Paramount Global has reached a binding agreement to sell its stake in Indian media house Viacom18 to conglomerate Reliance for $517.4 million, the most valuable Indian firm disclosed to the local exchange in Mumbai at 2 a.m. Thursday.
The deal will increase Reliance’s stake in Viacom18, which operates dozens of TV channels as well as streaming service JioCinema, to 70.49%, Reliance said in its disclosure.
The Thursday’s move follows Disney merging its India business with Viacom18 late last month. The two firms said their merger will create a joint venture that they value at $8.5 billion. Viacom18 also counts Bodhi Tree, an investment firm run by James Murdoch and Uday Shankar, among its backers.
This is a developing story. More to follow.
