Global Agency has acquired the worldwide format rights (excluding the United States and Canada) for the hit game show Catch 21 from Merrill Heatter, creator of The Hollywood Squares. The fast-paced game show combines the card game “21” with pop-culture trivia questions, featuring three contestants facing off against each other to start a blackjack hand from an oversized, but otherwise standard, 52-card deck. High pressured and edgy, with plenty of laughs, players can … [Read more...] about Global Agency acquires international rights for “Catch 21”
acquisition
YouTube to acquire Twitch for US$1 billion
Reuters – Google Inc's YouTube unit has reached a deal to acquire videogame-streaming service Twitch for more than US$1 billion, according to a report in Variety, the entertainment news publication. The all-cash deal is expected to be announced "imminently", according to the report on May 18, which cited unnamed sources. Officials at Google and Twitch declined to comment on the matter. San Francisco-based Twitch allows consumers to broadcast live video streams of themselves … [Read more...] about YouTube to acquire Twitch for US$1 billion
AT&T to acquire DirecTV
Dallas and El Segundo, California – AT&T and DirecTV announced on May 18 that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which AT&T will acquire DirecTV in a stock-and-cash transaction for US$95 per share based on AT&T’s closing price on May 16, resulting in an estimated price of US$48.5 billion. The agreement has been approved unanimously by the Boards of Directors of both companies. The transaction combines complementary strengths to create a unique new … [Read more...] about AT&T to acquire DirecTV
Discovery Communications and Liberty Global to acquire All3Media
London – Discovery Communications and Liberty Global announced on May 8 an agreement to form a 50:50 joint venture to acquire All3Media, an international producer and distributor of award-winning TV programming, from its founders and the Permira funds. All3Media, the largest independent production group in the U.K. with headquarters in London, has a strong presence in the U.S., Germany, the Netherlands and New Zealand, and has 26 creative centres in the world’s largest TV … [Read more...] about Discovery Communications and Liberty Global to acquire All3Media
Prisa accepts Telefonica’s €735 million pay tv-business offer
Reuters – Prisa, the indebted Spanish group that publishes El Pais newspaper, said on May 7 its board had accepted an offer from Telefonica to buy the 56 percent it owns in the pay-TV firm Distribuidora de Television Digital (DTS). Telefonica, which already owned 22 percent of DTS, known in Spain as Digital+, had made a €725 million (US$1 billion) binding bid on May 6. The remaining 22 percent of the group is owned by the Spanish unit of Italy's Mediaset. In a statement to … [Read more...] about Prisa accepts Telefonica’s €735 million pay tv-business offer
ITV acquires Leftfield Entertainment Group
ITV plc announced on May 7 that it has agreed to acquire a controlling interest in Leftfield Entertainment Group from its founder and CEO Brent Montgomery. This acquisition, which has already gained regulatory approval, makes ITV Studios US Group the largest unscripted independent producer in the U.S. and will be earnings enhancing from day one. Leftfield is a fast growing U.S. independent producer of reality programmes who sold its first series in 2008. Leftfield also owns Sirens Media and … [Read more...] about ITV acquires Leftfield Entertainment Group
