Comcast has confirmed it is no longer bidding for the assets of the soon to be broken up 21st Century Fox.
It leaves the way clear for a bid from Walt Disney, which could be announced as early as this week.
“When a set of assets like 21st Century Fox’s becomes available, it’s our responsibility to evaluate if there’s a strategic fit that could benefit our company and our shareholders,” Comcast said in a statement released to the media Monday. “That’s what we tried to do and we are no longer engaged in the review of those assets. We never got the level of engagement needed to make a definitive offer.”
Comcast is the second largest cable operator in the United States and the owner of NBC Universal.
Discussions between Disney and Fox, initially rebuffed, include the US movie studio, cable channels and international businesses that also include Sky in the UK, Germany and Italy and India’s Star.