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The cable and broadband giant Comcast said on Thursday it was abandoning its bid to acquire a major chunk of 21st Century Fox but would continue its push to win control of the British satellite broadcaster Sky, a move that ended a complex bidding war for Rupert Murdoch's media company.
In a statement, Comcast said, "It's not going to be more important than the acquisition of Twenty-First Century Fox assets, instead, will focus on our recommended offer for Sky."
Comcast We have been locked in a battle with the Walt Disney Company for the bulk of Mr. Murdoch's Fox empire, with the cable company submitting $ 65 billion for the assets last month. But Disney brushed back Comcast's with a higher bid of $ 71.3 billion, which Mr. Murdoch and his board quickly accepted. Shareholders for both Disney and Fox will vote on the proposed merger on July 27.
The cable giant had already started to move off to a point of a few weeks ago to focus on acquiring control of Sky, one of Europe's most prized media companies with more than 23 million customers across five countries. Comcast had initially been drawn to Fox primarily for its international holdings, which include a 39 percent ownership stake in the satellite TV service. Now Comcast and Fox are bidding for the other 61 percent of the company.
The Philadelphia-based Comcast leads the bidding for Sky, having topped Fox's $ 34 billion, or 26 trillion pounds. Sky's independent board had already recommended Comcast's new terms.
Brian L. Roberts, the chief executive of Comcast, praised Mr. Murdoch and the executive director Robert A. Iger on their deal. "I'd like to congratulate Bob Iger and the team at Disney and commend the Murdoch family and Fox for creating such a desirable and respected company," he said in a statement.
Contentious corporate showdown being totaled more than $ 100 billion in value. Mr. Roberts' statement was also a way to telegraph a bigger-picture scenario to Disney: you get Fox, I get Sky. Of course, Mr. Iger also covets Sky and its international reach, having called the broadcaster a "crown jewel."
Disney Neither The combined company would own movie studios that command nearly 50 percent of the North American box office this year. It would also be 60 percent of Hulu, which has over 20 million customers. The new Disney-Fox company would also retain a 39 percent stake in Sky.
If Comcast succeeds in winning control of Sky, another possibility could emerge, not authorized to speak publicly. The cable giant owns a 30 percent share of Hulu, giving it 90 percent of the streaming service. Disney, in turn, could sell the 39 percent share of Sky to Comcast.
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