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Carl Icahn invokes Ian Fleming and doomsday in a letter to YAHOO (NASD: YHOO). Watch Shelly’s commentary to hear the latest on Icahn’s quest to get the Microsoft-Yahoo deal done.
Advertisers are abuzz about the possibilities of APPLE’s (NASD: AAPL) new 3G iPhone, even though they haven’t seen it yet. No comment from APPLE, but sources believe Steve Jobs will unveil the new iPhone Monday, June 9 when Jobs gives the keynote speech at Apple’s Wordwide Developer’s Conference in San Francisco.
TBS (NYSE: TWX)has begun pausing shows mid-scene to display ads for other TBS programs.The ad in question features comedian Bill Engvall walking on screen, pausing Family Guy and plugging The Bill Engvall Show. The ad plays off the idea of pausing shows using DVR technology, a sure fire way to know the viewer is paying attention, for better or worse.
FOX’s (NYSE: NWS)recent experiment with ‘Remote Free TV’ is paying off with 35-40% pricing premiums for upfront advertisements. ‘Remote Free TV’ is a new initiative intent on keeping viewers focused on programming in the age of the digital video recorder and airs half the number of commercials per program. Fox has already sold 70% of its upfront prime time spots and could sell out by the end of the week.
PARAMOUNT (NYSE: VIA)will consolidate indie studio PARAMOUNT VANTAGE, responsible for “No Country For Old Men” and “There Will Be Blood.” In an efficient, cost cutting move, the studio will bring the separate marketing, distribution and production department from its independent arm in-house. The move comes months after Time Warner merged two of its studios, and shut down others, and is a classic example of Hollywood tightening the economic reigns.
VERIZON (NYSE: VZ) is in talks to acquire regional wireless provider ALLTEL for approximately $27 billion. Alltel, which was purchased by TPG Group and a unit of Goldman Sachs for $27.5 billion in a leveraged buyout seven months ago, would make Verizon the largest cellphone company in the United States. The potential re-sale of Alltel is an example of how the credit crunch is smothering the business world.