iWorld
Sky Television NZ and Vodafone NZ to merge to offer content
BENGALURU: Sky Network Television of New Zealand and Vodafone New Zealand have agreed to a merger that that will enable offering customers packages of entertainment, broadband and mobile. Sky Network Television NZ has no connection with the European pay-TV company with a similar name. The deal will create a leading integrated player capable of delivering content across all platforms and devices.
“The value of this transaction is bringing together two of New Zealand’s leading brands in their field. Together, we will serve 3.5 million customers. Video over mobile is the fastest growing field of our industry. I believe this combined entity will be in the best position to exploit this opportunity. With Vodafone we will be able to distribute our content to more customers with more devices than ever before,” said Sky CEO John Fellet.
Vodafone NZ CEO Russell Stanners said: “The merger brings together SKY’s leading sports and entertainment content with our extensive mobile and fixed networks, enabling customers to enjoy their favourite shows or follow their team wherever they are.
Subject to regulatory clearance Vodafone will have a 51 percent stake in the combined group through the cash and share deal that has an equivalent enterprise value of NZ$3.44 billion (€2.15 billion). Sky will acquire all of the shares of the mobile phone provider through the issue of new Sky shares and a cash payment of NZ$1.25 billion, which will be funded through new debt, and the rest in new Sky shares.
The new Sky Network Television shares are to be issued at NZ$5.40 which represents a 21 percent premium to the last close of NZ$4.47 and a 27 percent premium to one month value weighted average premium (VWAP) of $4.25 as at June 7, 2016.
Besides being the largest media company in New Zealan, Sky Network Television is the country’s largest subscription television operator with 830,000 subscriptions serving almost half of the country. It has exclusive sports rights including rugby, cricket, netball, the Rio Olympics and the next 2 FIFA world cups. 90 percent of the company’s estimated NZ$929 million revenues for 2016 are likely to come from subscription, with advertising contributing around 8 percent and ‘others’ the rest.
60 percent of Vodafone NZ’s 2016 revenues of NZ$ 1,999 came from the mobile phone segment and it is a market leader with about 2.35 million customers. 40 percent of its 2016 revenue came from the 500,000 fixed line broadband and home phone subscribers. 55 percent of Vodafone NZ’s revenue comes from consumers,36 percent from enterprise and the rest from wholesale.
iWorld
Prime Video unveils trailer for Tamil series Exam, streaming May 15
Dushara Vijayan, Aditi Balan headline scam thriller set in exam world
CHENNAI: Prime Video has dropped the official trailer of its upcoming Tamil Original series Exam, a high-stakes suspense drama set in the murky world of competitive entrance exams.
Backed by creative producers Pushkar and Gayatri under Wallwatcher Films, the seven-episode series is written and directed by National Award-winner A. Sarkunam. It stars Dushara Vijayan and Aditi Balan in lead roles, with Abbas playing a pivotal character.
Set in the fictional town of Thykara, the series follows Jhansi, played by Dushara Vijayan, as she attempts to expose a deep-rooted scam, aided by her mentor Jayachandran, played by Abbas. Standing in her way is DSP Maramalli, portrayed by Aditi Balan, setting up a tense face-off driven by ambition, pressure and moral choices.
The show will stream from May 15 on Prime Video in India and across more than 240 countries and territories. It will be available in Tamil, with dubbed versions in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada, along with subtitles in 15 languages.
Writer-director A. Sarkunam said the story aims to resonate across geographies and social strata, going beyond the scam to explore ambition, pressure and the consequences of personal choices. He added that the narrative unfolds through the intersecting journeys of Jhansi and Maramalli, building tension as their worlds collide.
Dushara Vijayan described Jhansi as a fierce and determined character, calling the role both demanding and rewarding, with the story capturing the difficult choices her character must make.
Aditi Balan said the series offers a hard-hitting look at the exam ecosystem, adding that her character is layered and shaped by both internal conflict and external pressures.
Abbas, marking his return to mainstream Tamil entertainment, said the series stands out for its layered storytelling and unpredictable twists, with his character adding depth to the central narrative.
With its mix of suspense, social commentary and character-driven storytelling, Exam is shaping up to be a tense watch as it dives into one of India’s most high-pressure systems.
