Advanced Television

M&A

Italian pay-TV “ripe for consolidation”

There are Italian press reports that Sky (which controls the Sky UK, Sky Germany and Sky Italia broadcasters) has offered €1.1 billion to buy Mediaset’s pay-TV arm, which Mediaset has rejected. In a note to clients, investment bank Exane BNP-Paribas hints that this is good news for both Mediaset and Sky. The bank’s report says […]

July 2, 2015By Chris Forrester

Scripps completes TVN acquisition

Scripps Networks Interactive has closed on its agreement to acquire a 52.7 per cent interest in Poland’s premier multi-platform media company, TVN, from ITI and Canal+ Group for an all-cash consideration of €584 million. Scripps Networks Interactive will also assume €856 million of debt. “The acquisition of TVN marks an important step forward in Scripps […]

July 2, 2015

upc cablecom acquires Maladers cable network

The glass fibre optic cable network in the municipality of Maladers in the canton of Graubünde has so far been run by cable operator Tele Maladers, Genossenschaft für das Kabelfernsehen. The operator has now sold the glass fibre optic cable network to long-term partner upc cablecom effective immediately. Thanks to upc cablecom’s acquisition of the […]

July 2, 2015

Vivendi takes 80% of Dailymotion

French media giant Vivendi has closed the acquisition of an 80 per cent stake in video-sharing portal Dailymotion from Orange for €217 million. The pair announced on April 7 that they had entered into exclusive negotiations regarding the acquisition. Orange will retain a 20 per cent stake in the company. The acquisition gives Vivendi access […]

July 1, 2015

Ooyala acquires Nativ

In a move that expands its technology stack into video production, pre-production and broadcast planning for hybrid OTT and on-air video services, video, analytics and advertising technology provider Ooyala, an independent subsidiary of telecommunications company Telstra, has acquired Nativ, a provider of cloud-based media logistics and workflow software and services. Nativ’s modular suite of media […]

June 30, 2015

Altice clarifies Bouygues offer

Multinational cable and telecommunications player Altice has issued clarification of its bid to acquire fellow French mobile telco Bouygues Telecom, noting with regret that the Bouyges Board had decided not to follow up on the Altice group’s offer to enter into negotiations, but had not once, either through its advisers or through its management teams, […]

June 26, 2015By Colin Mann

Vivendi becomes Telecom Italia’s largest shareholder

Vivendi has received 1.11 billion ordinary shares (or 8.24 per cent) of Telecom Italia in exchange for 4.5 per cent of the share capital of Telefonica Brasil, in accordance with the option given to it as part of the sale of GVT to Telefonica, which closed on May 28th 2015. Separately, the Group increased its […]

June 25, 2015

beIN Sports to acquire Digiturk

beIN Sports, the Qatar-based broadcaster, is ready to pay $1.5 billion (€1.3bn) for Digiturk and is close to finalising a deal according to Bloomberg. Previous reports in Turkish media had already suggested that Digiturk had been offloaded to Qatari beIn Media Group, the parent company of beIn Sports. Digiturk is Turkey’s premier cable provider with […]

June 24, 2015

ITV acquires Twofour Group

ITV is set to acquire Boom Supervisory Limited, the holding company of the Twofour Group, as the commercial broadcaster continues to strengthen its global content business. The acquisition supports ITV Studios’ growth internationally by increasing its exposure to factual entertainment formats and drama. Twofour is a fast growing group of companies that produced over 1,200 […]

June 24, 2015

Israeli government approves Bezeq, Yes merger

Israel’s government has approved a plan by Bezeq to take full control of satellite TV operator Yes after determining it would not harm competition in the multi-channel TV market. The approval by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, acting as communications minister, came after Israel’s cable and satellite TV council said there was no reason to reject […]

June 24, 2015