Harry Sloan, the former chairman of the MGM film studio, has emerged as a potential bidder for a stake in Nine Entertainment, the Australian media company. The former entertainment lawyer has held early-stage talks with the Asia-Pacific arm of CVC Capital Partners, which owns Nine, and retained bankers to examine a possible bid, these people […]
Australian pay-TV operators Foxtel and Austar have completed their merger transaction, creating a national subscription television service intended to deliver innovative new digital products and content for all Australian consumers. The new Foxtel will directly employ approximately 2,500 people, service 2.2 million subscriber households, and entertain over seven million viewers each week. Richard Freudenstein, Foxtel […]
Google has announced that the acquisition of Motorola Mobility Holdings has closed, with Google acquiring MMI for $40 per share in cash. Google says the acquisition will enable it to supercharge the Android ecosystem and will enhance competition in mobile computing. Motorola Mobility will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. Google […]
Advanced digital video services global provider Avail-TVN has secured $100 million of new investment funding from global alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group enabling it to acquire UK-based On Demand Group, a provider of video on demand services to some of the biggest television brands outside of the United States. Avail-TVN paid $27 million on […]
Kabel Deutschland has has confirmed that it is to acquire fellow German cable MSO Tele Columbus. The purchase price amounts to €603 million plus accrued interest. As of December 31, 2011, this would have been equivalent to €618 million. The purchase price will provide for repayment in full of the financial debt of Tele Columbus. […]
Chinese regulators have approved Google’s $12.5 billion purchase of US phone maker Motorola Mobility, the final hurdle for the deal to go through. It has already won clearance from US and European regulators. The acquisition would be Google’s biggest ever. Chinese authorities said Google must keep its mobile software, Android, free for other device makers […]
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp is increasing its holdings in Prince Alwaleed bin Talal’s Rotana Media. News Corp already held 14.5 per cent of Saudi Arabian group and is paying $35 million for new shares which will take their holdings to 18.97 per cent. The news was reported in the Saudi Gazette and followed a Rotana […]
The Commerce Commission has completed its investigation into the joint venture between Television New Zealand Limited (TVNZ) and Sky Network Television Limited (Sky) finding the pay TV market will not be less competitive as a result of the venture. In November 2011, TVNZ entered into a joint venture agreement with Sky to launch a new […]
Digital sports rights company Perform has acquired real-time data firm RunningBall in a deal worth up to €120 million. The deal is the largest takeover yet by Perform, whose largest shareholder is US billionaire Leonard Blavatnik. Under the terms of the deal Perform, which listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2011, will pay a […]
Japan’s largest mobile telco is about to buy in to mobile media content in Europe by buying Buongiorno, the Italian producer of games, music and other services. NTT DoCoMo has bid €224 million. DoCoMo says it wants to grow outside of Asia by adding Buongiorno’s two billion customers in 57 countries. It already invested in […]