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AP Business NewsBrief at 1:51 p.m. EDT(Associated Press Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) TV-over-Internet service hits Atlanta next monthNEW YORK (AP) _ Aereo, the startup that offers live television broadcasts over the Internet starting at $8 a month, said it will start service in the Atlanta market on June 17, following an expansion to Boston on Wednesday. Until this week, the service had been available only in the New York City area. Big 4 cellphone carriers unite on anti-texting adsNEW YORK (AP) _ The country's four biggest cellphone companies are set to launch their first joint advertising campaign against texting while driving, uniting behind AT&T's "It Can Wait" slogan to blanket TV and radio this summer. AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint and T-Mobile will be joined by 200 other organizations backing the multi-million dollar ad campaign. RIM unveils cheaper BlackBerryORLANDO, Fla. (AP) _ Research In Motion unveiled a lower-cost BlackBerry aimed at consumers in emerging markets on Tuesday, and said it will offer its once-popular BlackBerry Messenger service on iPhones and devices running Google's Android software. CEO Thorsten Heins said the time is right to offer BBM on rival devices. He said iPhone and Android versions will be available for free, subject to approval by Google Play and the Apple App Store. Markets climb, led by small-company stocksNEW YORK (AP) _ The prospect of continued stimulus from the Federal Reserve and rising optimism among small business owners helped push stock prices back to record levels. Small business owners were slightly more optimistic in April, according to a survey released Tuesday by the National Federation of Independent Business. That helped push the Russell 2000, an index of small-company stocks, up 1.1 percent. Airlines collected record baggage fees in 2012NEW YORK (AP) _ U.S. airlines collected more than $6 billion in baggage and reservation change fees from passengers last year _ the highest amount since the fees became common five years ago. Passengers shouldn't expect a break anytime soon. Those fees _ along with extra charges for boarding early or picking prime seats _ have helped return the industry to profitability. 89 charged in Medicare fraud busts in 8 citiesWASHINGTON (AP) _ Nearly 100 people, including 14 doctors and nurses, were charged for their roles in separate Medicare scams that collectively billed the taxpayer-funded program for roughly $223 million in bogus charges in a massive bust spanning eight cities, federal authorities said Tuesday. It was the latest in a string of similar announcements by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Attorney General Eric Holder as federal authorities crack down on fraud that's believed to cost the program between $60 billion and $90 billion each year. Stopping Medicare's budget from hemorrhaging that money will be key to paying for President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Sebelius and Holder partnered in 2009 to increase enforcement by allocating more money and staff and creating strike forces in fraud hot spots around the country. EU probes oil companies for possible price-fixingLONDON (AP) _ European anti-trust authorities have launched investigations into at least three oil companies on suspicion of price-fixing. Britain's BP, Royal Dutch Shell and Norway's Statoil confirmed they are subject to the inquiry announced Tuesday by the European Union's executive arm, the Commission. Senate panel approves massive farm billWASHINGTON (AP) _ The Senate Agriculture Committee has approved a massive five-year farm bill that would cut spending while also creating new subsidies for farmers. The legislation approved 15-5 by the panel on Tuesday includes concessions to Southern rice and peanut farmers, thanks to a new top Republican on the committee, Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran. The bill eliminates $5 billion in annual subsidies called direct payments that are important to those Southern farmers but makes it easier for them to receive alternate subsidies if prices dip. Hedge fund wants part of Sony entertainment soldTOKYO (AP) _ The U.S. hedge fund manager renowned for shaking up Yahoo Inc. has set his sights on Sony Corp., proposing that the Japanese electronics giant spin off up to 20 percent of its movie, TV and music division and use the money to strengthen its ailing device manufacturing unit. Sony rejected the plan, but analysts latched onto the idea as a way for Sony to unlock hidden value. Sony's U.S.-traded shares jumped $1.99, or 10.5 percent, to $20.88 in Tuesday afternoon trading. Dell raises intrigue by rescheduling 1Q reportROUND ROCK, Texas (AP) _ Struggling personal computer maker Dell is going to report its latest quarterly earnings ahead of schedule in a move likely to spur speculation that the results will be dismal. The schedule change announced Tuesday means Dell Inc. will release its fiscal first-quarter earnings after the market close this Thursday. The Round Rock, Texas company had planned to report the results on May 21. (c) 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |