Russia’ National Satellite Company, which operates under the name Tricolor, is in talks to buy a 100% stake in NTV-Plus.
Tricolor is currently the leading DTH and pay-TV operator in Russia in terms of subscriber numbers, while NTV-Plus is the country’s longest established DTH platform, having made its debut in the mid-1990s.
According to Comnews, quoting a report in Fontanka, the deal could be worth around R65 billion (€913 million) and happen at the end of this year or the beginning of 2020.
One likely scenario would then see Andrei Tkachenko, the owner of Tricolor, merge his company with NTV-Plus and then sell part of its shares to Gazprom Media Holding.
Another possibility would see NSK buy a 49% stake in NTV-Plus for between R30-36 billion.
Significantly, Tricolor could itself be sold to Sberbank.
A merged Tricolor/NTV-Plus operation would have in the region of 15 million subscribers.