CO
Conventional wisdom has predicted that the combined media monster created by the merger of Granada and Carlton, dubbed Granalton by its many detractors, would be bought by Viacom, and thusthe 3rd terresrial network would be truned into ITViacom.
However, today's Financial Times (2003-09-15) is reporting that should the merger be given the green light as expected by the politburo member for culture and the media, a new active suitor has risen to the prospect of an easy picking, namely Hallmark, a personal expression products company, and commissioner of many Halmi & Son mini series (Gulliver's Travels, Cleopatra, Tenth Kingdom, Dinotopia etc) and thus ITV could turn into HTV with the H denoting Hallmark.
From <http://news.ft.COM/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1059479825565&p=1012571727092>
However, today's Financial Times (2003-09-15) is reporting that should the merger be given the green light as expected by the politburo member for culture and the media, a new active suitor has risen to the prospect of an easy picking, namely Hallmark, a personal expression products company, and commissioner of many Halmi & Son mini series (Gulliver's Travels, Cleopatra, Tenth Kingdom, Dinotopia etc) and thus ITV could turn into HTV with the H denoting Hallmark.
From <http://news.ft.COM/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1059479825565&p=1012571727092>
Quote:
Granada gained 3.6 per cent at 100.25p, and its prospective merger partner Carlton Communications, added 4.9 per cent at 170p, after speculation in the weekend press that David Elstein, the former head of Channel Five, has secured the backing of Hallmark, the privately owned US greetings card and entertainment group, for an attempt to take control of ITV in the event of regulatory approval of the TV broadcasters’ merger.
According to wire reports, Elstein admitted he had held talks with Hallmark, but denied it was about arranging takeover finance. Momentum was given a further push by Deutsche Bank, which raised its earnings estimates for both and reiterated its "buy" ratings.
According to wire reports, Elstein admitted he had held talks with Hallmark, but denied it was about arranging takeover finance. Momentum was given a further push by Deutsche Bank, which raised its earnings estimates for both and reiterated its "buy" ratings.
