BeIN Media Group's Nasser Al Khelaifi Reportedly Acquires Stake In Digiturk

Reports have emerged in Turkey that "a prominent Qatari businessman has agreed to pay" $820M for a 53% stake in Turkish pay-TV platform Digiturk, according to ADVANCED TELEVISION. BeIN Media Group Chair & CEO Nasser Al Khelaifi "is understood to have acquired the stake from Turkey’s Savings Deposit Insurance Fund." The pay-TV operator "has been on sale since May 2013." Private equity fund Providence Equity Partners "holds the remaining" 47% of the shares. Digiturk "has the exclusive rights to broadcast Turkey’s top football competition, the Super Lig." Any confirmed deal "would extend beIN Sports’ coverage to a country where former parent firm Al Jazeera is steadily building up its presence." According to IHS Technology Senior Analyst of Televison Media Constantinos Papavassilopoulos, the acquisition of Digiturk "would mark the largest all-time takeover deal in the Turkish media market" (ADVANCED TELEVISION, 12/28).