An ESPN Team-Up With NBC Sports Called “Very Improbable” By Comcast President Mike Cavanagh; Exec Teases Potential NBA Rights Bid

Kate Middleton is said to have become an unlikely support for Prince Harry to lean on as sources claim that the Princess of Wales feels sorry for her brother-in-law and has been calling him. Since stepping back from his role as a senior royal and moving to the US with wife Meghan Markle, Harry has published his memoir Spare, released Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan, and given various high-profile interviews - most famously with Oprah Winfrey - all making explosive claims about his family.

Disney CEO Bob Iger shook up the entertainment industry and Wall Street last month when he declared to CNBC at Sun Valley that linear television may be non-core and that he’s looking for partners for ESPN as the company pivots to streaming.

Disney interim chief financial officer Kevn Lansberry said the company is “very comfortable with our current liquidity position” as the time approaches for it to buy Comcast’s one-third stake in Hulu.

Disney is following through on stated plan to raise streaming prices (welcome news to investors if not to many consumers), as well as launching a bundled version of Disney+ and Hulu and expanding the ad-supported version of Disney+ to Europe and Canada.

Janette Manrara has shared the sweet moment she enjoyed some quality time with her baby daughter after facing a tough recovery from her birth. The dancer and presenter has been soaking up her newborn bubble after welcoming her first child with her husband Aljaz Skorjanec.

Arianators, whip out the confetti and candles, it’s almost been 10 years since the star released her debut album, “Yours Truly”!

ESPN today pushed its chips into the center of the sports gambling table.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor ESPN muscled aside the upstart Barstool Sports and struck a major sports-betting pact with operator Penn Entertainment that will put the Disney-owner sports giant into gaming and wagering in a major way.

Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch said linear television is still the best way to protect the company’s sports programming, which, at the moment, “derives the most value from being behind a paywall, behind the traditional cable and satellite pay-TV universe.”

Taylor Swift and Suki Waterhouse have been close friends for years and we just got some insight into their friendship!

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Zack Snyder’s surreal film Sucker Punch has had an extended Blu-ray version released. But the director has raised fanboy and fangirl hopes by stating in a recent interview that we ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Tom Staggs and Kevin Mayer, two former high-ranking Disney execs, are working for the Mouse House again — in a consulting capacity. The duo, who are the co-CEOs of media-rollup play Candle Media, have been retained by Disney to help analyze and develop strategic options for ESPN, according to two sources familiar with the arrangement. Staggs, formerly Disney’s chief operating officer, and Mayer, previously chairman of Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International and briefly CEO of TikTok, will work with Jimmy Pitaro, chairman, ESPN and Sports Content, on developing a plan for what Disney will do with ESPN going forward.

Bob Iger, with pressure mounting on multiple fronts, has turned to former top Disney executives Tom Staggs and Kevin Mayer, hiring them as consultants to the media giant as it defines its strategy.

Zach Bryan is in a new relationship.

Mike Cavanagh, the president of Comcast who was recently named the de-facto head of NBC Universal, said the company remains “committed to reaching a fair deal [with actors and writers[ as soon as possible, so we can get back to doing what we do best, which making great content together.”

Media giant Comcast beat on its top and bottom line for the three months ended in June with theme parks and studio strong, even as the latter basks in another giant opening, for Opppenheimer, in the current third quarter.

Bryan Cranston was one of many high-profile actors to hit the picket line in New York City on Tuesday, speaking at the SAG-AFTRA’s Rock the City for a Fair Contract rally.

Fran Drescher, the sitcom star turned actors union leader, preferred to evoke the French Revolution, likening SAG-AFTRA’s struggle to the proletariat’s rebellion against an out-of-touch monarchy. “Eventually the people break down the gates of Versailles,” the “Nanny” star said during a press conference officially announcing the strike.

Sophia Sun Intern Veteran sports host Jim Rome has signed with Range Sports for representation in all areas. Range Sports is the athletics-focused division established by startup management-production firm Range Media Partners. Rome, who has long forged his own path in sports media, aims to expand his production activity in radio, TV, podcasting and film. Rome has been a prominent voice in the sports for more than 25 years. He was part of the on-air launch team for ESPN2 in 1993. He built a loyal following for his blunt and pugnacious style of commentary and questioning as host of daily talk show “Jim Rome is Burning” on ESPN from 2003 to early 2012, and as host of the syndicated radio program “The Jim Rome Show” since 1996.