Reliance aims to Finalize its Merger with Disney's India Business by the Third Quarter
The merger between the media assets of Reliance Industries and the Indian operations of global media giant Walt Disney is anticipated to be finalized by the end of the third quarter of this fiscal year, according to a regulatory filing from the Mukesh Ambani-led group. The fair trade regulator, CCI, has already approved the merger of Viacom 18 and Star India, and the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has also sanctioned the merger scheme.
"The companies are in the process of obtaining other requisite approvals for the completion of the transaction and transaction closer is expected in 3Q FY 25", informed Reliance Industries on Monday in its quarter earning statement.
The merger of Reliance group-controlled media assets - TV18 Broadcast and E18 - with Network18 Media & Investments has already been sanctioned by the NCLT and was made effective on October 3, it said. Earlier in September, the government approved the transfer of licenses relating to Non News & Current Affairs TV channels held by media entities of Reliance Industries to Star India.
"The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, vide its order dated September 27, has granted its approval for transfer of Licenses relating to Non News & Current Affairs TV channels held by Viacom18 Media Private Limited in favour of Star India", it had said.
Viacom18 is the holding company that owns the media and entertainment business of billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries and Bodhi Tree Systems. Both sides are in the final stages of the merger, making some adjustments in the business as per the Competition Commission of India (CCI) directions. On August, the NCLT had approved the scheme of merger of Viacom18 Media and Digital 18 Media, holding media and entertainment assets of Reliance Industries with Star India.
The scheme had proposed the transfer and vesting of Media Operations Undertaking from Viacom 18 and Jio Cinema into Digital18, which is a subsidiary of Viacom 18. This would be followed by "demerger, transfer and vesting of V18 Undertaking from Digital 18 into Star India".
Viacom18 is part of the RIL group, and Star India is wholly owned by The Walt Disney Company. Star Television Productions, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, is owned indirectly by Walt Disney. The CCI, however, did not disclose voluntary modifications in the original deal made by the two parties. As per the deal, Mukesh Ambani-led RIL and its affiliates will hold 63.16 percent of the combined entity that will house two streaming services and 120 television channels. Walt Disney will hold the remaining 36.84 percent stake in the combined entity, which will also be India's largest media house.
Reliance Industries has committed to investing nearly Rs 11,500 crore into the joint venture, strengthening its position against competitors like Japan's Sony and Netflix. Nita Ambani, wife of billionaire and RIL Chairman Mukesh Ambani, will lead the joint venture as its chairperson, with Uday Shankar serving as vice-chairperson.