MUMBAI: Is Brian Roberts playing party pooper? Or is he really serious? The Comcast CEO is believed to be still making eyes at 21st Century Fox assets, according to a report by Wall Street Journal. The paper says he is reportedly mounting a renewed bid to acquire either all the entertainment properties of Fox or parts of it which might be of no interest to the mouse house.
In December 2017, both Rupert Murdoch and Disney’s Bob Iger had announced a colossal take over of 21st Century Fox’s TV, film studio, international pay TV assets for a sum of$52.4 billion. Roberts had reportedly been willing to pay $60 billion – about 15 per cent higher - but he did not get a serious shot at a deal.
The reason: an acquisition of Fox by Comcast would have not passed anti-trust and monopoly muster. Hence, the Murdochs preferred to go with Iger’s offer.
WSJ says it did not receive a response from either Fox or Disney and that Comcast may not really make a definitive offer to acquire the mouse house catch finally. Because he is awaiting a ruling on the AT&T-Time Warner antitrust suit that comes up for hearing on 19 March.
The Murdochs own 39 per cent in 21st Century Fox through a family trust. And the Disney deal saw the family retaining all the TV news assets of the Fox empire.
The two companies' intent to deal is likely to take up to 18 months to accomplish, keeping in mind the regulatory hurdles it has to comply with.
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