iWorld
Poll schedule on social media shows unprecedented reach
NEW DELHI: The impact of the social media and mobile apps became evident when the live-streaming of the Election Commission of India’s press meet on 4 January 2017 to announce the dates of elections in five states reached unprecedented figures.
The press conference by the ECI was live-streamed on the Information and Broadcasting’s YouTube channel and on the Facebook Pages of Press Information Bureau, the Ministry, and Facebook India. Important highlights of the announcement were also tweeted live by PIB and MIB, and shared on their Facebook Pages as well.
The actual figures of the reach of the relevant information on the ECI Press Conference the among the Citizens are as follows:
(Figures as on 7:00 PM, 4 January, 2017)
Among MIB’s social media accounts, a total of 22 tweets, 5 Facebook and 1 YouTube posts were made on Assembly Election Schedule.
On Facebook, the 5 posts achieved a Total Reach of over 5,24,000 people, 1,219 Likes and 140 Shares.
The ECI press conference was also Live-streamed on Ministry’s Facebook page, which received 12,000 views and reached over 4,95,000 people.
A total of 55,127 Impressions were achieved for the 22 tweets made from MIB handle. These were re-tweeted 1,448 times and 550 favourites were achieved.
The Live Stream of the ECI Press Conference on YouTube achieved 1,700 views.
Among PIB’s social media accounts, a total of 68 tweets and 10 Facebook posts were made on Assembly Election Schedule. The Facebook posts achieved a total reach of more than 29,700 people, 167 Likes and 46 Shares, while PIB’s tweets resulted in 650,000 impressions (views), 4,140 re-tweets and 951 favourites, as of now.
The live-streaming of the event on PIB’s Facebook page has reached 3,04,000 people and fetched more than 800 views.
In addition to the above platforms, the ECI press conference was live streamed for the first time on two Facebook pages, Facebook India and Government, Politics and Non Profits, which collectively received a massive response with more than 100,000 video views and reached over 1.3 million people on Facebook. The Facebook Live Stream received 6,400 likes and 624 shares. (Figures as on 7:00 PM, 4th January, 2017)
On Twitter, Top Trending Hashtags throughout the day were #ElectionCommission, #AssemblyElection, Manipur & Goa, 5 States, Phase2, Uttarakhand and Model Code of Conduct.
The maximum potential reach was achieved on the hashtags #ElectionCommission and #AssemblyElection of about 2.12 million and 2.01 million respectively.
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.
