CCI approves the merger of Zee with Sony with conditions

Tags: Economy/Finance

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) on 4 October 2022 granted conditional approval to the proposed merger of Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL) with Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India owned by Japan’s Sony. However this is not the final order of the CCI and both the networks will have to meet the conditions of the CCI.

Sony and Zee decided to merge their television channels, film assets and streaming platforms in December last year.

Under the terms of the arrangement, Sony will hold 50.86 per cent stake in the merged entity. The promoters of Zee will hold 3.99 per cent and other Zee shareholders will hold 45.15 per cent stake in the combined company.

Sony will also inject cash of $1.5 billion into the merged entity.

The Zee-Sony combine will become India’s second-largest entertainment network by revenue with over 75 television (TV) channels, along with two video streaming services — ZEE5 and SonyLIV.

Competition Commission of India (CCI) 

• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) is the chief national competition regulator in India. 
• It was set up under the Competition Act, 2002
• It comes under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
• It promotes healthy market competition and prevents activities that have an adverse effect on competition in India. 
• CCI also approves combinations under the act so that two merging entities do not overtake the market.

Headquarter - New Delhi

Current Chairman - Ashok Kumar Gupta