BeIN Media completed the acquisition of Digiturk, giving the Qatari company "a significant presence in the Turkish market," and what beIN Chair Nasser Al-Khelaïfi described as "the largest deal in the history of the company." A deal had "been on the cards" since at least April '15. The company behind Al Jazeera and beIN Sports will now hold a platform that broadcasts over 200 channels, "with all of Turkey’s leading channels in the high definition format." In sports it holds the rights to Spor Toto Super League, La Liga, Ligue 1, ATP Masters 1000 Tennis and several others (BROADBAND TV NEWS, 8/28).
Econet Media added Formula 1 to its portfolio. The African broadcaster signed a three-and-a-half year deal with Formula One World Championship Ltd. which gives free-to-air platform Kwesé Free Sports exclusive free-to-air, English-language rights across Sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa. The deal means that Kwesé Free Sports will now broadcast same-day delayed coverage of F1 racing to African viewers in a number of countries (Econet).
