Discussion Mukesh Ambani is in talks to sell his news media assets to India’s Times Group

[Akash Solanki]

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani is in talks to sell his news media assets to India’s Times Group, as Asia’s richest man plans to unload a business that’s been losing money, people familiar with the matter said.

Bennett Coleman & Co., the publisher of the Times of India, is looking to hire advisers for due diligence on the news properties of Ambani’s Network18 Media & Investments Ltd., the people said, asking not to be named as the discussions are private. Ambani is considering various options, ranging from an outright exit to a stake sale, one of the people said.

Ambani in Talks to Sell News Assets to Times Group

 

[iDJ]

It's a win-win for Times Group. They desperately need to expand to regional space.

 

[Raju lal]

So Times - Viacom partnership for the combined entity? So the current network 18 get 3 English movie channels which they are absent. Nice deal if this happens. Better than Sony Corp.

 

[SarFa]

So Times - Viacom partnership for the combined entity? So the current network 18 get 3 English movie channels which they are absent. Nice deal if this happens. Better than Sony Corp.

This partnership is only for News channels of Network 18 bro not for Viacom 18 . Sony is in talks for the Viacom 18 Entertainment Channels

 

[Raju lal]

This partnership is only for News channels of Network 18 bro not for Viacom 18 . Sony is in talks for the Viacom 18 Entertainment Channels

It's becoming complicated. I am doubtful about Sony. The take part in all businesses and nothing happen. It's better to have a 50-50 partnership between Times and Viacom.

 

[Arundass]

Makes sense.
News 18 has 4 Business Channels
14 regional News channel
And 2 National News channels one in English and one in Hindi.
I comparison to the 20 channel's bouquet of Network 18 Times has only 2 channels that compete with Network 18 channels.
This takeover will definitely help them as times already has its print business in many regional languages.

 

[iDJ]

It's more or less gonna be outright exit. Ambani's don't need news business.

 

[Lurie]

so times to take news biz and sony to take entertainmemnt.

 

[iphifi]

Another disaster in India mediasphere. I am 100% sure that Times group cannot absorb the entire loss making regional and national news network of TV18. If they do then I am sure they will also collapse. If Times group was interested in shopping for regional news channels they would have done it long back. Basically we are entering consolidation phase. All money spending and loss making big companies are joining together to create mega corporation. Rest will collapse. Remember nobody bailed out Anil's RCOM. Now even Mukesh doesn't want to bail out his own pet company and is asking smaller moneybags to do dirty work. Zee is now mainly controlled by foreign investors. Viacom, Sony and Disney controls the rest. Only news business is remaining in Indian hand. Prepare for heavy job losses when they all retreat. If Times wants to keep profitability intact they should dodge this googly.

 

[Aksgr]

Sony is asking for 30% stake in Network 18 entertainment sector.
Which gives Sony approximately 19.83% stake on viacom18.
Sony is a pure Genius