iWorld
Ping & One Network Entertainment partner to power digital video creators
MUMBAI: PING Digital Network has inked a strategic alliance with multi platform network of online video content One Network Entertainment, with a focus on the comic genre.
As part of this alliance, the two companies will be launching a first of its kind ‘Creators Collective’ to provide creators everything to become successful publishers.
The Creators Collective is an initiative designed for creators to produce content, collaborate with other creators and learn the art to becoming a publisher. With regular workshops by experts, sessions by and for brands, advertisers and creators, this will become a vibrant content creation hub.
One and Ping now boast of about 10,000 sq ft of studio cum office space in Mumbai comprising creative teams, equipment with live broadcast and production facilities, and edit suites along with all the resources that creators require to showcase their talent. Inspired by the YouTube Spaces, The Creators Collective will enable talent to hone their skils & collaborate with other talent to create break through content.
PING Network co-founder and director Rajeshree Naik said, “We are delighted to partner with One Network Entertainment to further strengthen our proposition of being a one-stop shop for the best digital video creators in India. This alliance is also a testimony of our own DNA as creators making us the preferred platform for the creator community. Through this partnership we also add the much sought after genre of comedy to our exisiting content making it more attractive for brands & advertisers. We now become a network of over 550 channels with close to 85 million views a month bringing huge scale to the both creators & advertisers.”
One Network co-founder Abe Thomas added, “One Network with over 70 million views and a distribution network across 20+ global video platforms, is very enthused with the synergies that we can jointly exploit with an MCN like Ping Network. We believe that through this partnership we will be able to collaborate with brands and advertisers and provide them with opportunities to interact, collaborate with a wider range of creators.”
Ping Network co-founder & vice president talent and acquisitions Anagha Rajadhyaksha added, “We have already had some great brainstorming sessions and look forward to the possibility of jointly creating some exciting and engaging formats. We are also looking at getting at least 100 new premium talent on line over the next six months.”
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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.
