Just days after Vodafone Portugal announced it will take a stake in Sport TV, Portugal Telecom, through its pay-TV unit MEO, has revealed plans to become a shareholder of the Portuguese premium sports network. According to Portugal Telecom, “an agreement of understanding has already been signed with the goal of joining the shareholding structure of […]
Vodafone Group and cable MSO Liberty Global have welcomed the conditional clearance by the European Commission of the two companies’ proposed merger of their operating businesses in the Netherlands to form a 50:50 joint venture. Following its Phase I investigation, the European Commission concluded that the transaction, as modified by the commitments offered by the […]
Time Warner is to become a 10 per cent owner of premium streaming TV service Hulu. Time Warner joins The Walt Disney Company, 21st Century Fox, and Comcast in the joint venture. Reports emerged mid-November 2015 that Hulu was seeking to sell a stake to Time Warner as part of a deal that would value the company at […]
London-based satellite operator Inmarsat, in a formal Stock Exchange notice, says it has noted the recent press speculation regarding the position of Avanti Communications. Inmarsat says that it was contacted by Avanti’s advisors following the Avanti “strategic review” (and profits warning) and formal sale process, and responded to that contact. “Inmarsat confirms it has withdrawn […]
Discovery Communications has taken a minority stake in VS Media, a MultiChannel Network (MCN) that super-serves digital natives in Greater China. With more than 55 million subscribers and 320 million video views a month, VS Media is the largest MCN that focuses on Chinese content creators. Founded in 2013 by media entrepren€Ivy Wong, VS Media […]
Vodafone Portugal has purchased one third of premium sports network Sport TV, distributed in Portugal via all major cable networks. Sport TV will now be equally owned by three shareholders – Vodafone Portugal, NOS and Olivedesportos – each with 33.3 per cent of the capital. Sport TV was launched in 1998 as the only dedicated […]
Moody’s Financial Services has downgraded London-based satellite operator Avanti Communications, saying – in essence – a default is “almost inevitable” and that Avanti is unlikely to meet its financial obligations in 2016” and adding that there is now potential for marking Avanti’s debt bonds down to CC or ‘junk bond’ status unless the operator can […]
Pinewood Studios, the home of many international blockbuster films and movie classics, is set to be acquired by investment fund Venus Grafton in a deal that values the company at £323.3 million (€383.7m). On February 10th 2016, Pinewood appointed Rothschild to assist with a strategic review of Pinewood’s capital base and structure. The background to […]
French media group Vivendi has clarified that its CEO Arnaud de Puyfontaine, in a letter dated June 21st, informed Mediaset Management of significant differences in the analysis of its subsidiary, Mediaset Premium’s results, for which the two companies are currently in negotiations. In addition, the Group made a proposal to Mediaset on July 25th to […]
Media analysts at Deutsche Bank now caution that investors must consider Italy’s Mediaset as a “take-out” candidate, and – in the bank’s view – is now the leading M&A prospect in the Media sector. Events this week, not least Vivendi completely altering the ‘agreement’ it had to acquire 100 per cent of Mediaset Premium, have […]