Article by The Corporate Team
It is a time of great change for the independent television
production sector, as revenues soar and companies merge. NBC
Universal's acquisition of Carnival is typical of this
consolidation trend.
Glamorous industries like the media rarely compete with
established blue-chip companies or heavy industrials when it comes
to attracting investors. But, as the economy stumbles and
previously 'safe' investments such as banks look decidedly
wobbly, investors are looking for areas of growth. One sector that
is prospering is independent television production so private
equity firms and trade buyers are looking keenly for investment
targets.
In September, NBC Universal (NBCU) acquired Carnival, behind
programmes such as the BBC's Hotel Babylon, in a £30m
deal. Carnival chief executive Gareth Neame says: "There is a
huge amount of consolidation in the media business. This is a
vibrant area and sales of small companies mean there is a lot
