Viacom18 Media and Zee Entertainment are reportedly in initial talks for a merger that could form a media firm with the largest market capitalization in India from the industry.
Viacom18 is a joint venture between TV18 Broadcast Ltd (51%) and US-based ViacomCBS Inc. (49%). TV18 is a unit of Network18 Media and Investments Ltd, majority-owned by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL).
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, founded by Essel Group’s Subhash Chandra, is majority-owned by foreign institutional investors, including Investco Oppenheimer Developing Markets Fund and Ofi Global Fund China LLC. Essel Group’s equity holding is down to 3.9%.