Advanced Television

M&A

Sky deal goes to EC, UK ‘minded’ to refer to Ofcom

With 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch extolling the creative benefits of Fox’s proposed takeover of Sky, the next stage in the process has been triggered now that the European Commission (EC) has formally been notified of the bid. This triggers a 10-day countdown for culture secretary Karen Bradley to decide whether to refer the […]

March 3, 2017By Colin Mann

Channel 4 takes stake in VR start-up Parable

Channel 4 has taken a minority stake in new British virtual reality (VR) business Parable, focussing on innovative content creation with storytelling at its heart. Launched this month, Parable will create VR and 360° content across the entertainment, brand marketing and training sectors. Parable is co-founded by former director of programmes at The Garden Productions, […]

March 2, 2017

Intelsat and OneWeb “a defensive merger”

The post-announcement comments of the SoftBank-engineered merger between Intelsat and OneWeb are coming in, and they are not all favourable. For example, Sami Kassab, an equity analyst at investment bank Exane/BNP-Paribas, while praising Intelsat’s results said there are still major risks to the deal, not least Intelsat’s existing bondholders agreeing to a severe financial haircut […]

March 1, 2017

SoftBank drives Intelsat, OneWeb merger

Japan’s telco giant SoftBank is the catalyst in bringing together old-established Intelsat and embryonic satellite operator OneWeb, into a merger. In essence, the agreement sees SoftBank inject $1.7 billion (€1.6bn) of new equity into debt-heavy Intelsat. At the end of 2016, SoftBank invested $1 billion into Jersey, Channel Islands-based OneWeb. Intelsat was already a minor investor […]

February 28, 2017By Chris Forrester

Sony India completes phase 1 of TEN Sports acquisition

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) and its affiliates have completed the first phase of a two-phase acquisition of the TEN Sports Network from Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEE) and its subsidiaries. Following the completion of this phase of the acquisition, SPN’s cluster of nine sports channels will now include: Sony SIX, Sony Six HD, Sony ESPN, […]

February 28, 2017

Ergen to buy Inmarsat?

London-based satellite operator Inmarsat is again being talked about as a take-over target. The Financial Times reported that Inmarsat could be a target for EchoStar. This time it is Charlie Ergen, founder of Dish Network and the EchoStar technology company who seems to have started the rumour mill. The FT reports that Ergen discussed possible […]

February 27, 2017

Time Warner to sell Ted Turner’s WTBS station

Time warner is to dispose of its broadcast station in Atlanta, Georgia, in order to side-step potential problems with the FCC over its planned merger with AT&T. Meredith Corp is the buyer for a reported $70 million. But the sale brings to an end a long tradition of Time Warner – and Ted Turner’s – […]

February 27, 2017By Chris Forrester

EchoStar “ready for M&A options”

Charlie Ergen, founder of the Dish Network and EchoStar satellite operation, said the asset swaps made in January between the two businesses readied the pair for a wave of merger interest that’s expected in the TV and cellular Internet sectors. Ergen, speaking to analysts following Dish Network’s quarterly and full-year results, said: “It made more […]

February 24, 2017

Telefónica selling 40% of Telxius to KKR

Telefónica has reached agreement with global investment firm KKR Group for the sale of up to 40 per cent of Telxius Telecom, its global telecommunications infrastructure company, for a total amount of €1.275 billion.  Under the agreement, which is subject to regulatory approvals, Telefónica and KKR aim to develop and grow one of the leading […]

February 21, 2017

NZ: Vodafone and Sky face Court delay

Vodafone New Zealand is in the process of absorbing Sky Network Television in a $2.45 billion merger agreement. But the New Zealand High Court is being asked to ‘stay’ a possible decision on approving the deal by local telco Spark New Zealand. The country’s Commerce Commission is due to announce its decision on the merger […]

February 21, 2017By Chris Forrester