Advanced Television

M&A

Liberty Interactive acquires HSN

John Malone-owned digital commerce business investor Liberty Interactive is to acquire the 62 per cent of  interactive multichannel retailer HSNi it does not already own in an all-stock transaction. “We are excited to announce the acquisition of HSNi. The addition of HSN will enhance QVC’s position as the leading global video eCommerce retailer. Every year […]

July 7, 2017

Australia: Watchdog consults on Ten bid

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is seeking views on the potential joint bid for Ten Network by bodies controlled by Lachlan Murdoch and Bruce Gordon, in particular, how it might affect competition in Australian media and advertising, as well as any effects on what TV programming. In an issues letter released on July […]

July 7, 2017

Axel Springer eyes Sport1

German media giant Axel Springer is in exclusive talks to buy TV channel Sport1 from Constantin Media according to reports. Axel Springer is bidding in excess of €80 million for the sport platform, which consists of TV, radio, mobile and Internet offerings. Sky is said to have dropped out of the running.

July 6, 2017

Encompass expands into Eastern Europe

Encompass Digital Media, a global technology services company delivering end-to-end video solutions, is expanding its operations into Eastern Europe with the acquisition of MTG’s facility in Riga, Latvia. Encompass will provide managed services including media management, playout, VoD, OTT and downlink for all existing channels. “We are very excited to be expanding our footprint into […]

July 6, 2017

Canada’s PSP leads charge to buy Arqiva

Canada’s PSP Investments, with around C$136 billion (€92bn) of assets under management, is reportedly leading a handful of potential buyers for the UK’s Arqiva, which holds a near monopoly on broadcast and transmissions for British terrestrial TV companies. Arqiva is also a major player in the supply of connectivity for many of the UK’s cellular […]

July 3, 2017By Chris Forrester

Fox Sky bid set for further competition scrutiny

Karen Bradley, the UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, has said she is minded to refer the bid by Fox to acquire the remaining shares in Sky that it does not already own to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), but will take representations until July 14th before making her final decision. […]

June 29, 2017By Colin Mann

Sky, Fox… no big deal

The UK Culture Secretary Karen Bradley has made her pronouncement on the Fox bid for Sky. It didn’t include the words grass, or long, or kick. But that was what it meant. The May government (otherwise known as ‘Maybe it’s a government, Maybe it isn’t’) has enough problems right now without dealing with this particularly […]

June 29, 2017

Altice confirms Media Capital discussions

In response to a request by the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (Comissão do Mercado de Valores Mobiliários) multinational cable, fibre, telecommunications, content and media company Altice has confirmed that it has entered into exploratory discussions with Promotora de Informaciones (Prisa) regarding a potential acquisition of Prisa’s stake in Portuguese media group Media Capital, which has […]

June 26, 2017By Colin Mann

Fox Sky bid decision this week

UK Culture Secretary Karen Bradley will on Thursday tell parliament her view on the plan by Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox $14.8 billion bid to acquire Britain’s Sky pay-TV business and its European subsidiaries. Bradley received regulator Ofcom’s views on the deal last week and will report to parliament on June 29. She will say […]

June 26, 2017

NZ: SKY, Vodafone end merger agreement

New Zealand pay-TV operator Sky Network Television and telco Vodafone Europe B.V.1, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vodafone Group Plc, have now decided to terminate the sale and purchase agreement in relation to the proposed merger of SKY and Vodafone New Zealand. The parties have also decided to withdraw the appeal of the Commerce Commission […]

June 26, 2017By Colin Mann