Sky faces its big match in fight with BT for Premier League TV football December 2, 2014 Sometime early next year – and no one knows precisely when such is the secrecy surrounding the process – the Premier League will launch an auction to decide who will broadcast live matches for three seasons from 2016-17. And analysts are divided over whether Sky, which has held most of the broadcast rights since the [...]
Sky recruits Lazard bank advisers to explore mobile push as BT confirms takeover talks with O2 and EE December 1, 2014 Sky has appointed advisers, including investment bank Lazard, to examine its UK mobile options, City A.M. understands. The move, first reported by the Financial Times, comes as the telecoms sector has lit up with deal talk over the past week since BT confirmed its takeover talks with O2 and EE to enter the mobile [...]
FTSE closes the day flat as miners weigh on BT and Sky gains – London Report November 25, 2014 BRITAIN’S top share index yesterday steadied near a twomonth high, as stronger banking stocks were offset by a fall in mining companies as metals prices weakened. The blue chip FTSE 100 index closed 1.35 points higher, or flat in percentage terms, at 6,731.14 points. The index reached a two-month high last week. Disappointing earnings from [...]
As BT prepares to buy O2 or EE, Sky remains sceptical of need for mobile offering November 24, 2014 Pay TV group Sky, recently rebranded from BSkyB, remained unconvinced by the need for a mobile offering yesterday, after its biggest rival BT looked poised to buy either EE or O2 in a £10bn mobile deal. While Sky’s services include TV, broadband and fixed-line telephone in the UK, the £15.3bn group has yet to offer [...]
James Murdoch steps down as Sky Deutschland chairman after pension fund questions “conflicts of interests and suitability” November 19, 2014 James Murdoch has stepped down from his role as chairman of Sky Deutschland following today's AGM. Murdoch will remain on the supervisory board, with Sky's chief executive Jeremy Darroch taking on the chairmanship role. Andrew Griffith has also joined the board as a member. The move comes two days after the Local Authority [...]
Sky cuts British part of name in European deal November 13, 2014 BRITISH and Broadcasting has been dropped by Britain’s largest Pay TV operator BSkyB as it adopted Sky as its official name yesterday after completing the £7bn takeover of its European sister companies, Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia. Sky, now Europe’s largest entertainment company, said the change was “to recognise the international scope of the business” [...]
Sky credit rating downgraded following £7bn takeover of Sky Italia and Sky Deutschland November 13, 2014 Sky’s long-term corporate credit rating has been cut following the completion of its £7bn takeover of Sky Italia and Sky Deutschland yesterday. Standard & Poor’s downgraded Sky’s credit rating from ‘BBB+’ to ‘BBB’ as it estimated the group would raise a “significant amount of debt to part-find the acquisitions”. The credit ratings agency [...]
BSkyB changes name to Sky as Europe deal for Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia is completed November 13, 2014 BSkyB is dropping “British” and “Broadcasting” from its name, to become just Sky as it announces the completion of a £7bn deal to acquire Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia. The media company, which becomes one of the largest pay TV operators in Europe, said the name change reflected the new international scope of the business. Its [...]
Moody’s downgrades BSkyB due to debt doubling after Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia acquisition November 7, 2014 Moody’s has downgraded BSkyB’s rating after its Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia acquisition more than doubled its funded debt to £7bn. BSkyB moves from Baa1 to Baa2 with a stable outlook, it’s second lowest investment grade, after the broadcaster picked up a larger share of Sky Deutschland than first expected. It picked up an additional [...]
BSkyB buys up lion’s share of Sky Deutschland November 6, 2014 PAY TV broadcaster BSkyB will own a larger-than-expected 87.45 per cent of Sky Deutschland once its takeover closes next week. The Sky Europe deal – as it has been dubbed with BSkyB buying up its Italian and German counterparts – will create a media empire spanning six countries and reaching 20m customers. With the purchase, [...]