Verizon

The Wall Street Journal reports that Tim Armstrong, the leader of Verizon Communications Inc.’s media and advertising business, is in talks to depart, according to people familiar with the matter, leaving unfinished the task of building the unit into a digital content giant. Journal subscribers can read the full story here.

After the rapid pace of media industry consolidation in 2017, companies like Verizon have been pegged as next most likely to go after media M&A. But Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam says not so fast. McAdam admitted that there’s a lot of movement in the space right now but that his company largely ignores any interest.

Telecom companies like AT&T and Verizon are racing into the digital advertising space — currently dominated by Google and Facebook — now that Washington has given them the ability to sell data to third-party advertisers.

Verizon is returning to the Super Bowl for the first time since 2011, it confirmed on Friday. But it declined to describe its plans, so the question is which Verizon will show up to play.

With CBS and Viacom talking merger again, all eyes are on Lionsgate, which is considered a prime target for acquisition. According to one source, there are already potential suitors — Amazon, Verizon and a CBS-Viacom combination — that have all been sniffing around the company.

Verizon and the NBA have set an expanded, multi-year partnership that will allow U.S. fans to buy and stream live, out-of-market games via NBA League Pass on Yahoo Sports and other Verizon media platforms.

The wireless carrier is making a big bet on its pro football deal — but it will no longer have exclusive mobile rights.

The second year of NBCU-Verizon deal features new innovations on broadcast, digital sites and NBCUniversal strategic partners.

Verizon Communications is close to a new deal with the National Football League for digital streaming rights that would give the largest U.S. wireless carrier the ability to deliver game broadcasts to internet-connected TVs, tablets and phones, according to people familiar with the matter.

Comcast is interested in the same 21st Century Fox assets that, according to reports last week, Disney had previously looked at. Other companies may also want the Fox assets. A person close to the matter, who wouldn’t speak publicly, said Verizon is not in active discussions with Fox, but that Verizon might be interested in some parts of Fox’s business. (AP Photo | Gene J. Puskar)

Verizon feels that OTT streaming customers shouldn’t bear the brunt of a retransmission impasse between their internet provider — often a cable operator — and programmers, and wants the FCC to consider this in any reform of the retransmission consent process.

Verizon Communications Inc. is aiming for a spring 2018 launch for its new online TV service, which has been delayed at least twice as the telecommunications giant grapples with how to compete in the media world, according to people familiar with the matter. While Verizon has shared its plans with TV networks, the timing of the web-based, live TV service’s introduction remains tentative and could be further postponed.

NEW YORK (AP) — Marni Walden, the executive in charge of Verizon’s media business, is leaving the company. Verizon spokesman Bob Varettoni says she is leaving to pursue other opportunities […]

Verizon Communications said on Thursday that it has moved on from plans to acquire cable companies and instead will focus on building out its own fiber infrastructure.

Verizon Communications Inc.’s quarterly revenue rose marginally, its first increase in four quarters, as the No. 1 U.S. wireless carrier attracted more subscribers with its unlimited data plans. Net income attributable to Verizon rose to $4.36 billion, or $1.07 per share, in the second quarter ended June 30, from $702 million, or 17 cents per share, a year earlier.

Verizon Wireless customers this week noticed that Netflix’s speed test tool appears to be capped at 10Mbps, raising fears that the carrier is throttling video streaming on its mobile network. When contacted by Ars this morning, Verizon acknowledged using a new video optimization system but said it is part of a temporary test and that it did not affect the actual quality of video. The video optimization appears to apply both to unlimited and limited mobile plans.

Verizon has told the FCC that online video distributors should not be subject to traditional cable regulations, artifacts of a bygone era when communities had only one option to get video content.

Verizon Communications’ Lowell McAdam could be hiking the Sawtooth Mountains in Sun Valley next week, perhaps in search of his next deal now that the phone company closed its acquisition of Yahoo. One rumor making the rounds last week was that Verizon may be eyeing a Disney purchase. While that sounds fantastical, a well-placed banker says not to count Verizon out.

The cuts, which come as Verizon combines HuffPost’s owner AOL with its new acquisition Yahoo, could happen as early as today.

Yahoo today said it completed the sale of its operating media business to Verizon Communications for approximately $4.48 billion. As previously announced, on June 16, the remaining part of Yahoo will change its name to Altaba Inc. Verizon will combine Yahoo with AOL properties to create Oath. Yahoo’s search business, along with other advertising assets and portals, now belong to Verizon.

Verizon wants to become a strong third choice for advertisers by adding Yahoo’s popular sites and billion users worldwide to its own media business, which includes AOL and Verizon’s home-grown go90 video service. It can place ads on those sites, and can also combine data from visitors to those sites with AOL’s ad technologies and sales teams, and possibly also personal data from Verizon mobile customers such as location and other information, in order to better target ads at individuals.

Verizon boss Lowell McAdam, his company facing slowing sales of mobile phones, made a proposal to acquire cable giant Charter Communications in recent months, three sources told the New York Post. The offer — valued at between $350 and $400 a share, and well over $100 billion, according to two of the sources familiar with the move — was rejected by Liberty Media-controlled Charter because it was too low — and because Charter was not ready to sell.

Major internet service providers spent more than $11 million on lobbying amid fights over privacy rules and a coming showdown over net neutrality. Three of the largest telecom companies — AT&T, Verizon and Comcast — collectively spent a total of $11.2 million during the first three months of the year, according to congressional disclosure forms filed last week.

Verizon Communications is considering merger possibilities to reset the course of the company given the fast-changing structure of the industry, and would be open to talks with Comcast, Disney or CBS, CEO Lowell McAdam said Tuesday.

Verizon Communications has been securing streaming rights from television network owners in preparation for the nationwide launch of a live online TV service, according to people familiar with the matter.

Verizon Communications will create a new company called Oath after it completes its $4.5 billion acquisition of Yahoo and melds the troubled internet company with its AOL operations.

With the reversal of FCC internet privacy regulations imminent, Comcast, Verizon and AT&T are pledging not to sell their customers’ browsing histories.

Verizon Communications has been securing streaming rights from television network owners in preparation for the nationwide launch of a live online TV service, according to people familiar with the matter. The telecommunications giant plans to start selling a package with dozens of channels this summer, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information.