Sunday, May 20, 2012

Aditya Birla Group enters media, acquires 
27.5 % stake in India Today Group









MUMBAI: Confirming a news report earlier put out by Insearchindia.com, 
the $35 billion Aidtya Birla Group has acquired 27.5 per cent stake in 
Living Media India (India Today Group) through its private investment 
company.
The transaction is the second high financial investment by a big 
corporation in the booming Indian media and entertainment industry 
this year, the other being the Reliance-Network18 deal.
The financial services-to-telecom and retail conglomerate did not 
disclose the amount it would be paying for the stake purchase.
“The media sector is a sunrise sector from an investment point of view. 
I believe that Living Media India offers one of the best opportunities 
 for growth and value creation," said Aditya Birla Group chairman Kumar Mangalam Birla.

The Birla Group will, thus, enter the media sector with a presence across 
 print, publishing, television and radio.
Living Media owns and operates English weekly magazine India Today, 
business magazine Business Today, English news channel Headlines Today, 
Hindi news channel Aaj Tak and radio channel Oye FM, among others.
"I am delighted to partner with the Aditya Birla Group to aggressively 
address the current and future potential of the Indian media business 
which is at a tipping point. The Aditya Birla Group with its strong 
leadership, global footprint, diversified business interests and its shared
 values of integrity, commitment and social responsibility make it a 
perfect fit with the India Today Group," said India Today Group chairman
 Aroon Purie.
Aroon Poorie, the promoter of India Today Group, holds 57.38 per cent 
stake in TV Today Network as per information on 5 March 2012.

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