Barnes & Noble names head of digital division as CEO
(Reuters) - Barnes & Noble Inc said on Wednesday that Michael Huseby, the head of its digital division, was named chief executive, a move Wall Street interpreted to mean the bookseller still sees e-books and e-readers as a priority. The largest U.S. bookstore chain had been without a CEO since July, when William Lynch resigned in the wake of several quarters of poor sales of Barnes & Noble's Nook e-readers and e-books business, which he developed. Last quarter, Nook division sales fell 32 percent, continuing the decline.
Chinese tycoon admits New York Times bid faces obstacles
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Chinese recycling tycoon Chen Guangbiao dialed back his ambitious plans to buy The New York Times Co just over a week after making his intentions public. "The level of difficulty is great," he said through a translator on Tuesday.
Time Warner Cable staunched subscriber bleed in Q4
LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - Time Warner Cable Inc shed 215,000 video subscribers in the fourth quarter but added about 40,000 high-speed Internet home customers, its chief financial officer said on Wednesday. That marked an improvement from the third quarter for a cable company that's the subject of takeover speculation. It lost 304,000 video customers, almost double the number Wall Street investors had expected, and 24,000 Internet users during that period.
Barry Diller-backed Aereo raises additional $34 million
(Reuters) - Aereo Inc, the Barry Diller-backed online television venture that is facing a legal battle from four major broadcasters said it had raised $34 million from its new round of financing. New investors included Gordon Crawford and Himalaya Capital Management, who joined Aereo's existing investors, Diller's IAC/InterActiveCorp, Highland Capital Partners, FirstMark Capital, among others.
Liberty to buy out Sirius, create flexibility for Time Warner Cable deal
(Reuters) - Liberty Media Corp on Friday said it would offer to buy out the minority shareholders in satellite radio provider Sirius XM Holdings Inc, in a deal that could give cable mogul John Malone a freer hand in driving cable consolidation. Liberty, which has a large stake in cable operator Charter, has made no secret of its pursuit of No. 2 cable provider Time Warner Cable Inc. Liberty Media Chief Executive Officer Greg Maffei said that Friday's offer to make Sirius XM a subsidiary gives holding company Liberty the financial flexibility to pursue other deals.
Warner Bros in talks with Dutch production firm Eyeworks: media
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Time Warner's Warner Bros division is in talks to buy Dutch television production company Eyeworks, Dutch media reported on Tuesday, giving no details of the value of the deal or sources. Eyeworks produces and distributes entertainment programs in 16 countries for more than 100 television channels, its website says, and has 1,500 staff. The bulk of its operations are in Europe but it is also active in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, the United States, New Zealand and Australia.
Italy's RCS to manage ad sales for Fiat's daily newspaper
MILAN (Reuters) - RCS MediaGroup has agreed to run advertising sales for La Stampa, a leading Italian newspaper owned by carmaker Fiat, lifting shares in the country's biggest publisher. The deal brings the number of daily newspaper copies in its network to 1.35 million and the number of online unique daily viewers to 1.74 million, RCS said in a statement.
Nader slams Malone's 'lowball' Sirius bid, suggests Icahn step in
(Reuters) - Consumer advocate Ralph Nader said Liberty Media Corp Chairman John Malone's offer to buy out the remaining stake in satellite radio company Sirius XM was "ludicrous" and called for activist investor Carl Icahn to take notice. Nader, a Sirius shareholder, said on Monday that Liberty's $3.68-a-share bid was below the $4 where the company was trading a few weeks ago.
Hong Kong media mogul Run Run Shaw dies at 106
HONG KONG (Reuters) - Hong Kong media mogul Sir Run Run Shaw, who created an empire in Asia spanning movies to television, died on Tuesday at the age of 106, his company said. Shaw died peacefully at his home in Hong Kong, surrounded by his family, his company, Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), said in a statement.
China's oddball demolition king eyes the New York Times
BEIJING (Reuters) - Chen Guangbiao has never acquired a company. The 45-year-old recycling magnate has also never worked in the media industry or become proficient in English.
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