GOOD DAY FOR: Selling entertainment, after General Electric confirmed speculation that it’s in talks to spin off or sell part of its 80 percent stake in NBC Universal. Vivendi, which holds the other 20 percent, is reportedly looking to shed its ownership to buy Brazilian telecom GTV. Comcast is widely expected to bid for a stake of NBC, with sources saying the cable giant is shooting for 51 percent ownership. (Reuters)
BAD DAY FOR: Bells and whistles, as toymakers, facing the worst Christmas shopping season in years, are looking back to the classics—Candy Land board game, Star Wars Lego sets, Barbie—to attract value-conscious shoppers. Toy executives say familiar toys are comforting to consumers, and cutting out the bells and whistles of higher-tech toys keeps down costs, as well. (MarketWatch)
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
What should you be stockpiling for 'World War Three'?In the Spotlight Britons advised to prepare after the EU tells its citizens to have an emergency kit just in case
-
Carnivore diet: why people are eating only meatThe Explainer 'Meatfluencers' are taking social media by storm but experts warn meat-only diets have health consequences
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human bloodUnder the radar Drugging the bugs
