Advanced Television

M&A

KIT buys Multicast

The shakeout of the online video services space continues. KIT Digital, the online video tools player now based in Prague, has bought rival video player Multicast, for about $18 million, a week after it announced closing a $15 million equity offering. Of the $18 million KIT-Multicast deal, $4.9 million is in cash and the rest […]

March 17, 2010

Pace sales up 50%, acquires Bewan

UK STB manufacturer Pace has reported revenues increased 52 per cent to £1.133 billion (E1.248bn) in the year to end-December 2009, up from £745.5 million the previous year. Profit before tax was up 405 per cent to £69.9 million. Neil Gaydon, CEO, said: ‘In 2009 Pace delivered exceptional growth and record results and is now […]

March 3, 2010

EC green-lights UK Orange, T-Mobile merger

The European Commission has granted clearance for the proposed merger of the UK businesses of Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom. The new joint venture company is expected to generate estimated synergies with a value in excess of E4 billion. The new business will have pro forma 2009 revenues of approximately E8.5 billion and EBITDA of […]

March 3, 2010

EchoStar to acquire Satmex

EchoStar Satellite Services and Satelites Mexicanos have confirmed EchoStar will acquire an ownership interest in Satmex. Satmex is Mexico’s leading satellite operator and delivers video, audio and data services to the Americas. MVS Comunicaciones, one of the largest media and telecommunications companies in Mexico and EchoStar’s partner in the Mexican direct-to-home TV service Dish Mexico, […]

March 2, 2010

Qwest invests in Zillion TV

US telco Qwest Communications has invested $10 million in start-up ZillionTV in return for exclusive rights to offer the IP-delivered video-on-demand service in the telco's footprint, according to legal documents. Unlike fellow telcos Verizon and AT&T, Qwest is unable to cross-subsidise an over the top or IPTV build-out with wireless revenues. It is also likely […]

February 25, 2010

Walmart acquires VUDU

Walmart is to acquire VUDU, provider of digital technologies and services that enable the delivery of entertainment content directly to broadband HD TVs and Blu-ray players. VUDU is built into a growing number of broadband-ready TVs and Blu-ray players, that delivers instant access to thousands of movies and TV shows directly through the television. Customers […]

February 24, 2010

Murdoch stake in Rotana

Rotana Media, the broadcast and music group owned by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, is selling a $70 million stake to News Corp. Rotana said that News Corp had agreed to buy a 9.09 per cent stake with an option to take this up to 18.18 per cent. The deal creates a cross shareholding […]

February 24, 2010

Vivendi says it owns 80% of Canal Plus

Vivendi has declared it now owns 80 per cent of Canal Plus France, after acquiring a 5.1 per cent stake in the television channel for E384.2 million from French broadcaster M6-Metropole Television. Vivendi confirmed it plans to buy out minority shareholders in Canal Plus France and that an expert evaluation is being carried out to […]

February 24, 2010

Liberty completes J:COM sale

Liberty Global has completed the sale of its 37.8 per cent stake in Jupiter Telecommunications (J:COM) to KDDI in a $4bn cash deal. The Tokyo-based carrier earlier this month scaled back its plan, saying it would retain 31.1 percent of Jupiter and place 6.7 percent in a trust bank, after the bid led Japan's financial […]

February 22, 2010

CME buys bTV

Central European Media Enterprises is buying News Corp's bTV, the free-to-air commercial television channel in Bulgaria, as well as the bTV Cinema and bTV Comedy cable channels and 74 per cent of Radio Company C.J. OOD which operates several radio stations (the bTV Group). Total consideration is $400 million cash. The transaction is subject to […]

February 19, 2010