News Corporation to sell 44% stake in New Zealand’s SKY Network Television Limited

March 4 2013, 10:36 am | BY Ricki Green | No Comments

carey_1949975c.jpgNews Corporation announced that its News Limited subsidiary will divest its 44% stake in SKY Network Television Limited, New Zealand’s pre-eminent pay television broadcasting service.

News Limited has appointed Deutsche Bank to underwrite and, together with Craigs Investment Partners, to manage, the sales of its SKY shares. It is expected that the shares will be sold to a broad range of institutional and retail investors. Following the sales, News Limited will no longer have any holding in SKY Network Television Limited.

Says Chase Carey (pictured), president and chief operating officer, News Corporation: “SKY is a world class subscription television business and has been an outstanding investment for News Corporation. We and SKY have always enjoyed an excellent, arms-length working relationship and we expect this to continue unaffected by the sale. In particular, we do not anticipate any change to current arrangements regarding access to content and collaboration on technology.”

As a result of the sale, Michael Miller, regional director of News Limited, will resign from the board of SKY.