Interesting. I have to admit, HGTV, DIY Network, and Food Channel, have
acquired such a large fan base, that their protagonists now appear regularly in
the popular news media. Every bit as much as the actors do from shows of the
main TV networks. So, kudos to Scripps, for discovering and filling a real
segment of public demand.
Sling TV now carries much or all of this Scripps content. (Too bad that to
watch these on Sling TV, you are simultaneously forced to further bloat the
salaries of grown men who chase after spheres or oblong spheroids.) Will
Discovery change this arrangement? For the better or for the worse? Zaslav's
statement suggests for the better.
Bert
----------------------------------------------------
http://www.tvtechnology.com/business/0011/discovery-acquires-scripps-networks-for-146-billion/281515
Discovery Acquires Scripps Networks for $14.6 Billion
Will look to grow linear, digital and short-form platforms
July 31, 2017
By Michael Balderston
SILVER SPRING, MD. & KNOXVILLE, TENN.-A deal has been struck that will see
Discovery Communications acquire Scripps Networks Interactive. The transaction
is valued at $14.6 billion.
Discovery and Scripps, as a single network, will produce 8,000 hours of
original program a year, have 300,000 hours of library content and generate a
combined 7 billion short-form video streams monthly. The combined company
claims that it will has five of the top pay-TV networks for women, will account
for more than 20 percent share of women watching primetime pay-TV in the U.S.,
and will have nearly 20 percent of ad-supported pay-TV audiences in the U.S.
The Scripps channels that will now be under the Discovery banner include HGTV,
Food Network, Travel Channel, DIY Network, Cooking Channel, Great American
Country, TVN, UKTV, Asian Food Channel and Fine Living Network.
The transaction is expected to boost Discovery's presence both internationally
in markets like the U.K., Poland and Latin America, as well as one social media
and video platforms.
"This agreement with Discovery presents an unmatched opportunity for Scripps to
grow its leading lifestyle brands across the world and on new and emerging
channels including short-form, direct-to-consumer and streaming platforms,"
said Kenneth W. Lowe, chairman, president and CEO of Scripps, who is expected
to join Discovery's board of directors upon closure of the deal.
The $14.6 billion deal is based on a cash-and-stock transaction at a value of
$90 per share
The deal is subject to approval by Discvoery and Scripps' shareholders, as well
as the necessary regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
Discovery expects the deal to close by early 2018.
"We believe that by coming together with Scripps, we will create a stronger,
more flexible and more dynamic media company with a global content engine that
can be fully optimized and monetized across our combined networks, products and
services in every country around the world," said David Zaslav, president and
CEO of Discovery.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:
- Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at
FreeLists.org
- By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
unsubscribe in the subject line.
