iWorld
Yupp Video and Gaim join forces to launch Heartland+ OTT App
MUMBAI: Yupp Video Services has struck a new chord in the streaming world. The B2B arm of YuppTV has partnered with Get After It Media to launch Heartland+, a fresh OTT platform that takes the popular Heartland Network beyond television and straight into the digital spotlight.
The collaboration blends Yupp Video Services’ white label OTT expertise with Gaim’s feel good entertainment brands, including Heartland, Retro TV, The Family Channel, The Action Channel and Rev’n. The result is a streaming app designed to feel familiar yet future ready.
Heartland+ will serve up a rich mix of country music, family friendly programming and action packed content, all wrapped in the network’s unmistakable country soul. Backed by the latest streaming technology, the platform offers both subscription options and a diverse range of data driven advertising formats.
Set to roll out in the second quarter, the app promises smooth viewing across connected TVs, mobiles and the web. Viewers get flexibility and choice, while advertisers gain sharper targeting and smarter ad solutions at scale.
Yupp Video Services founder and CEO Uday Reddy, said the partnership brings together technology and tradition in a compelling way. He noted that Heartland+ combines advanced analytics for advertisers with seamless, multi device viewing for audiences.
Get After It Media co president and CEO Joel Wertman, added that data driven audience solutions are central to the company’s future. He said working with Yupp Video Services enables Gaim to deliver greater efficiency, reach and relevance for advertisers.
With Heartland+ ready to stream, country roots are meeting digital wings, and both viewers and advertisers stand to enjoy the ride.
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.
