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US: Is the CBS-Viacom merger back on?

By  |  January 10, 2019

CBS’ board will meet on January 31, and the possibility of a merger between the former corporate siblings will be a hot topic on the agenda, according to Bloomberg, which reports that a decision “could come within weeks.”

A potential combination between CBS and Viacom, whose assets include Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, and the Paramount film studio—was in the spotlight for most of 2018, as the desire to bulk up on content and the companies’ shared history and ownership drove merger discussions. The two split in 2006, and both are majority controlled by the Redstone family’s National Amusements.

National Amusements pushed for a merger last spring, but the companies’ executive teams couldn’t find common ground. The discussions devolved into boardroom battles and a lawsuit, and the merger was eventually dropped with National Amusements agreeing not to bring it up again for at least two years.

Full Content: Bloomberg

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