Microsoft has launched a $44.6 billion takeover bid for Yahoo in an attempt to challenge Google. Microsoft’s chief executive, Steve Ballmer, claimed that combining the two companies would create a stronger challenger to Google in the online advertising market. Hesaid the deal would create a “more efficient” company with total annual synergies of $1 billion, […]

UK Business secretary John Hutton is expected to announce imminently whether he accepts the ruling of the Competition Commission that Rupert Murdoch’s pay-TV company must reduce its 17.9 per cent stake in ITV to below 7.5 per cent. It is anticipated it will insist on some sale. ITV’s share price has tumbled since Sky bought […]

PT Multimedia has acquired a 20 per cent stake in Potugese cable TV company TVTEL and will acquire the remaining 80 per cent from investment bank Caixa BI, subject to the approval of competition authorities.

From Branislav Pekic in Rome US media group CME has emerged as the frontrunner for the acquisition of regional music channel MTV Adria, according to local media reports. CME already owns MTV Romania, as well as commercial broadcasters in Croatia (Nova TV), Slovenia (Pop TV, Kanal A), Romania (Pro TV, Acasa TV, Sport.ro), Slovakia (Markiza, […]

BSkyB has been granted an extension of the time it can apply to the Competition Appeal Tribunal over a forced sale of its stake in rival broadcaster ITV. Originally BSkyB was meant to decide on an appeal by January 16th but has been granted permission to wait and hear the view of the secretary of […]

Industria, IPTV solutions provider, and Anevia, French designer of the Toucan VOD/nPVR servers, have signed a partnership agreement that is intended to ensure successful sales activities between Industria’s products and services and Anevia’s products. The main focus of the partnership will be on marketing and sales of integrated solutions featuring Industria’s flagship product, the Zignal […]

FilmFlex, the cable movies VOD service in UK, has been bought by Sony Pictures and Disney. The two studios already owned a third each of the business, and acquired the remaining third held by SeaChange subsidiary OnDemand Group. The stake was acquired for approximately $14.5 million

MTV Networks has unveiled its targeted online syndication strategy, announcing partnerships with select online video sites to deliver a vast library of video content from MTVN’s popular brands. These sites include Dailymotion, GoFish, imeem, MeeVee and Veoh, and join AOL, Bebo, Comcast’s Fancast, Joost and MSN to comprise MTVN’s portfolio of online syndication partners. MTVN’s […]

News Corporation has acquired a 14.58 per cent stake in German pay-TV operator Premiere, in a E287 million cash deal, making it the company’s biggest single shareholder. The shares were acquired from Unitymedia, Germany’s second largest cable MSO, which took the holding in February 2007 as part of a deal which enabled Premiere to show […]

Satellite operators Eutelsat has selected EADS Astrium to deliver its first satellite operating exclusively in Ka-band frequencies. The satellite will form the cornerstone of a major new satellite infrastructure programme designed to expand significantly capacity for consumer broadband services across Europe and the Mediterranean Basin, while providing new opportunities for local and regional television markets. […]