Advanced Television

M&A

Comcast homes in on NBC stake

Comcast may seal a deal to buy a controlling stake in NBC Universal from General Electric within the next week say US reports. The deal, which values NBC Universal at about $30 billion, would give Comcast, the top US cable operator, a 51 per cent stake in a joint venture that would combine its small […]

November 9, 2009

Scripps wins Travel

Scripps Networks, the owner of the Food Network and HGTV, snapped up a majority stake in the Travel Channel. Cox Communications will keep a 35% stake. The agreement between Scripps and Cox concluded a long series of bids by Scripps, the News Corporation and a number of private equity groups. "Combining the Travel Channel with […]

November 6, 2009

NBC Comcast deal closer?

According to the NYT NBC and Comcast have moved closer to a deal giving control of NBC Universal to Comcast, and a formal announcement could be made sometime next week. It says the two companies reached a tentative agreement that Comcast would own about 51 percent of NBC Universal, contributing several billions of dollars in […]

November 5, 2009

Cisco to acquire Chinese STB business

Cisco has announced a definitive agreement to acquire the set-top box business of DVN Limited. Listed in Hong Kong with major operations in China, DVN is a market and technology expert in digital cable solutions in China. Under the terms of the agreement, Cisco will pay up to $44.5 million for the set-top box business […]

November 5, 2009

Travel could fetch $1bn

Cox Communications is expected to command close to a billion dollars for the Travel Channel. The company is entertaining bids from a number of media companies, including the News Corporation and Scripps Networks and, reportedly, at least one of the offers exceeds $900 million. When Cox was first approached about a potential sale in June, […]

November 2, 2009

Kudelski refreshes OpenTV offer

The Kudelski Group has issued a letter to OpenTV shareholders regarding the tender offer commenced by Kudelski in October valuing Open at $215 million. It states: "We firmly believe that our cash offer provides OpenTV shareholders immediate liquidity at a superior value to OpenTV's future prospects, particularly given the Company's current scale and R&D challenges […]

November 2, 2009

EQT V acquires Eurocom and CableTel

EQT V, a European private equity fund, has agreed to acquire Bulgaria's two leading cable TV operators, Eurocom and CableTel. EQT V intends to merge the two entities, invest into the new company together with CableTel's current shareholder, Ron Finley, and create a major player in the Bulgarian digital TV and broadband markets. EQT V […]

October 30, 2009

Sigma Designs to acquire CopperGate

Sigma Designs and CopperGate Communications have entered into a definitive agreement for Sigma to acquire CopperGate in a cash and stock transaction with an agreed value of $160 million, net of CopperGate’s cash at the closing of the transaction. CopperGate is a provider of silicon-based modem solutions enabling distribution of broadband digital content over all […]

October 15, 2009

Cisco to acquire Starent Networks

Cisco is buying Starent Networks a supplier of IP-based mobile infrastructure solutions targeting mobile and converged carriers. Cisco will pay $35 per share for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $2.9 billion. The acquisition has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies.

October 15, 2009

Telefonica and Mediaset to take over Sogecable?

From David Del Valle in Madrid Telefonica and Berlusconi-controlled Mediaset may join forces to acquire Sogecable, owner of pay-TV platform Digital Plus and commercial TV channel Cuatro, say reports in Spain. The Italian TV group would be looking to integrate Cuatro with Tele 5, controlled by Mediaset and currently leading the audience ratings. Sogecable has […]

October 7, 2009