Sony Pictures Television Networks has completed its buyout of Dutch channel group Film1 from Liberty Global, after gaining approval from the European Commission. The closing of the deal and means SPT’s channels arm now fully owns and operates the five Film1-branded pay TV channels – Film1 Premiere, Film1 Action, Film1 Comedy and Kids, Film1 Spotlight […]
Liberty Global is reorganising its European businesses, merging UPC Ireland with Virgin Media and UPC Netherlands with Ziggo to create a simpler debt structure. Reuters reported that chief financial officer Charlie Bracken told an investor call yesterday that the new structure was “the culmination of a long journey” that would create a “more investor friendly […]
Liberty Global has completed its tender offer for Dutch cable operator Ziggo and will own 100% of the firm’s outstanding shares, Liberty confirmed yesterday. Announcing Liberty Global’s third quarter results, company CEO Mike Fries (pictured) said that Liberty will immediately begin the integration of Ziggo and UPC Netherlands, “which we expect will drive substantial cost […]
Liberty Global has bought a 6.4% stake in UK terrestrial broadcaster ITV for £481 million (US$822.9 million). Announcing the deal this morning, Liberty said it had acquired the 259.8 million ITV shares from BSkyB at £1.85 per share. Sky said it intends to use the proceeds for “general corporate purposes”, though analysts have suggested it […]
The board of Dutch cable leader Ziggo has recommended a €35.74 (US$48.71) per share offer by Liberty Global to acquire the 71.5% of the company that it doesn’t already own. Liberty has also said that its current Dutch chief Baptiest Coopmans (pictured) will take over as Ziggo CEO once the deal is complete. Bert Groenewegen […]
European antitrust watchdog the European Commission will review Liberty Global’s agreed takeover of Dutch cable operator Ziggo. According to reports, the regulator has been formally notified of the deal and has until April 23 to either approve it or launch a more detailed investigation. The European Commission can also choose to refer the agreement to […]
Spanish operator ONO’s board of directors have backed plans to take the company public, despite reports of a takeover approach from Vodafone. In a statement, following a board meeting at the company’s headquarters in Madrid yesterday, ONO said that no proposals related to an acquisition of the firm were presented or discussed. Instead, it said […]
AMC Networks has closed its €750 million (US$1 billion) acquisition of global channels operator and content company Chellomedia from Liberty Global. The deal is for “substantially all” of Liberty’s interests in Chello, excluding Dutch premium cable channels Film1 and Sport1. Chello Central Europe, Chello Latin America, Chello Multicanal, Chello Zone, ad sales unit Atmedia and […]
Liberty Global has agreed to buy Ziggo, in a deal that values the Dutch cable operator at roughly €10 billion (US$13.7 billion). The stock and cash deal will see Liberty offer roughly €34.53 per Ziggo share, based on its own current share price. This marks a premium of 22% on Ziggo’s closing share price of […]
Liberty Global has upped its stake in the Netherlands’ largest cable operator Ziggo to 28.5% – more than doubling the 12.65% holding it originally bought back in March. In a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Liberty said that it had acquired 17.5 million additional shares in Ziggo, which it financed through a […]
