English Entertainment
Comcast outbids 21st CF in Sky deal with $40 bn offe
MUMBAI: US cable giant Comcast made a winning bid against 21st Century Fox and the Walt Disney Co for European pay-TV operator Sky by offering nearly $40 billion. The rare three round auction was managed by UK's Takeover Panel.
The Philadelphia based company offered about $40 billion at $22.57 per share for Sky in the knockout bid. Rupert Murdoch-owned Fox offered about $35 billion at $20.46 per share.
“This is a great day for Comcast,” Comcast chairman and CEO Brian L Roberts declared. He hailed Sky as “a wonderful company with a great platform, tremendous brand, and accomplished management team”.
While 21st Century Fox already owns 39 per cent of the company, both the competitors were contesting for 61 per cent control of Sky. The European pay-TV company has time until 11 October to accept the offer. Fox has an ardent quest to take over the rest of the Sky it does not already own.
For any company who wants to expand international business in European countries, Sky would be a lucrative option with its 23 million customer base across five European countries. Hence the over expensive bid from Comcast did not come as a surprise, as it could almost double its user base on the back of the offer. “This acquisition will allow us to quickly, efficiently and meaningfully increase our customer base,” Roberts said in a statement.
Though the long running bid process has come to an end following the knock out bid, Fox could refuse tender the 39 percent of Sky that it currently owns. It will leave Comcast to share the company with Fox.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
