Telkom Media is a pay-TV company based in South Africa. It is intended to be the first provider of IPTV services in South Africa.
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Pay television |
| Headquarters | South Africa |
| Products | |
| Services | Television |
| Owners | Telkom |
History
editSouth African fixed-line telephone operator Telkom announced the creation of Telkom Media in August 2006, when it also applied for commercial satellite and cable-subscription broadcast licenses from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa.[1] Shareholders in the company included Telkom, Videovision Entertainment, MSG Afrika Media and WDB Investment Holdings.[2]
In April 2007 the company said it was conducting an internal IPTV trial.[3]
The total investment in startup was to amount to R7-billion, with R3.5-billion due to be sourced from Telkom.[4]
Telkom Media received its licence in September 2007 in a process that included the award of three other new pay-TV licences.[5]
Attempted sale of Telkom stake
editIn March 2008 Telkom said it would reduce its funding by R2.2-billion as other investments, such as a mobile wireless network, provided a shorter period for return.[6]
In June 2008 Telkom said it intended to sell its (then 66 percent) stake in Telkom Media. By June it was said to have identified a buyer from among several interested parties[7] and in November 2008 Telkom confirmed that negotiations were at an advanced stage.[8] The interested party was rumoured to be a South African consortium funded out of China.[9]
In March 2009 the interested Chinese party was identified as the Shenzhen Media Group amid reports that negotiations had failed because Telkom sought compensation for its sunk investment in the business.[10]
Winding up and sale
editIn late March 2009 Telkom said it had failed to find a buyer and intended closing down the company, having written down a R430-million shareholder loan to it.[11] The total costs of the company were estimated to be R700-million.[12] A shareholder meeting to approve the shut down was due to be held before the end of April 2009.[13]
However, in early May 2009 Telkom announced that it had sold its stake to Shenzhen Media, without immediately releasing further details.[14]
Notes
editReferences
edit- "Writing on the wall for Telkom Media". BusinessDay. Retrieved 2009-03-27.[dead link]
- "S.Africa's Telkom to close pay-TV unit". Reuters. 2009-03-25. Retrieved 2009-03-27.
- "Telkom Media appears to be counting its days". Business Report. Retrieved 2009-03-27.[dead link]
- "Chinese whispers circle Telkom Media". The Times. Retrieved 2009-03-27.[permanent dead link]
- "Telkom Is Close to Closing Telkom Media Stake Sale, CEO Says". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2009-03-27.
- "Telkom to Shut Media Unit After Failing to Find Buyer". Bloomberg. Retrieved 2009-03-27.
- "Telkom prepares to launch into pay TV arena". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2009-03-27.
- "Telkom considering offer for its pay-TV unit". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2009-03-27.
- "How Telkom killed its TV show". Mail & Guardian. 19 June 2008. Retrieved 2009-03-27.
- "What Telkom Media is planning". Moneyweb. Retrieved 2009-03-27.
- "Telkom Media brings IPTV to SA". Moneyweb. Retrieved 2009-03-27.
- "Someone finally buys Telkom Media". Moneyweb. Retrieved 2009-05-06.
- "Icasa awards new pay-tv licences". Independent Online. Retrieved 2009-03-27.