Sony Buys CSC Media Group

Sony Pictures Television has struck a deal to buy U.K. programmer CSC Media Group and its suite of ad-supported channels.

SPT made the deal for 100% of the company with majority shareholder Veronis Suhler Stevenson, a private equity firm with over $3 billion in investments that formed CSC with its purchase of the Chart Show channels in 2007.

CSC's ad-supported channels include a number of kids channels as well as the True film, drama and entertainment channels.

CSC also has a number of Web sites, on demand services and mobile apps, according to the company.

"The acquisition of CSC further demonstrates our commitment to the U.K. market and our intent to continue to grow our tremendously successful global portfolio of networks," said SPT worldwide networks president Andy Kaplan (pictured).

Sony already has 9 channels in the U.K., but now will be the number five channel programmer in the U.K. market measured by commercial views, according to SPT.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.