Sony is reportedly in talks to acquire a stake in Indian media conglomerate Zee Entertainment Enterprises.
In November 2018, Indian media conglomerate Zee Entertainment had decided to sell half of its promoter holding of about 42 percent in flagship Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL), following a strategic review.
The company Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd is owned by Subhash Chandra. The media conglomerate hired Goldman Sachs as its investment banker and LionTree as its international strategic adviser to help sell the stake as part of a “strategic review of its businesses in view of the changing global media landscape”.
Indian press, including CNBCTV18, has reported that Sony is among a number of suitors for the stake with other possible bidders including Comcast and Chinese companies Tencent and Alibaba.
The move would greatly increase Sony’s presence in India, one of the fastest growing entertainment markets in the world. It currently operates nearly 30 channels including SET and AXN, has a large presence in sports media as well as OTT platform Sony LIV.
As per the local media reports the first round of bids is expected to kick off over the next few days.