The Indian media industry has seen a few sporadic deals recently and industry players expect further consolidation across all segments.
Here are some recent acquisitions and mergers in the Indian media space over the last one year:
- Network18 to consider selling its stake in London-listed Indian Film Company Ltd(JS6.L) to Viacom 18, a joint venture between its unit IBN18 Broadcast(IBN.BO) and U.S.-based Viacom Inc.
- Network18 board to meet in the second week of July to consider a restructuring proposal with two other entities.
- Reliance Communication has approved a proposal to acquire unlisted cable television services provider Digicable in an all-stock deal.
- Global TV giant CBS Corp(CBS.N) inked a deal with Reliance Broadcast Network to set up a JV
- Reliance Capital agreed to buy 18 per cent stake in Bloomberg UTV, a business news channel, in June. Last September, Bloomberg and UTV formed a joint venture.
- Jagran announed plans to buy the newspaper business of Mid-Day Multimedia in a share-swap deal, in May.
- US private-equity firm Blackstone Group said it will invest about $50 million in the parent of media firm Jagran Prakashan, in April.
- Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd will buy 9X, a general entertainment channel held by unlisted INX Media Pvt Ltd, in a share-swap deal.
- Fame India is caught in a takeover battle for ownership between Reliance MediaWorks and Inox Leisure.
- New Delhi Television Ltd sold stake in its general entertainment channel NDTV Imagine to a unit of Time Warner.
- NDTV's talks with Scripps Networks Interactive to sell its lifestyle unit fell through in May.
- DB Corp Ltd demerged its FM radio business and has set up a committee of directors to examine the feasibility of restructuring the organisation.
