Comcast, the largest cable television operator in the United States, has presented its formal offer of 22 billion pounds (about 31 billion euros) for Sky, thus launching the challenge to Fox for the conquest of the television station.
Comcast, which controls popular NBC brands and Universal Pictures, is offering £12,5 for every Sky share in an all-cash deal. The offer is at a 16% premium to Fox's £10,75 per share offer for Sky. Tycoon Rupert Murdoch's network presented an offer to acquire 2017% of Sky at the end of 61, only to be stopped by the British antitrust.
After announcing the interest last February 27, Comcast announced today on the London Stock Exchange that it has filed a formal offer. 21st Century Fox has bid £11,7bn in recent months.
Comcast's new offer does nothing but thicken the panorama of the large groups of world television. The match also crosses with Disney's offer, which in turn launched a $52,4 billion bid on Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox for a range of assets, including Sky. On April 3, 21st Century Fox said it willing to sell the Sky News channel to Walt Disney or to spin it off in order to convince the British authorities to give the green light to the mega-operation.
