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🎲 Star Entertainment (ASX: SGR) Tackles Challenges Amid Revenue Decline The Star Entertainment Group Limited (ASX: SGR) is navigating a tough phase under CEO Steve McCann, reporting an unaudited EBITDA loss of $27M in the first four months of FY24. Regulatory changes, such as mandatory playing cards and lower pokie cash limits, combined with weak consumer sentiment, have significantly impacted revenue. To secure a vital $150M capital tranche, Star is restructuring its leadership strategy, empowering property-level teams in Brisbane, Gold Coast, and Sydney, under state-based boards. 📈 At the time of writing, Star’s shares rose 7.1% to 22.5¢, showing a glimmer of investor confidence. McCann reassured shareholders, urging patience as the company works to transform its business. 🔗 Read more about Star’s strategy here: https://lnkd.in/gzhTXvNT #StarEntertainment #ASX #Leadership #InvestorUpdates

📈 The media landscape is poised for significant mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in 2025, driven by the contrasting trends of rising streaming services and declining traditional TV viewership. Major corporate deals, such as Skydance Media's acquisition of Paramount Global and Comcast's spinoff of its cable networks, highlight industry players' efforts to adapt to a streaming-centric world. Warner Bros. Discovery is also preparing for M&A, reorganizing into two divisions to enhance its competitive positioning. 💼 With a more favorable regulatory environment anticipated under the incoming Trump administration, industry sentiment is optimistic for M&A growth. Warner Bros. Discovery's CEO David Zaslav has indicated that the restructuring will create opportunities for transactions that could enhance shareholder value. This shift reflects a broader industry trend where companies are moving from defensive strategies to more aggressive positions to capitalize on emerging opportunities. 💰 A significant factor fueling potential media deals is the record amount of uninvested capital, estimated at $2.62 trillion, available for investment. This "dry powder" could lead to increased deal-making as companies seek strategic acquisitions to bolster their market presence. Additionally, joint ventures between streaming services are being considered as a way to address consumer subscription fatigue and maximize content investments. 🔄 As the industry evolves, the rationalization of the streaming sector is becoming increasingly apparent. Companies like WBD and Comcast are exploring partnerships to create comprehensive streaming bundles that could reduce churn and enhance user engagement. The urgency for results in this rapidly changing environment underscores the need for innovative strategies that can effectively navigate the complexities of today's media landscape. #TV #streaming #media

We announced strong financial results for the first half of 2024: 📈 Our revenues were up 8.6% to more than 2 billion Euros and Adjusted EBITDA was up 12% to €368m. This was driven by an outstanding performance in online sports #betting, reflecting the success of our strategy focused on user experience, as well as a busy sports calendar. 🏆In content production & distribution, we are seeing a solid demand from streamers. We expect to deliver a strong pipeline of scripted shows in H2 2024. 🎮We remained at the forefront of major #liveevents and continued to consolidate the market with The Independents’ recent acquisitions of specialist agencies Kennedy and Sunshine. 🚀 We're on track to meet our 2024 guidance, reflecting continued profitable growth for each business segment. Read more here 👉  https://lnkd.in/e9CCZQBb

Can replacing a CEO with three interim executives lead to a successful transformation at a time when leadership is key to the company’s future? The recent announcement that Paramount Global will be led by an 'Office of the CEO' composed of three executives who will all assume elements of the CEO position in the interim as part of a leadership committee could be concerning since Paramount is still navigating its upcoming merger. The decision can be perceived as complicating the leadership structure at a critical time. Effective leadership often requires clear, direct accountability, which is challenging to achieve with multiple heads. However, while Paramount continues to navigate its strategic initiatives, particularly the ongoing merger, the office of the CEO could successfully set the stage for a permanent CEO to take the lead. The new CEO office is working with Paramount's board "to develop a comprehensive, long-range plan to accelerate growth and develop popular content, materially streamline operations, strengthen the balance sheet, and continue to optimize the streaming strategy," the company said in a statement. #Paramount #interimleadership #merger Disclosure: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, regulatory, tax, accounting, or investment advice. It expresses the views of the author as of the date indicated and such views are subject to change without notice. Quaestor Consulting Group ("QCG") has no duty or obligation to update the information contained herein. Certain information contained herein is based on or derived from information provided by independent third-party sources. QCG believes that the sources from which such information has been obtained are reliable; however, it has not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of such information or the assumptions on which such information is based. QCG makes no representation, and it should not be assumed, that past investment performance is an indication of future results. Moreover, wherever there is the potential for profit there is also the possibility of loss.

From the NYT: The moguls are orchestrating corporate maneuvers that could usher in a sweeping reordering of the media industry in 2025. Among them are the leaders of Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of CNN; Comcast, the owner of NBC; and John Malone, the influential investor behind Live Nation Entertainment. In addition, Paramount, the owner of MTV and Nickelodeon, could soon have a new owner in David Ellison, who has access to billions of dollars in capital that could be used to strike additional deals. The starting gun went off in October, when Comcast’s president, Michael Cavanagh, said the company was exploring a spinout of its cable networks, which include Syfy, USA and MSNBC, into a new company. Analysts expect the as-yet-unnamed company to go on a shopping spree, buying up smaller cable networks and peeling off channels from rivals. Mr. Malone, the cable pioneer with stakes in many major #entertainment companies, went next. In November, he replaced his longtime chief executive, Greg Maffei, in tandem with a sale of the broadband business Liberty Broadband and a spin out of @Liberty Lve, a major shareholder in the concert promoter Live Nation. On Thursday, Warner Bros. Discovery announced it was planning to reorganize its company into two big divisions, lumping its traditional TV networks into one group and its streaming and studio businesses into another. “The climate for deal making is going to be really strong in 2025 for a lot of reasons,” said Reed Phillips, the co-founder and chief executive of Oaklins, an investment bank for media, marketing and #technology. “It’s a combination of a good economy, the uncertainty about the election being resolved, and there are a lot of companies that need to show growth again so that they themselves are attractive to investors.” There is no shortage of smaller companies for these media mammoths to scoop up. The decline of traditional cable has created a clutch of small #TV companies trying to navigate the industrywide transition to video #streaming. Those players, including AMC Networks, Hallmark Media and A&E Networks, are potential targets for the likes of Comcast and Warner Bros. Discovery. There are also new players coming onto the scene that are interested in acquiring media companies. Antenna, a media company that owns a stake in the Saudi broadcaster MBC, has been exploring deals for English-language media companies, including The News Movement. Redbird IMI, a #media company backed by the United Arab Emirates and run by the former CNN chief executive Jeff Zucker, recently tried to purchase The Telegraph, the British newspaper. Wall Street bankers have been gearing up for the prospect of a deal spree following the election of Donald J. Trump “It may offer a pace of change and an opportunity for consolidation that may be quite different, that would provide a real positive and accelerated impact on this industry that’s needed,” Mr. Zaslav said.

Paramount's leadership team, known as Office of the CEO, has laid out a strategic plan to fuel profitability and reduce $14.6 billion long-term debt. The Office of the CEO comprises of CBS CEO George Cheeks, Paramount Media Networks CEO Chris McCarthy and Paramount Pictures CEO Brian Robbins. It was formed after the resignation of former CEO Bob Bakish in April. The newly revealed plan focuses on exploring joint venture opportunities with other media companies, reducing $500 million in non-content costs, and divesting assets. "Our plan looks forward by building back the best of Paramount, delivering higher revenue with lower costs, which translates to higher earnings and better returns," Robbins claimed. "We will be thoughtful in how we deploy capital, with our world class content always being the first priority. That's the way we can maximize shareholder value and return Paramount to delivering consistent earnings growth." read more....👇 #rttnews #rttnewsbusinessupdates #paramountskydancedeal #paramounttakeoverdeals #paramountacquisitiondeals #paramountrestructuringplan #bobbakish #shariredstone #chrismccarthy #georgecheeks

It looks like I spoke too early, because the Paramount-Skydance merger talks have officially ended. Paramount Global's stock fell after controlling shareholder Shari Redstone decided to terminate the potential $8 billion deal with Skydance Media. The decision comes after vast negotiations and a detailed evaluation of the proposals on the table. The abrupt end to the Skydance deal caused Paramount's stock to drop significantly, reflecting investor disappointment and market volatility. Led by David Ellison, the deal with Skydance was initially seen as a strategic move that would rejuvenate Paramount by combining its resources and experience with those of a proven production powerhouse. However, Redstone and Paramount's special committee faced multiple challenges, including disagreements over the deal's terms and concerns about regulatory hurdles. Ultimately, the deal's downfall reflects deeper uncertainties about the company's future direction and strategic priorities. Investors are now closely watching Paramount’s next steps. The company still faces the challenge of finding a viable path forward amid ongoing industry consolidation and fierce competition in both traditional and streaming media. Paramount's leadership must now reassess its strategy to restore investor confidence and chart a course that leverages its diverse assets and rich content library. Stay tuned as this story develops and Paramount navigates its next moves in the ever-evolving media landscape. #Paramount #Skydance #ParamountGlobal #SkydanceMedia #ShariRedstone #DavidEllison #Merger #MediaIndustry #StockMarket #BusinessNews

A Latham team led by London partners Samuel Newhouse and Hector Sants, advised DAZN on an agreement to acquire Foxtel, one of Australia’s leading media companies. The transaction represents the fifth $1bn+ deal the London M&A team has advised on in recent weeks. https://lw.link/d7s61X Recent $1bn+ deals include advising TI Fluid Systems on the £1.039 billion acquisition by ABC Technologies; Anglo American on the US$3.775 billion sale of its steelmaking coal business, and on the sale of its 33.3% minority interest in Jellinbah for A$1.6 Billion (approximately US$1.1 billion); and Miniclip on its US$1.2 billion acquisition of Easybrain.

MIPTV may be over, but you don't need to miss out on the insights from it! Join our live session on Decoding MIPTV: Acquisition and Production Deals & Trends. Get expert insights you can use to stay ahead of the curve. Register here: https://hubs.li/Q02sZMM90 #LiveSession #Vitrina #MIPTV #Acquisition #ProductionDeals #ProductionTrends #Insights