A major deal in Turkey’s pay-TV industry could be in the offing, with D-Smart signaling its intention to buy the rival platform Digitürk.
According to Zaman, D-Smart, which is owned by the Dogan Media Group, said in an emailed note that it plans to “offer relatively better service with favourable prices” to Digitürk customers.
Digitürk was part of the Cukurova Group up until this May, when The Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF), seized it along with several assets including Show TV and Skytürk, for failing to control its debts. Following the seizure of Digitürk, several companies, including Providence Equity Partners and the Canal+ group, emerged as possible buyers.
Indeed, Providence had until that point held a 47% stake in the platform, with the Cukurova Group being the majority shareholder.
Digitürk has particularly strong sports coverage, having paid TL321 million (€127.3 million) for four-year broadcasting rights to the Turkish Super League (football) earlier this year, though it has recently also added significantly to its line-up of popular local and international TV channels.
Should D-Smart take over Digitürk, it would create a DTH platform with between 4-5 million subscribers.
Any deal would have to be sanctioned by Turkey’s Competition Board (RK), which as recently as late last month gave the go-ahead to another major transaction that saw Show TV sold to the Ciner Group.
