Comcast to challenge Disney for 21st Century Fox, Hulu

Comcast intends to make a hostile offer to buy 21st Century Fox, including Hulu – the major over-the-top competitor to Netflix – reported Ars Technica. The purchase is rumored to include Fox’s film and television studios, Fox Sports Regional Networks, and international properties, but not Fox News – for $60 billion.

Comcast’s bid comes months after Disney announced plans to buy most of 21st Century Fox for $66 billion, including more than $13 billion in debt.

Acquiring a streaming service is likely an attempt to stem declining pay-TV subscription rates.  Comcast lost 96,000 customer subscriptions in the first quarter of 2018, Charter lost 122,000 in the same period, and DirecTV lost 188,000 subscribers. Over the same period, viewing hours of over-the-top services like Netflix and Hulu grew by 114 percent.

Links:

Comcast confirms plan to buy 21st Century Fox and control of Hulu (Ars Technica, May 23, 2018)

Disney to buy most of 21st Century Fox for $66 billion (Speed Matters, Dec. 20, 2017)

Pay-TV subscription rates continue decline (Speed Matters, May 1, 2018)