English Entertainment
Time Warner eyes purchase of Colorado-based cable co. Adelphia
MUMBAI: Time Warner Inc., is considering buying the bankrupt Colorado based cable operator Adelphia Communications Corp.
Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons was recently quoted in the media saying, “Adelphia is obviously a situation that anyone interested in expanding in the cable space will want to look at. We’ll certainly take a look to see if there’s a way that we can do something that’s good for our shareholders.”
He also said that he might add to Time Warner’s cable unit because it was growing faster than any of the company’s other businesses.
Time Warner can be “a little more aggressive,” Parsons said, now that its net debt is down to a three-year low of $18.8 billion. One media report said that Adelphia may fetch more than $20 billion in a sale.
Parsons also said that he would avoid spending too much purchasing other companies. Time Warner’s interest in Adelphia was reported last month by the Wall Street Journal, citing sources it didn’t identify.
A sale may value Adelphia, the fifth-largest US cable company, at as much as $20.5 billion. Adelphia’s cable systems have more than 5.3 million subscribers.
The media report said that the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection two years ago, claiming more than $18 billion in debt. While on the other hand, Adelphia founder John Rigas is on trial on fraud charges in US.
Parsons was also quoted as saying that he wanted to expand in the cable business because of its multiple revenue streams and because owning cable systems helps Time Warner’s entertainment-content businesses.
Owning cable systems assures Time Warner a means of distributing Warner Bros. movies and TV shows and programming from Time Warner’s cable networks, which include HBO and CNN.
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.
