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Ardian, which is the second largest shareholder in INWIT behind European tower company Vantage Towers AG (VTWRn.DE), wants to take INWIT private and is working with advisers at JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) on a potential offer, the people said. Deutsche Telekom last year sold 51% of its tower business Funkturm to a consortium of Canada's Brookfield and U.S. private equity firm DigitalBridge. Any offer for INWIT could take months to materialise as preparations remain at a preliminary stage, one of the people said. The sources cautioned that an offer is not certain and asked not to be identified because the deliberations are confidential. Ardian, Vantage Towers, INWIT and JPMorgan declined to comment.

☆ Inside the demise of Vice, from turning away a $3.5 billion Disney offer to a 'painful' downward spiral that has the media giant scrambling for a buyer
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

The talks fizzled, Disney backed off, and Smith set off for California to drum up other interest in Vice Media. Vice Media Group co-CEOs Bruce Dixon, left, and Hozefa Lokhandwala. Vice Media GroupOne former Vice insider familiar with the current situation told Insider that staffers were warning vendors they needed to threaten to stop work in order to get paid. Just a few months later, Rupert Murdoch tweeted, "Who's heard of Vice Media? Refinery29 quickly lost key staff and was not well integrated into Vice Media, the two former staffers said.

☆ Disney+ Users Paid Up When the Price Rose
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Robbie Whelan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Data from subscription-analytics firm Antenna suggest Disney has some headroom to raise streaming prices further. Subscribers to Walt Disney Co.’s flagship Disney+ streaming service barely blinked at a 38% price increase that the company imposed in December as part of its launch of an ad-supported streaming product. About 94% of subscribers to the old, ad-free Disney+ service stayed with the product at a higher price point and swallowed the $3 a month price increase, according to new data from subscription-analytics firm Antenna. Disney declined to comment on Antenna’s numbers, but the data suggest the company has some headroom to raise the streaming price beyond the current level of $10.99 a month. “We have a lot of rationalization to do from a pricing perspective, but that’s one path to profitability.”In 2019, the company launched Disney+ at a price of $6.99 a month.

☆ 2 charts show how Disney+ is outpacing Netflix and HBO Max with ad-supported tier signups as streamers battle for new subscribers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

By its third month, 36% of new subscribers to Disney+ chose its ad tier, versus 19% for Netflix in its ad tier's third month. Disney+ launched an $8-per-month ad-supported tier, Disney+ Basic, on December 8, after Netflix rolled out a similar offering, Basic with Ads for $7 per month, on November 3. Antenna data compares Disney+, Netflix, and HBO Max signups in their early months. Disney+ and Netflix have much smaller proportions of their subscribers on the ad tier than other streamers, per Antenna data. AntennaThe shares of Disney+ and Netflix subscribers choosing the ad tier were still small — 3% and 1%, respectively, Antenna found.

☆ Amazon gives a first look at the satellite internet antennas for its Project Kuiper network
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Michael Sheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The company's "standard" customer terminal, the middle of the trio of Project Kuiper satellite antennas at under 11 inches square and weighing under five pounds. WASHINGTON -- Amazon revealed a trio of satellite antennas on Tuesday, as the company prepares to take on SpaceX's Starlink with its own Project Kuiper internet network. The tech giant said the "standard" version of the satellite antenna, also known as a customer terminal, is expected to cost Amazon less than $400 each to produce. Project Kuiper is Amazon's plan to build a network of 3,236 satellites in low Earth orbit, to provide high-speed internet to anywhere in the world. Amazon says the device will deliver speeds to customers of "up to 400 megabits per second (Mbps)."

☆ Putin says Nord Stream blasts carried out on 'state level'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Caleb Davis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

March 14 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that last year's blasts on the Nord Stream gas pipelines had been carried out on a "state level", dismissing the idea an autonomous pro-Ukraine group was responsible as "complete nonsense". The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines connecting Russia and Germany under the Baltic Sea were hit by a series of unexplained explosions last September, in what Moscow has called an act of "international terrorism". 'ANTENNA'Commenting on a report suggesting that a pro-Ukraine had attacked the pipelines, Putin said this was "complete nonsense". Theoretically, of course, the United States is interested," Putin said. The United States strongly denies any involvement in the Nord Stream blasts.

☆ Amazon targets 2024 launch of first Kuiper internet satellites
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Joey Roulette | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Amazon's satellite internet unit, Project Kuiper, will begin mass-producing the satellites later this year, the company said. The 2024 deployment target would keep Amazon on track to fulfill a regulatory mandate to launch half its entire Kuiper network of 3,236 satellites by 2026. Amazon plans to launch a pair of prototype satellites early this year aboard a new rocket from the Boeing-Lockheed joint venture United Launch Alliance. The 2024 launch, carrying the initial production satellites, is expected to be the first of many more in a swift deployment campaign using rockets Amazon procured in 2021 and 2022. The company on Tuesday also revealed a slate of three different terminals, or antennas, that will connect customers with its Kuiper satellites in orbit.

"Everything Everywhere All at Once" leads the 2023 Oscars with 11 nominations, including best picture, best director (the Daniels), and best actress (Michelle Yeoh). Here's a rundown of all the ways you can watch and stream the 2023 Oscars live. How to watch the 2023 OscarsYou can watch the 2023 Oscars live on March 12 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on ABC. The ABC network is available via cable, antenna, and several live TV streaming services, including Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, and FuboTV. A24The 2023 Oscars includes nominees across 23 categories, covering every aspect of the filmmaking process.

☆ Turkey's powerhouse drone industry is on the verge of another milestone: a stealthy unmanned fighter jet for its new aircraft carrier
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Turkey's Navy plans to make Kızılelma the primary aircraft on its first aircraft carrier. On January 23, the company announced that the Kızılelma, its newest and potentially most promising product, had successfully conducted its second flight test. The test is another step forward for what may become the company's crown jewel and the high point of Turkey's burgeoning drone industry. The KızılelmaThe Kizilelma drone during its first flight test, in Istanbul on December 14. The Kizilelma during its first flight test on December 14.

☆ Russian military aircraft blown up near Minsk: Belarusian partisans
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Evgenia NovozheninaFeb 27 (Reuters) - Belarusian anti-government activists have claimed responsibility for what they said was a drone attack on a Russian A-50 surveillance aircraft at an airfield near the Belarus capital of Minsk on Sunday. Franak Viacorka, an adviser to Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said in a post on Twitter it was the most successful act of sabotage since the beginning of 2022. Front and central parts of the aircraft as well as the radar antenna were damaged as a result of two explosions in the attack at the Machulishchy air base near Minsk, BYPOL reported. The Beriev A-50 aircraft, which has the NATO reporting name of Mainstay, is a Russian airborne early warning aircraft, with airborne command and control capabilities, and the ability to track up to 60 targets at a time. A number of Russian warplanes and airborne early warning and control aircraft have been deployed to Belarus.

☆ Belarusian partisans say Russian military aircraft damaged near Minsk
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 27 (Reuters) - A Russian A-50 surveillance military aircraft was damaged in a drone attack at an airfield near the Belarus capital of Minsk on Sunday, Belarus partisans and members of the exiled opposition said. Belsat is a Polish broadcaster focused on Belarusian news that Minsk has branded extremist. Front and central parts of the aircraft as well as the radar antenna were damaged as a result of two explosions in the attack at the Machulishchy air base near Minsk, BYPOL reported. The Beriev A-50 aircraft, which has the NATO reporting name of Mainstay, is a Russian airborne early warning aircraft, with airborne command and control capabilities, and the ability to track up to 60 targets at a time. A number of Russian warplanes and airborne early warning and control aircraft have been deployed to Belarus.

☆ Vice owes FTI Consulting nearly $1 million, a new court filing alleges, one of multiple vendors chasing missed payments
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-24 | by ( Claire Atkinson | Jack Newsham | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Vice Media owes FTI Consulting nearly $1 million in fees, some dating back to 2019, a court filing alleges. FTI is one of several vendors who say they've gone unpaid by the youth media company. The filing alleges that Vice Holding, the parent of Vice Media, hired Washington, DC-based FTI Consulting to help it with accounting projects and management and then failed to pay its bills. Ironically, Vice hired FTI to help it with "profitability analysis" and to design "cash management" tools, according to the filing. Fortress lent Vice $30 million, according to the Wall Street Journal, which confirmed Vice is in a process to sell itself.

Nancy Dubuc notified Vice Media staffers on Friday that she's stepping down from her post as CEO after five years at the company. Dubuc joined Vice in 2018 after leaving her post as CEO of A+E Networks, where she had worked for 20 years. "We thank Nancy for her many contributions and will soon announce new leadership to guide VICE forward into its next stage of growth and transformation." Dubuc's departure comes as Vice, like its digital media peers, facing ongoing challenges with shrinking audience numbers and advertising. Still, Vice ended 2022 with a slight gain in revenue, although the business deteriorated among the macroeconomic headwinds, CNBC previously reported.

☆ SpaceX adjusts Starlink monthly pricing for residential customers based on service capacity
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Michael Sheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Elon Musk's SpaceX rolled out new pricing for residential Starlink customers based on its capacity to deliver service, according to emails to customers reviewed by CNBC. The changes, outlined on Tuesday, split residential users of its satellite internet service into areas of "limited capacity" and "excess capacity." The company also made changes to pricing for its RV customers, increasing the service cost by $15 a month to $150. SpaceX continues to expand its Starlink network through regular satellite launches, with nearly 4,000 launched to date. Earlier this month, SpaceX leadership announced that Starlink "had a cash flow positive quarter" in 2022 as it works to make the business profitable.

☆ Taiwan says crashed balloon was used for weather monitoring
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI, Feb 18 (Reuters) - A balloon that came down on a remote Taiwanese-held islet close to China's coast was used for weather monitoring and had no audio-visual recording equipment on board, Taiwan's Defence Ministry said on Saturday after analysing the remains. The Defence Ministry said that after analysing and comparing the remains, it had determined that the balloon was carrying meteorological recording instruments "without photographic or recording audio-visual or storage-related devices". It was equipped with an antenna, temperature and humidity sensing equipment, a data transmitter board and lithium battery, a ministry statement said. According to statistics it has assembled, the ministry said "floating balloons" around the Taiwan Strait in recent years have mostly been seen between December and February, in line with the prevailing wind direction. Dongyin sits in a strategic position at the top of the Taiwan Strait and the island is well defended.

☆ Brain implant startup backed by Bezos and Gates is testing mind-controlled computing on humans
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Philip O'Keefe, one of Synchron's patients in the SWITCH clinical trial, using his BCI. Philip O'Keefe, one of Synchron's patients in the SWITCH clinical trial, was the first person in the world to tweet using a BCI device. About 20 months earlier, O'Keefe was implanted with Synchron's BCI. Synchron's technology has caught the attention of its competitors. Source: SynchronIn January, the medical journal JAMA Neurology published the peer-reviewed, long-term safety results from a trial of Synchron's BCI system in Australia.

☆ Mysterious object destroyed by a $400,000 Sidewinder missile may have been a $12 hobby group balloon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Tom Porter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The mysterious objects shot down over the US may have been hobbyist or weather balloons. One balloonist club believes its $12 balloon may have been among the objects destroyed. The club said that it had been tracking the course of its silver pico balloon. A pico balloon can cost anywhere from $12 to $180. And they're going to look not too intelligent to be shooting them down," Ron Meadows, whose California company designs pico balloons told Aviation Week.

The 65th annual Daytona 500 will air live on Fox, starting at 2:30 p.m. The Daytona 500 is NASCAR's most popular race of the year, helping launch each new season. Nicknamed The Great American Race, the Daytona 500 was first held in 1959 and has served as the opening event of the NASCAR season since 1982. How to watch the Daytona 500You can watch the Daytona 500 on Fox at 2:30 p.m. The 2023 Daytona 500 starting lineup includes 40 drivers:

Like last season, season nine of "The Masked Singer" will include special themed nights. How to watch 'The Masked Singer' season 9You can watch "The Masked Singer" season nine Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox. To watch every episode of "The Masked Singer" during your trial, you should wait to sign up until the season nine finale airs. Who is competing in 'The Masked Singer' season 9? Though we'll have to wait to see who the secret celebrities are, the contestant stage names for season nine of "The Masked Singer" include:AxolotlCalifornia RollDandelionDollFairyFrench HenGargoyleGnomeJackalopeMacawMantisMedusaMooseMustangNight OwlPolar BearRock LobsterSquirrelHow many episodes will 'The Masked Singer' season 9 have?

Led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs are playing in their third Super Bowl in the past five seasons. How to watch Super Bowl LVIIYou can watch Super Bowl LVII on Fox starting at 6:30 p.m. Matt Sayles/APRihanna headlines the Super Bowl LVII halftime show with her first live televised performance since the 2018 Grammys. There's no set time for the Super Bowl halftime show, as it depends on the pace of the game. Who's singing the national anthem at Super Bowl LVII?

The 65th Annual Grammy Awards will recognize the year's best artists, songs, albums, and more. The 2023 Grammys recognizes music released during the eligibility period, between October 1, 2021, and September 30, 2022. How to watch the 2023 GrammysYou can watch the 2023 Grammy Awards live on February 5 at 8 p.m. You can stream the 2023 Grammy Awards for free if you sign up for a Paramount Plus Premium free trial. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for NARASBeyoncé is the most nominated artist at the 2023 Grammys with nine nominations.

The 2023 NFC Championship game will air January 29 at 3 p.m. Philadelphia finished the season with the best record in the NFC and reached the NFC Championship game with an impressive win over their division-rival New York Giants. How to watch the NFC Championship game without cableYou can watch the NFC Championship game on Fox at 3 p.m. You can also subscribe to a live TV streaming service like YouTube TV, Sling TV, FuboTV, or Hulu + Live TV to watch the NFC Championship game on Fox. If you only want to stream the NFC Championship on your phone or tablet, NFL+ offers streaming on mobile devices for $5 a month.

The 2023 AFC Championship game will air January 29 at 6:30 p.m. ET on January 29, with the winner moving on to Super Bowl LVII in Arizona next month. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow has yet to lose against the Chiefs and successfully led a comeback in last year's championship game. How to watch the AFC Championship game without cableYou can watch the AFC Championship game on CBS at 6:30 p.m. If you don't have a TV provider, the cheapest option available to stream the AFC Championship game is via Paramount Plus.

☆ Netflix added more Q4 subscribers than expected ahead of a shakeup in its executive ranks
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Travis Clark | Samantha Delouya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Netflix added more than 7 million subscribers in the fourth quarter, significantly more than expected. Greg Peters, the company's former COO who led its push into advertising, will take over the role. The stronger-than-anticipated subscriber growth comes as the company announced a shakeup in its top ranks: Netflix's co-founder Reed Hastings has stepped down as co-CEO. Following this report, Netflix will no longer provide subscriber forecasts but will continue to provide revenue guidance. In his role as COO, Peters led the company's expansion into advertising as the company sought new revenue drivers.

Vice Media is restarting its sale process after earlier interested bidders balked at the initial price tag, according to people familiar with the situation. The digital media company, which was valued at $5.7 billion in 2017, is now likely to fetch a price of below $1 billion, the people said. Initially, Vice was looking for a valuation between $1 billion and $1.5 billion, one of the people added. A Vice Media spokesperson declined to comment. Meanwhile, Buzzfeed , the only digital media company to IPO, has seen its stock fall roughly 90% since going public in 2021.

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