*Media mogul Byron Allen announced in September that he is interested in acquiring ABC from Disney for $10 billion.
“I think ABC’s a real possibility. They say they’re not ready,” Allen said at the UCLA Department of Neurosurgery’s Visionary Ball on Wednesday night, Variety reports. “When they’re ready I’m going to chase it down like a lion chases down a gazelle.”
Allen’s bid initially targeted ABC, eight local TV stations, FX, and National Geographic Channel, which are owned by Disney.
“The one thing that needs to be in the shopping cart to keep my interest is ABC and the ABC owned-and-operated stations — and I wouldn’t mind if they threw in ‘Kelly and Mark’ and ‘Tamron Hall,’” Allen told Variety.
As we reported previously via CNN, Bloomberg’s Christopher Palmeri and Thomas Buckley reported that Disney has “held exploratory talks” about selling ABC to Nexstar Media Group. The duo also reported that Allen has also spoken with Disney about a possible deal.
Byron Allen Says Buying ABC Would Be a ‘Real Possibility,’ Vows to ‘Chase It Down’ When Disney Is Ready https://t.co/wHNYGMc86N
— Variety (@Variety) October 13, 2023
In conversations with more than a half-dozen people inside and around ABC News that CNN spoke, it was made clear that a feeling of dread and trepidation is washing over the outlet as they face the unknown.
“Everyone is freaking the f**k out,” one ABC News staffer said about the state of affairs inside the network, per CNN.
“It’s all anyone at work is talking about,” added another.
Meanwhile, Allen was presented with UCLA’s Visionary Award at the Visionary Ball, Variety reports. In his acceptance speech, he called his mother his “very first blessing.”
“When we first got here, we slept on a lot of floors and we slept on a lot of sofas. We slept in a lot of spare bedrooms for several years,” Allen shared. “Over time, we were able to get our own place, and this amazing organization, UCLA — this unbelievable institution — opened the doors. They let my mother become a student in 1971 and that changed the game…So I want to thank UCLA for changing our lives for the better.”
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