Sony buys UK channels group

Sony Pictures Television has bought CSC Media Group, the UK channel operator.

The deal, for an undisclosed amount gives Sony, CSC’s 16 ad-supported digital channels in the UK. Sony struck the agreement with CSC’s main backer, the private equity firm Veronis Suhler Stevenson. It gives SPT 100% of the UK company.

CSC runs kids, music, and movies and entertainment channels. Its kids services are Pop, Tiny Pop, Pop Girl and Kix, moving Sony into the kids TV space in the UK. Film and general entertainment channels include True Movies, True Entertainment and True Drama.

The CSC music channels include Scuzz, Flava, The Vault and Chart Show TV. The company was created in 2007 when Veronis Suhler Stevenson bought the Chart Show portfolio of channels.

Sony said that with CSC in its SPT Networks channels group it will become the fifth largest multichannel channel operator in the UK market. It originally entered the UK channels market in 2011 with the launch of Sony Entertainment Television.

“The acquisition of CSC further demonstrates our commitment to the UK market and our intent to continue to grow our tremendously successful global portfolio of networks,” said Andy Kaplan, president of worldwide networks for Sony Pictures Television. “These new channels perfectly complement our current offerings, allowing us to provide viewers with a variety of entertainment choices and advertisers with greater reach and cross-channel opportunities.”

Remy Minute, CEO of CSC Media Group, said: “CSC has grown from a small bouquet channel operator to become one of the leading multichannel ad-supported TV networks in the UK. This combination with SPT allows us to accelerate our growth trajectory, both internationally and domestically.  I very much look forward to working with the team at SPT.”