NEW YORK (AP) – Federal regulators are letting cable companies scramble all their TV signals, closing a loophole that lets many households watch basic cable channels for free.

The Federal Communications Commission voted Friday to lift a ban on encryption of basic cable signals, saying it will reduce the number of visits by cable technicians to disconnect service and reduce cable theft.

2. Complaints About Automated Calls Up Sharply - Tuesday, September 18, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) – So much for silence from telemarketers at the cherished dinner hour, or any other hour of the day.

Complaints to the government are up sharply about unwanted phone solicitations, raising questions about how well the federal "do-not-call" registry is working. The biggest category of complaint: those annoying prerecorded pitches called robocalls that hawk everything from lower credit card interest rates to new windows for your home.

3. MAPCO to Debut Bill Payment Kiosks - Friday, July 27, 2012

MAPCO Express Inc. has signed a deal with TIO Networks Corp. to deploy 37 bill pay kiosks in MAPCO convenience stores across Memphis and Nashville.

4. Baseball Championship Returns to Memphis - Monday, July 09, 2012

The fifth annual National Youth Baseball Championship returns to Gameday’s First Tennessee Fields in Memphis Aug. 23 to 27.

Now known as the HotelPlanner.com National Youth Baseball Championship, the tournament brings together 12 of the nation’s top 12-and-under teams representing eight youth sports organizations to determine the “Best of the Best.” New Era will continue their involvement as presenting sponsor.

5. Cable Companies to Resell Verizon Wireless Service - Monday, December 05, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) – Cable companies Comcast Corp., Time Warner Cable Inc. and Bright House Networks are giving up on their dreams of creating their own wireless network, opting instead to resell Verizon Wireless service.

6. White House Explains Efforts to Block AT&T, T-Mobile Deal - Tuesday, September 06, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Obama administration has explained its effort to block AT&T's purchase of T-Mobile USA by saying it will fight mergers that would reduce competition and hurt consumers.

7. Farewell, ‘Friday Night Lights’ - Thursday, July 28, 2011

For some time I’ve wanted to write about “Friday Night Lights.” I’ve been streaming it on Netflix for a while, watched the first four seasons, became a fan.

Now I learn that it’s over. ‘Sup with that? I’ve done some research, and I’ll tell you ‘sup with that. You blew it, you guys out there in TV land!

8. FCC Move to Close Program Access Loophole Upheld - Monday, June 13, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) – A federal court upheld a recent decision by government regulators to close a loophole that had allowed cable TV operators to withhold sporting events and other popular programming from satellite TV providers and other rivals.

9. Memphian Helps TV Viewers Kick the Cable Habit - Thursday, May 19, 2011

About a year ago, Bob Hazlett and his wife realized the amount of time they were spending watching the television was minimal compared to the mindless channel-flipping it took to find an appealing program.

10. Calif. Investor Buys Midtown Apartments - Friday, November 12, 2010

A vintage apartment complex in Midtown is under new ownership.

Gabrion Properties LLC closed on approximately 20,000 total square feet of space in Cherokee Arms Apartments for $455,000. The three-story apartment complex, 1508 Madison Ave., contains 30 studio apartments with historic vintage architecture.

11. Events - Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Small Biz Memphis will host the Cordova/Bartlett and East Memphis/Midtown Business Builders Circle meetings Tuesday and Wednesday respectively from 7:45 a.m. to 9 a.m. at 1661 International Drive, suite 400. The Germantown/Collierville meeting will be Thursday at 7:45 a.m. at 2176 West St., suite 110. For more information, call 205-9303.

12. Events - Monday, August 02, 2010

City Auto will host a Lifeblood blood drive Monday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at its location, 4932 Elmore Road. Giveaways will be provided to those who donate.

13. Unsung Heroes - Monday, April 19, 2010

It’s often said that Memphis takes its musical talent for granted.

That certainly wasn’t true Thursday night at Studio on the Square, where an overflow crowd celebrated the Bar-Kays, the Stax back-up band and funkmasters who’ve survived tragedy and setbacks during their 40-year career.

14. Broadcasters' Woes Could Spell Trouble for Free TV - Wednesday, December 30, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) - For more than 60 years, TV stations have broadcast news, sports and entertainment for free and made their money by showing commercials. That might not work much longer.

The business model is unraveling at ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox and the local stations that carry the networks' programming. Cable TV and the Web have fractured the audience for free TV and siphoned its ad dollars. The recession has squeezed advertising further, forcing broadcasters to accelerate their push for new revenue to pay for programming.

15. Longleaf Managers Reassure Investors as Bear Market Recedes - Monday, August 03, 2009

In a letter they sent to shareholders a few days ago, the managers of a family of Memphis-run mutual funds worked to reassure investors their holdings are on track to recover last year’s losses.

The Memphis-based managers of the Longleaf Partners family of mutual funds – who promised, once the Great Recession took hold last year, they would keep a conservative approach as “an anchor against fear” – told shareholders they’re optimistic again. And they are slowly posting the results to back that up.

16. AP Source: DirecTV CEO in Talks to Join News Corp. - Tuesday, June 02, 2009

The chief executive of DirecTV Group Inc. is in talks to return to News Corp. to be Rupert Murdoch's second in command.

17. Liberty Media Deal Staves off Sirius Bankruptcy - Wednesday, February 18, 2009

NEW YORK (AP) - Liberty Media Corp. will invest $530 million in Sirius XM Radio Inc., fending off a likely bankruptcy for the satellite radio company and blocking a bid by a rival, Dish Network Corp. CEO Charlie Ergen, to take control of Sirius.

18. Sirius Could File Bankruptcy as Early as Tuesday - Monday, February 16, 2009

Financially strapped Sirius XM Radio Inc. said Friday that it could file for bankruptcy as early as Tuesday if it cannot successfully negotiate with the holders of its debt.

19. Local Managers Keep Stake In Longleaf Funds - Monday, November 03, 2008

“When the seas are roughest, a conservative appraisal is our anchor against fear.”

That’s one line from a letter sent to shareholders last month by the Memphis-based managers of the Longleaf Partners family of mutual funds. Its reference to choppy financial waters is an apt metaphor for the group of funds, three of which have taken a beating during the year-to-date period and at times lag the performance of rival funds and the S&P 500 Index.

20. Numbers on Do Not Call List Begin To Expire Next Year - Monday, September 24, 2007

WASHINGTON (AP) - The cherished dinner hour void of telemarketers could vanish next year for millions of people when phone numbers begin dropping off the national Do Not Call list.

The Federal Trade Commission, which oversees the list, says there is a simple fix. But some lawmakers think it is a hassle to expect people to re-register their phone numbers every five years.

21. March Turns to Madness for Memphis Hoops Fans - Thursday, March 15, 2007
     The NCAA men's basketball tournament is dubbed March Madness for the month it's played and for the frenzied atmosphere of its games.
     But there's more to it than slam dunks and fast break

22. Frontier to Fly In and Out Of Memphis International - Thursday, February 15, 2007
     Denver-based Frontier Airlines will begin making flights out of Memphis International Airport in May. Service will begin May 12 with introductory flights to cities such as Denver and Las Vegas for $99, according to the a

23. BellSouth StrikesDeal With DirecTV - Thursday, February 16, 2006
BellSouth has forged a five-year marketing partnership in which DirecTV customers in BellSouth's areas can order the phone company's DSL service through DirecTV. The exclusive agreement between the two companies is expected to help BellSouth's long-t

24. Archived Article: Small Biz - Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Owners and management at Up-Link Telecommunications have learned that being a local company maybe the biggest contributor to its business growth

Up-Link Thrives as Local Provider

ANDREW BELL

The Daily News

Management and staff at Memphis...

25. Archived Article: Directv P.2 - Friday, September 29, 2000
DirecTV to offer local network channels DirecTV to offer local network channels DirecTV Inc., a provider of digital television service, is offering local broadcast network channels via satellite for its DirecTV customers in Memphis and surrounding c...