Audio Video News

It was a night like any other Hollywood premier: lavish parties, hundreds of fans crowding police barricades surrounding the theater, stars sauntering down the red carpet, paparazzi yelling at them: "Turn to the right! No, <I>my</I> right!" But few premiers feature Imperial Storm Troopers, Wookies, and Darth Vader himself working the crowd.

The proposed merger between AT&T and DirecTV would create the nation’s second largest pay-TV company. With the telco bringing 5.7 million U-verse subscribers to the table, and the satellite operator a considerably greater 20.3 million, the merged entity would have 26 million video subscribers, ranking just below the proposed merger of Comcast and Time Warner Cable with 30 million subscribers.

AT&T today announced the WatchTV streaming video package that will let wireless subscribers stream more than 30 live channels through a new app in addition to providing access to more than 15,000 TV shows and movies on demand.

The bad news, at least for some, is that AT&T will begin sending warning notices to its internet service customers who engage in illegal file sharing. The good news is that this is the Recording Industry Association of America's new alternative to filing mass lawsuits.

Sign up with AT&T as your video provider and you'll get a year of free HDTV. The offer is available to new U-verse subscribers. If that next-generation hybrid fiber-copper IPTV service is not available in your area, the offer also applies to AT&T-branded DirecTV and Dish Network service.

AT&T says it will become the first Internet provider to block pirates from using its network. The promise emerged two weeks ago at the Digital Hollywood Summit.