US Cable Giant Liberty Global buys Virgin Media

A company already $26 billion in debt buying up a company £6 billion debt is just stupid. The guy behind it all Americas biggest land owner has zero personaliabity to these debts.

Why don't Sky just create a $billions debt mountain and buy everything everywhere , or TiVo or any other such company? Oh I'm remember why they reinvest into there network and tv content only for debt riddled badly managed company's to drag them through various ofcom investigations.

Originally Posted by Pierre

Bit of a non-comment that, as yes, they could easily be worse than the current regime.

---------- Post added at 09:23 ---------- Previous post was at 09:21 ----------



MY mistake, I mis-read the article.

Yes they are yanks, that have bought into Germany, and Belgium.

Barclay Knapp was an American who bought into the UK. Jus' sayin' ...

[gba93]

Originally Posted by Bogof

Still seemed pretty random to me.

---------- Post added at 16:13 ---------- Previous post was at 16:12 ----------



What? Where is the balance?

Previous posts had indicated, in a detrimental way, that VM and Liberty had (large) debts - his post just pointed out that BSkyB were also indebted (i.e. balance)

Originally Posted by Bogof

Who gives a toss a out news corp? Or are they going to bid for virginmedia? Wha a random comment lol

Bloody hell your a charmer, welcome to the cable forum

Originally Posted by gba93

Previous posts had indicated, in a detrimental way, that VM and Liberty had (large) debts - his post just pointed out that BSkyB were also indebted (i.e. balance)

BskyB has zero set liability and makes £1billion profit per year hence news corp and various other company's would love to own it.

This is interesting, talks about handin VM access to a wider choice of content through existing deals Liberty hold. Could they provide access to stuff that sky have bought rights too. I wouldn't have though so personally?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...hn-Malone.html

[thenry]

could Euro channels not be fed? US network ties?

[Horizon]

Originally Posted by Bogof

A company already $26 billion in debt buying up a company £6 billion debt is just stupid. The guy behind it all Americas biggest land owner has zero personaliabity to these debts.

Why don't Sky just create a $billions debt mountain and buy everything everywhere , or TiVo or any other such company? Oh I'm remember why they reinvest into there network and tv content only for debt riddled badly managed company's to drag them through various ofcom investigations.

I used to work for a large organisation that used to be involved in mergers and takeovers and one day half the meeting rooms were sectioned off to facilate a deal VERY similar to this. They call it due dilligence. I happened to bump into (literally, holding coffee and cakes) the top person doing the deal and the conversation went a bit like this:

Me: Why is company A buying company B?
Top City Consultant: It's a good deal.

Me: Why is it a good deal? Company A has huge debts and company B has huge debts, I'm obviously missing something here.
Top City Bod: Obviously.

Me: But why is this deal happening, everyone is in debt?
Top City Man: That's good!

Me: No, its not!
Top City Highly Paid Bod: Yes, it is!

Me: How can one company in debt buying another company in debt, be a good thing?
Top City Man: It is very good. Having cash on yer books is a waste of time and tax inefficient. Having cash sitting there on your books doing nothing does no companies any good.

Me: Except, they're not in debt....
Top City Bod: Go get me some more coffee and cakes and then sod off, I'm busy.
Me: Ok

Perhaps I am just thick, but I agree with you bogof. The inner workings of the City are beyond me, even though I worked there all my life!

Debt is debt.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Top banana

This is interesting, talks about handin VM access to a wider choice of content through existing deals Liberty hold. Could they provide access to stuff that sky have bought rights too. I wouldn't have though so personally?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...hn-Malone.html

Liberty Global generally own cable platforms around the world , they have certain channels like CBS Drama , CBS Action , CBS Reality plus part holdings in a few others but mainly purchase their content from other broadcasters.

[spankysmagicpian]

If they own Chello then MGM is listed as being owned by them....MGM HD?

[Gavin-D]

If the take over does happen UPC in Ireland has some HD channels which VM don't have could they follow?

Sky News HD
Sky Sports News HD
History HD
MGM HD
Crime and Investigation Network HD (CI)

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by spankysmagicpian

If they own Chello then MGM is listed as being owned by them....MGM HD?

Its a joint partnership with MGM in Spain I believe , MGM in the UK is a joint partnership with BSKYB however UPC in Ireland do have a carriage deal for MGM HD.

[gba93]

Originally Posted by Bogof

BskyB has zero set liability and makes £1billion profit per year hence news corp and various other company's would love to own it.

My bad - should have said News Corp not BSkyB but even BSkyB has net debts (£1201m @ Dec 2012 up from £876m @ Jun 2012 - figures taken from their own First Half Results dated 2013) ~ incidently they made £647m profit not £1billion as you stated (same source)

---------- Post added at 17:56 ---------- Previous post was at 17:54 ----------

Originally Posted by Horizon

Perhaps I am just thick, but I agree with you bogof. The inner workings of the City are beyond me, even though I worked there all my life!

Debt is debt.

I think the rationale is ~ it's always better to do business with somebody else's money

Originally Posted by Bogof

BskyB has zero set liability and makes £1billion profit per year hence news corp and various other company's would love to own it.

According to this Sky has debt?

http://uk.advfn.com/p.php?pid=financ...mbol=LSE%3ABSY

[Martin_D]

So if Virgin media gets sold will the name change ?