Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd on Wednesday said Culver Max Entertainment, formerly known as Sony Pictures Networks India, has agreed to discuss extending the date required to make their merger scheme effective, a day ahead of the deadline. A day after Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) stated that it has not yet agreed to a deadline extension requested by Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) for their proposed $10-billion merger, the Subhash Chandra family-promoted media firm said it has received a communication from Sony group for discussing an extension of the deal which was announced almost two years ago.
Why are DIIs holding such a high stake in Zee, which is beset with alleged governance issues? Perhaps they think Zee is a deep-value stock, observes Debashis Basu.
Zee Entertainment last week witnessed shareholder activism that saw an open call for the ouster of promoters and the incumbent management led by Punit Goenka. Besides, Dish TV also faced a similar call earlier this month. The trouble at Zee Entertainment can be gauged from the fact that this is a unique company wherein the promoters own just 3.99 per cent, but fully control the firm.
Trinamool Congress is the second highest recipient of political donations through electoral bonds.
Culver Max Entertainment, formerly known as Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI), has terminated merger agreements with Zee Entertainment, which could have otherwise created a USD 10 billion media enterprise in the country.
In a landmark deal announced in Mumbai, Star Den Media Services Pvt Ltd and Zee Turner Ltd will form a joint venture to combine distribution of their respective channel bouquets in India.
The STAR India-Bennet, Coleman & Company (BCCL) combine, Subhash Chandra's Essel Group and TV 18's HomeShopping 18 are among those who will air home shopping channels in the next couple of months.
The merger of ZEE Entertainment and Sony has reached an advanced stage of completion, and the issues faced by promoters with Sebi should not become a problem for the company, debarred ZEEL MD Punit Goenka has said in a letter to employees, according to sources. Goenka, who along with his father Subhas Chandra, was denied any interim relief against a Sebi order that barred them from holding the position of director or key managerial post in any listed company, in the letter ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) staff asserted that the merger of Culver Max (earlier known as Sony Pictures Networks India) is at a very important juncture. With the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) restricting him from holding a directorial or key managerial position in a listed company, Goenka told the employees that the ZEEL board has constituted an interim committee of senior executives to ensure smooth operations and day-to-day functioning.
At a time the industry is slashing headcount, citing the downturn, direct-to-home (DTH) television service providers are adding employees.
Rs 40 crore already deployed in a residential project in Chennai.
New Delhi-based direct-to-home player Dish TV plans to pump in Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion) as part of its expansion plans over the next 18 months.
In the past month, when the Essel Group started picking up shares of the company, IVRCL's stock has risen 31 per cent, a rare feat in a market where infrastructure stocks have been suffering due to slow movement in projects and high interest burden.
ICC confirmed it was investigating the registration of company names which it regarded as of 'concern to the sport of cricket'.
The reduction in value of Chandra's assets comes close on the heels of the group's debt burgeoning to over Rs 12,000 crore, much of which he had raised by pledging his shares to banks and mutual funds in his flagship company ZEEL after many of the groups infrastructure bets did not take off.
In a major relief to media major Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL), the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on Friday stayed the insolvency proceedings initiated against it earlier this week. Admitting a petition filed by ZEEL Managing Director and chief executive Punit Goenka, the appellate tribunal issued notices to private sector lender IndusInd bank and the interim resolution professional directing them to file a reply in two weeks. NCLAT said the submissions made by both sides need a detailed hearing.
How Bajaj, Colgate, Raymonds, Zee lost out.. Strategic errors have hurt many companies, says adguru Sandeep Goyal.
Two investment firms, together accounting for 17.88 per cent of the paid-up share capital of Zee Entertainment Enterprise Ltd (ZEEL), have sought the removal of the current managing director Punit Goenka from the board of the company. The two investment firms are -- Invesco Developing Markets Fund (formerly Invesco Oppenheimer Developing Markets Fund) and OFI Global China Fund LLC, the largest shareholder of ZEEL. The two firms have called an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders seeking to remove Punit Goenka.
Essel Group-promoted Dish TV on Wednesday said it was looking for a tie-up with the Indian Railways to implement DTH services in trains, which would enable travelers to watch Live TV while on the move.
The group firms reported combined losses of Rs 6,134 crore in FY19 against a net profit of Rs 5,414 crore a year ago. Excluding Vodafone Idea, the group reported a net profit of Rs 8,470 crore, down from a profit of Rs 9,582 crore a year ago.
Subhash Chandra promoted Dish TV has signed exclusive direct-to-home deals in Cannes with five international channels, including Eurosport News and Fashion TV.
In view of rumours surrounding an Indian conglomerate's attempt to start a possible rebel league, the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations chief executive, Tony Irish, has said that mainstream cricket should be 'on their toes' to keep their players away from being lured to an another potential T20 league.
Chandra, who will turn 69 years old on Saturday, becomes non-executive director with immediate effect.
At its meeting held on Friday, the company's board rejected the minority shareholders' demand and termed the requisition as "invalid and illegal". "In its meeting held on 1st October 2021, the board has arrived at a conclusion that the requisition is invalid and illegal; and has accordingly conveyed its inability to convene the Extraordinary General Meeting to Invesco Developing Markets Funds and OFI Global China Fund, LLC," ZEEL said in a statement.
Demerging print and TV news businesses will allow for separate investment by interested players.
Ambani's group companies are stated to have taken loans of about Rs 12,800 crore from the bank that turned NPAs.
Market experts say that FIIs have been caught off-guard on their exposures to companies with high-leverage and those facing cyclical headwinds.
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd on Wednesday approached the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) against the requisition of minority shareholders Invesco and OFI Global China Fund to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to discuss various issues, including removal of managing director Punit Goenka. The media major has challenged the orders of Mumbai-bench of the National Company Law Tribunal, which had on Tuesday directed Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) to filed reply over the petition filed by its minority shareholders by October 7 (Thursday), the next date of hearing. Confirming the development, a ZEEL Spokesperson said: "The company has moved NCLAT in accordance with the due process available under the law."
Tata Group had hinted at combining its enterprise business with Tata Communications and its fixed-line and broadband businesses with Tata Sky.
The fund is to invest in income generating assets such as malls, office complexes among others.
Following the foray of Essel and Essar groups into the online lottery segment, another leading conglomerate Forbes Group on Friday said it will enter the segment and launch its product 'DhanDhanaDhan' next month.
Investment firm Invesco Developing Markets Fund, the largest shareholder in Zee Entertainment Enterprises, on Thursday said it will support the Zee-Sony merger deal and has decided not to pursue the call for ZEEL EGM to remove managing director and CEO Punit Goenka and two independent directors. The company said it will support the merger of Zee and Sony, contending the "deal in its current form has great potential for Zee shareholders" but added if it is not completed as currently proposed, Invesco retains the right to requisition a fresh EGM. Two days after the Bombay high court ruled that Invesco's call for EGM was legally valid, the investment firm in a statement said, "Since we announced our intention to requisition an EGM and add six independent directors to Zee's Board of Directors, Zee has entered into a merger agreement with Sony.
Media giant Zee Group on Wednesday announced diversifying into the energy sector, beginning with a Rs 3,500 crore (Rs 35 billion) gas-based power plant in Haryana.
His exit has created a benchmark of sorts for how entrepreneurs and businesses should deal with debt crises. Unlike many other Indian businessmen, he hasn't fled, tried to hang on to the business by any means or wrangle out of the debt by using his closeness to the current government. It is so very rare for Indian media businesses to grow out of their founding family's shadow, however, benevolent it may be.
Other than Kapoor, the complaint, running into more than 10,000 pages, named his wife, Bindu; three daughters Rakhee, Roshini, and Radha; and three firms, Morgan Credits, RAB Enterprises, and Doit Urban Ventures, allegedly controlled by them.
Richest 10 account for 41% of promoter wealth, up from 33% in December 2018, says Krishna Kant.