The 11th Hour Dispatch — Friday, August 31, 2018
BIG BUSINESS
One of Google’s sister companies, Loon, is in talks with Uganda to provide 4G LTE internet service to citizens in rural areas through WiFi balloons just floating around and living their lives. Loon, which was born from Google parent Alphabet’s Google X skunkworks lab, creates balloons that tow “cell-tower equipment into the stratosphere” and send 4G LTE internet service to large areas below the balloons. Just a month ago, the company signed a deal with Kenya to provide a similar service to the country, a move that may signal a greater opportunity for Loon’s expansion in African countries. Innovation is wild, my dudes.
BINGE WATCH
Charter’s Spectrum Original Content arm has picked up the dark comedy E is for Edie from former go90 writer Jeanie Bergen. The series, which is based on Bergen’s life, centers on a young woman who becomes the sole caregiver of her disabled sister. Bergen will executive produce the series, alongside One Mississippi showrunner Kate Robin and Abominable Pictures development director and executive producer, Brittany Cope and Jonathan Stern. The script for E is for Edie earned Bergen, a former writer on the now-defunct go90’s Zac & Mia, one of only five spots in Aaron Sorkin’s screenwriting Master Class. This is the second series the cable provider’s new streaming arm has acquired. Last month, it picked up Gabrielle Union/Jessica Alba-led buddy cop drama LA’s Finest, which was originally supposed to air on NBC.
YOUNG MONEY
We seem to constantly be talking about Pepsi anymore, but don’t sleep on a classic Coca-Cola. Coke has acquired U.K. coffee chain Costa for a whopping $5.1 billion. This is Coca-Cola Co.’s biggest purchase in eight years, and gives it control of 3,800 stores in 32 countries. As you may recall from PepsiCo’s forays into sparkling water and its purchase of SodaStream, as well as Keurig’s acquisition of Dr Pepper Snapple back in January, the beverage industry is in a definite shift. Consumer tastes are starting to turn away from sugar-filled soft drinks, and the giants in the space are having to shell out the big bucks to find other revenue streams.
NOTHIN’ BUT ‘NET
Lady Gaga’s entrance into the Venice Film Festival is me headed toward this three-day weekend.
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