iWorld
Relaunched Gyan Darshan goes digital and mobile, also serve diaspora
MUMBAI: IGNOU has relaunched Gyan Darshan, its educational broadcast channel, which is said to be a major step in implementing education through electronic media. The channel was launched through webcasting along with Ignou’s Electronic Media Production Centre (EMPC) page on Facebook.
IGNOU’s programmes will be available on the mobile phones too. The channel’s content will also serve the Indian diasporas globally, also enlightening them with contemporary achievements of India.
EMPC initiatives will also help IGNOU’s study centres in West Asia (Middle-East) and African countries to enhance the learning processes of the foreign students.
IGNOU has started Gyan Vani interactive radio counselling programmes already through both, webcasting and broadcasts.
Gyan Darshan was operating well until June, 2014, as a significant channel for educational programmes but was closed by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to help its migration to GSAT-10.
The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) vice-chancellor Prof Ravindra Kumar, while launching the webcast, said that they were digital and open university — closing the chasm between Ignou and the learners.
EMPC director Prof Kapil Kumar said the platform would be used as a promotional tool India’s cultural awareness and empowerment on a variety of issues and challenges related to societal development, environment and cultural heritage, etc.
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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.
