Discovery mulling takeover bid for Channel 4'

Should any deal happen, it would give Discovery a large enough UK portfolio to compete for advertising with ITV

By Jenny Priestley

Published: August 2, 2021 Updated: August 3, 2021

Should any deal happen, it would give Discovery a large enough UK portfolio to compete for advertising with ITV

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Discovery is reportedly considering a takeover bid for UK broadcaster Channel 4.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Discovery is holding talks over a potential bid should the UK government go ahead with the channel's planned privatisation.

If Discovery were successful, it would no longer need to agree a deal with the BBC over access to the Olympics.

Discovery paid £1.1 billion for the European rights to the Olympics until Paris 2024, however the Games are in Category A of Ofcom's code on sports, which means they must have live coverage made available to free-to-air channels. The BBC agreed a deal with Discovery to be able to show some of the Games.

Should Discovery be successful with a possible bid for Channel 4, it would no longer need to work with the BBC. It would also give the broadcaster a large enough UK portfolio to compete for advertising with ITV.

Discovery has since said it is not preparing a bid for Channel 4.

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LINK:	https://www.tvbeurope.com/business/discovery-mulling-takeover-bid-for-...
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