of its segments because of the coronavirus pandemic. That included a 22.9% plunge in WarnerMedia revenue, which the telco said was partly due to lower content and ad sales related to COVID-19.WarnerMedia’s Q2 2020 operating revenue was $6.8 billion, down 22.9% year over year, with segment operating income contribution of $1.9 billion, down 18.4% versus the year-ago quarter.

Dade Hayes Finance EditorAT&T beat Wall Street forecasts for earnings per share in the second quarter, the first full period to reflect the impact of COVID-19 on its operations.Adjusted earnings of 83 cents slipped from 89 cents in the year-earlier quarter, but beat analysts’ consensus forecast for 79 cents.Total revenue met analysts’ expectation, falling 9% from a year ago to $41 billion.

36.3 million combined HBO Max and HBO subscribers. That tally was up from 34.6 million six months prior.Also Read: AT&T Says HBO and HBO Max Have 36.3 Million Subscribers CombinedMost media companies were financially rocked in the second quarter of 2020, which is when the greatest impact (thus far, at least) of the coronavirus shutdown was felt.AT&T’s WarnerMedia launched new streaming service HBO Max in Q2.AT&T stock (T) closed Wednesday at $30.16 per share.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorAT&T touted the “successful” launch of HBO Max — with the new service helping to boost overall HBO and HBO Max customers by 1.7 million over the first six months of 2020.As of June 30, 2020, AT&T’s WarnerMedia reported 36.3 million total U.S. subscribers to HBO Max and HBO, up from 34.6 million at Dec.

Jill Goldsmith, Dade Hayes With earnings season well under way, AT&T Thursday kicks off a spate of financial reports by media and entertainment companies that will give investors the first close-up look at a quarter dominated by COVID-19.The April-to-June period is likely to see a startling amount of red ink, especially for any players with exposure to theatrical movie releasing, live sports and theme parks.

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorWith many summer camps and other activities suspended because of COVID-19, Ghetto Film School is launching a new program to encourage teens and young adults to whip out their cameras and express themselves through short film.GFS Film Credits, sponsored by AT&T and WarnerMedia is a “short film challenge” aimed at creators between 14 and 21.

Jill Goldsmith WarnerMedia plans to sell the historic CNN Center in Downtown Atlanta — the building attacked last month in a wave of protests — as parent AT&T looks to shed assets to help pare down its massive debt.Plans to unload the property following the AT&T-Time Warner merger had been put on hold but resurfaced Monday in memo to CNN staffers.

Jill Goldsmith The Federal Reserve has acquired bonds of 86 companies led by WarnerMedia parent AT&T and including Comcast, Fox Corp.

AT&T is "pleased" with the early trends at recently launched streaming service HBO Max and continues to work with cinema operators on the "evolving" theatrical release schedule, CFO John Stephens told an investor conference on Wednesday.

Jill Goldsmith AT&T chief financial officer John Stephens said the WarnerMedia parent is “optimistic” about HBO Max three weeks after launch and called the streaming service “a multi-year process, and so far so good,” promising to provide subscriber data on the next quarterly earnings call in July.Speaking Wednesday at a CSFB Media conference, Stephens reiterated AT&T’s target of 50 million HBO Max subs over five years.

By Todd Spangler

By Dade Hayes

By Todd Spangler

Telecom giant and WarnerMedia owner AT&T is raising another $12.5 billion via a bond sale, saying it will use the proceeds to repay outstanding debt. The conglomerate has been boosting its liquidity amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, including earlier this week, when it said it was issuing €3 billion ($3.27 billion) in new debt.