Murdoch and Echostar to Create Big Satellite TV Operation
Date: 25 February 1997
By James Sterngold
James Sterngold
News Corp and Echostar Communications Corp to combine their direct broadcast satellite businesses into company that could provide major challenge to cable television industry; new company will adopt Sky brand name from News Corp's global satellite broadcast business; it will be valued initially at $2 billion; Echostar's shareholders will own 50 percent, News Corp will own 40 percent and MCI Communications, large shareholder in News Corp, will hold 10 percent; News Corp will put its American Sky Broadcasting subsidiary into new company; two companies say new Echostar Sky venture's key advantage will be its ability to beam 500 channels of high-quality digital television to homes along with local stations; new company will be able to include local service because of large number of satellites and transponders it will control, as well as new technology; Rupert Murdoch says monthly subscription rates for service would be comparable to cable (M)
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Recalling three waves of newspaper strikes, after the devastation in Detroit.
Date: 24 February 1997
By Iver Peterson
Iver Peterson
Iver Peterson assesses failure of strike by unionized workers at Detroit Free Press and Detroit News; traces strike to management's change of heart about the labor-friendly contract terms that it had agreed to in late 1950's and early 60's, when times were flush and newspapers were still owned by wealthy, public-minded families as a kind of community trust (M)
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The Truth Teller
Date: 24 February 1997
By Bob Herbert
Bob Herbert
Bob Herbert Op-Ed article praises documentary film, Tell the Truth and Run: George Seldes and the American Press; notes that Seldes began his journalistic career in 1909 and did not stop writing, editing and publishing until 1995, when he died at age of 104; says Seldes was compulsive stalker of the truth and much of his writing was ahead of his time (M)
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Secrecy Gives Way to Spotlight for Scientist
Date: 24 February 1997
By Youssef M. Ibrahim
Youssef
Man in the News Column profiles career of Dr Ian Wilmut following disclosure that he has cloned a sheep (M)
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Press, Politics and Consensus in New Old South
Date: 24 February 1997
By Iver Peterson
Iver Peterson
John D Johnson is out as executive editor of Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, Miss, state's biggest and only statewide newspaper, reportedly because paper's aggressive coverage of Gov Kirk Fordice's mysterious automobile crash displeased Duane K McAllister, publisher, who had directed Johnson to pay more attention to 'the positive aspects of the Republican revolution'; newspaper is owned by Gannett Co; Hodding Carter 3d, whose family owns the crusading, liberal Democrat-Times of Greenville, sees a shift back to traditional conservatism in newspapers across the South; photo (M)
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BEC GROUP TO BUY THE EYEWEAR MAKER BOLLE FRANCE
Date: 25 February 1997
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
BEC Group says it will buy Bolle France for $60 million in cash plus warrants issued to Bolle's controlling family (S)
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TEREX PLANS TO ADD 6 SIMON ENGINEERING BUSINESSES
Date: 25 February 1997
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Terex Corp agrees to buy certain businesses of Simon Engineering PLC's Simon Access division for $90 million (S)
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REPUBLIC INDUSTRIES BUYING 2 MORE NEW-CAR DEALERSHIPS
Date: 25 February 1997
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Republic Industries says it will buy new-car dealership groups in Miami and Houston for $75 million in stock (S)
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UST'S FINANCE CHIEF AND TOBACCO PRESIDENT RESIGN
Date: 25 February 1997
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
UST Inc announces resignations of its chief financial officer, John J Bucchignano, and president of its tobacco unit, Robert D Rothenberg, citing differences over UST's direction; no successors have been named (S)
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Stocks Decline in Japan
Date: 24 February 1997
By Bloomberg News
Bloomberg News
Stocks trade lower in Japan, the Nikkei index closing down 137.55, at 18,896.99 (S)
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