Although recent reports had suggested that streaming service DAZN was on the verge of clinching a deal to acquire BT Sport, Discovery has emerged as the frontrunner, with confirmation from BT that it has entered into exclusive discussions with Discovery regarding a new joint venture between BT Sport and Eurosport UK. The telco also revealed […]
UK multiplay telco Virgin Media O2 (VMO2) is planning to launch a fibre network construction joint venture led by owners Liberty Global and Telefónica, according to reports. Such an operation would seek to rival BT’s Openreach digital infrastructure arm. The new company is seeking a substantial sum from third-party investors, with one source suggesting the […]
Integrated satellite and terrestrial network operator Intelsat and Thales Alenia Space – the Joint Venture between Thales and Leonardo – have signed an agreement to build two software-defined satellites designed to advance Intelsat’s global fabric of software-defined GEO connectivity as part of its 5G software-defined network. “The orders were not unexpected,” notes Chris Forrester. “Now that […]
In a move that is intended to accelerate the growth of its advanced advertising business while helping scale the overall market for advanced TV, multichannel programmer Discovery will become a minority owner of advanced advertising company OpenAP, bringing simplicity and scale to audience-based campaigns in television. Discovery joins FOX, NBCUniversal and ViacomCBS in the joint […]
Discovery is reported to be in talks about BT’s sale of its sports unit, despite earlier confirmation in September that sports streaming service DAZN was in “advanced” discussions. Discovery, which owns Eurosport and certain rights to the Olympic Games, is understood to be discussing a joint venture with BT that would combine their sports broadcasting […]
Communications and entertainment company Liberty Latin America and integrated telecommunications service provider América Móvil have agreed to combine their respective Chilean operations, VTR and Claro Chile, to form a 50:50 joint venture. The proposed transaction combines the complementary operations of VTR, a leading provider of high-speed consumer fixed products, such as broadband and pay-TV services, […]
US multiplay telco AT&T and TPG Capital, the private equity platform of global alternative asset firm TPG, have closed their transaction establishing a new company named DirecTV. This new company will own and operate the DirecTV, AT&T TV and U-verse video services previously owned and operated by AT&T. DirecTV had approximately 15.4 million premium video […]
Liberty Global has revealed its Q1 2021 financial results which show that its convergence strategy added +80,000 broadband and +146,000 post-paid mobile subscribers. CEO Mike Fries stated: “As we continue to execute through the challenges of Covid-19, we’re hopeful that better and safer times lie ahead for our employees and our customers. While the well-being […]
Although the planned merger combining Virgin Media and O2 is still subject to approval by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK, Liberty Global and Telefónica have announced their intention to appoint Lutz Schüler as Chief Executive Officer and Patricia Cobian as Chief Financial Officer of the proposed 50-50 joint venture. Schüler joined […]
Media group RTL’s largest business unit, Mediengruppe RTL Deutschland, is to acquire the outstanding 50 per cent shareholding in digital entertainment company Super RTL, having signed a binding agreement with its current joint venture partner, BVI Television Investments, Inc., a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. This will take RTL Group’s shareholding in Super RTL […]