iWorld
Firstpost announces lauch of its web-series ‘9 months’ – season2
MUMBAI: Firstpost, India’s largest and premier platform for digital news analysis and opinions, has been the front-runner in developing and curating innovative content for its audience. It is all set to premiere Nine Months on March 14, 2018. Azim Lalani, Business Head, Firstpost said –“Following the success of Season 1 which was a finalist in the Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Sector at the Indian Marketing awards and has been acknowledged as a path breaking show that clocked over 13 million views, we are now launching Season 2.
In collaboration with Tickled Media’s theindusparent.com, South East Asia’s largest parenting website, presented by Baby Dove, co presented by Huggies, in association with Eureka Forbes & Nerolac, 9 Months will air on www.firstpost.com and on www.theindusparent.com.
Commenting on the launch, Network 18, VP, Content and Strategy, Priyanka Sehgal said, This Season has 0-1 years of the baby and parenting for single, adoptive parents. It is very real in addressing key issues related to mental health after childbirth/ separation or divorce.
9 Months is a comprehensive guide to parenting and will cover 0-1 years, from breastfeeding to care for the new born. The show will also see guest appearances of actors like Tushar Kapoor, Amrita Raichand along with Aditya Tiwari sharing their personal experiences, prominent doctors- pediatricians, psychologists and dieticians answering everything a parent is curious to know.
Please let me know incase you’d require further information on the same.
iWorld
Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square makes $64 billion bid to acquire Universal Music Group
Ackman pitches NYSE relisting plan as UMG board weighs unsolicited offer
The hedge fund has proposed a business combination that values UMG at €30.40 per share, representing a hefty 78 per cent premium to its current trading price. The offer includes €9.4 billion in cash alongside stock in a newly formed entity, with shareholders set to receive €5.05 per share in cash and 0.77 shares in the new company for each UMG share they hold.
Under the proposal, UMG would merge with Pershing Square SPARC Holdings Ltd and re-emerge as a Nevada-based entity listed on the New York Stock Exchange. The move is designed to boost investor visibility and potentially secure inclusion in major indices such as the S&P 500.
Pershing Square Capital Management ceo Bill Ackman argued that while UMG’s operational performance remains strong, its market valuation has lagged due to external factors. “UMG’s stock price has languished due to a combination of issues that are unrelated to the performance of its music business,” Ackman said, pointing to concerns ranging from shareholder overhang to delayed US listing plans.
Ackman also flagged what he sees as untapped potential in UMG’s balance sheet and a lack of clear capital allocation strategy. He added that the market has not fully recognised the value of UMG’s €2.7 billion stake in Spotify, alongside gaps in investor communication.
The proposed transaction would also result in the cancellation of around 17 per cent of UMG’s outstanding shares, while maintaining its investment-grade balance sheet. Pershing Square has said it will fully backstop the equity financing, with debt commitments secured at signing. The deal is targeted for completion by the end of the year.
UMG, however, has struck a measured tone. The company confirmed that its board has received the non-binding proposal and will review it with advisers. It reiterated confidence in its current strategy and leadership under Lucian Grainge, signalling no immediate shift in stance.
The proposal comes at a time when global music companies are navigating evolving investor expectations, streaming economics and capital allocation pressures. For Pershing Square, the bet is clear: sharpen the financial story, relist in the US, and let the music play louder in the markets.
Whether UMG’s board is ready to change the tune remains to be seen, but the spotlight on its valuation just got a lot brighter.
