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Spinal Tap has reunited — this time in a Los Angeles court to challenge the French studio Vivendi S.A. for millions in profits from the mockumentary “This Is Spinal Tap.” Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Rob Reiner on Tuesday joined a federal lawsuit filed last year by bandmate and Spinal Tap co-creator Harry Shearer. Shearer, who also voices numerous characters on “The Simpsons,” sued Vivendi S.A. and its subsidiary StudioCanal in October alleging that the companies fraudulently withheld profits from the 1984 film. …

There is a Latin maxim that addresses the centrality of worship in the life, identity and mission of the Catholic Church; "Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi". The phrase in Latin literally means the law of prayer ("the way we worship") is the law of belief ("what we believe"). It is sometimes expanded to as, "lex orandi, lex credendi, lex vivendi", further deepening the implications of this truth - how we worship reflects what we believe and determines how we will live. The Church has long understood that part of her role as mother and teacher is to watch over worship, for...

I've been doing some personal research as to the financial/corporate ties that Sony might have to prominent 527 types like Michael Moore and George Soros...I'm afraid I've gotten bogged down and confused. Was hoping a FReeper could help me straighten it out.

NBC won Federal Trade Commission approval for its $14 billion purchase of Vivendi Universal Entertainment Tuesday, it's last regulatory hurdle. The FCC was not required to review the deal because it involved no station licenses. The merger will be completed within the next few weeks, NBC officials said. The new entity will be called NBC Universal, which officials billed as "one of the world's most profitable and fastest-growing media and entertainment companies." The FTC did not require divestitures of any business lines, nor did it insist that NBC devote any of its prime time lineup to programming not produced by...

Jailed Rapper Close to $3M Record Deal By ALEX VEIGA LOS ANGELES (AP) - Island Def Jam expects to sign imprisoned rapper Jamal "Shyne" Barrow to a $3 million record contract this week, a source familiar with the negotiations said. Shyne, now serving a 10-year term for his role in a New York nightclub shooting involving Sean Combs, was expected to finalize the deal by the end of this week, according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Shyne would be the first artist acquired by Island Def Jam Music Group since Antonio "L.A." Reid took over as...

Universal Music Mulls Music TV Venture NEW YORK (Reuters) - Universal Music Group, the world's largest record label, is teaming up with satellite broadcaster DirecTV and business partners behind a prominent pornography video company to launch a music channel featuring uncensored videos. According to a report on Friday in the Los Angles Times Universal, a unit of Vivendi Universal_(NYSE:V - news), is in negotiations with DirecTV to offer the new subscription-based channel, known as "1 AM." Universal and the entrepreneurs of Vivid Entertainment Group founders, which is known for porn videos such as "Bad Wives" and "Women In Uniform," are...

In his most humiliating setback since his failed coup attempt of 2000, Al Gore is seeing his dreams of creating yet another left-wing media outlet fall like chads from the hands of a ballot-twisting Florida Democrat recount activist. Thank Barry Diller, who despite Gore's begging is refusing to lift his veto over the sale of the News World International cable network from Vivendi Universal Entertainment, the New York Post reported today. Apparently the Democrats will have to be satisfied with NPR, PBS, CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN ...

Primetones offering to host MP3.com files11/26/2003 5:58:56 PMLOS ANGELES, Nov 26 (Reuters) - Start-up company Primetones said Wednesday it is in talks to preserve MP3.com Inc.'s audio library, scheduled for destruction on Dec. 2, just weeks after Vivendi Universal (V) agreed to sell MP3.com to CNET Networks Inc. (CNET) . "The loss of these MP3.com audio files is a catastrophe that may be felt for generations to come," said David Blumberg, director for artist development at Primetones, the Texas company that has offered to transcribe and host the more than 1.2 million tracks, which were uploaded by more than 250,000...

LOS ANGELES — Vivendi, the world's largest record label, has reached deal to buy DreamWorks Records, the companies said Tuesday in a joint statement.

PARIS (Reuters) - French media firm Vivendi Universal and U.S. conglomerate General Electric said on Wednesday they had signed a final deal to combine GE's NBC television unit with Vivendi's Universal Studios and cable channels, creating a $43 billion entertainment powerhouse. Under a deal whose broad outlines were unveiled last month, shareholders in Vivendi Universal Entertainment will receive $3.8 billion in cash, with $3.3 billion of that going directly to Vivendi Universal. As part of the agreement, GE intends to issue common stock at or before the closing to fund the cash portion of the deal. NBC Universal will...

Call him Al Gore, media baron. The former vice president is close to striking a $70 million deal to acquire Newsworld International, a tiny cable network owned by French media giant Vivendi Universal, media sources said. Gore and his backers want to turn the digital channel into a liberal-leaning network. His partners include ex-Democratic fund-raiser Joel Hyatt and media investment banker Steve Rattner, who's said to be lining up financing. Carried in just 20 million homes, NWI airs newscasts from around the world, including reports from the Canadian Broadcasting Co. The net is part of Vivendi Universal Entertainment, the show...

<p>Vivendi Universal SA is in talks to sell its Newsworld International cable network to a group of investors led by former Vice President Al Gore for $70 million, according to people familiar with the situation.</p> <p>Newsworld International, a cable network that is available in less than 20 million homes in the U.S., currently runs newscasts from around the world. Vivendi Universal left it out of its deal to merge its entertainment assets with General Electric Co.'s NBC. Although the discussions between Vivendi and Mr. Gore's venture are progressing, a deal hasn't been finalized and could still fall apart.</p>

UMG Institutes a $12.98 Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price on Virtually all Top Line CDs NEW YORK and SANTA MONICA, Calif., Sept. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Universal Music Group (UMG) announced today an aggressive plan to significantly reduce the cost consumers pay for CDs by decreasing its wholesale prices and by instituting a $12.98 Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) on virtually all top line CDs in the U.S. UMG will introduce a new pricing policy with the aim of bringing music fans back into retail stores and driving music sales. The program, which will begin in the fourth quarter of 2003, will...

When Will Iraq Go Pop? by Jason Gay They now have Americans troops patrolling their neighborhoods, American-supplied radio on their airwaves, and pretty soon they’ll have Tom Brokaw, too, stentorially rhapsodizing on their rabbit-eared televisions. But is Iraq ready for Seinfeld? The American media campaign in Iraq is well underway, of course, even without Jerry. It began with psychological-warfare radio messages urging Iraqi soldiers to lay down their weapons and surrender. After Baghdad fell, a specially outfitted military aircraft continued to fly over the region, broadcasting public-service announcements and reassuring, look-into-your-eyeballs addresses from President George W. Bush and British Prime...

<p>April 12, 2003 -- Microsoft has expressed interest in buying Vivendi's Universal Music Group, setting up a possible bidding war between the software maker and rival Apple Computer, according to sources familiar with the matter.</p> <p>Microsoft's interest is said to be at the level of "poking around, kicking the tires," but it has indeed had conversations with Vivendi executives about buying the music division, sources said.</p>

THE NATION Apple Reportedly in Talks to Buy Universal Music A deal could yield up to $6 billion for parent firm Vivendi and make tech maverick Steve Jobs the most powerful figure in the record business.By Chuck PhilipsTimes Staff Writer April 11, 2003 In a pairing that would alter the architecture of the music business, Apple Computer Inc. is in talks with Vivendi Universal to buy Universal Music Group, the world's largest record company, for as much as $6 billion, sources said. Such a seemingly unlikely combination would instantly make technology guru Steve Jobs, Apple's co-founder and chief executive, the...

PARIS - A year after Vivendi's complex financial structure first began to show cracks, the cash-strapped media conglomerate is set to consider selling its vast entertainment empire. The company's board will meet Thursday to discuss selling its U.S. television and film businesses, which include the world's biggest music company, Universal Music Group, the Universal film studio and theme parks, as well and the USA and Sci-Fi cable networks. Such a sale, which would help pay off Vivendi's multibillion-dollar debt, could turn out to be one of the largest entertainment auctions in years. "I don't see that Vivendi has any other...